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bee_thebibliophile's reviews
1951 reviews
Melting the Ice by Beth Bolden
4.0
Beth Bolden + sports romance is always a win in my book! It’s her first foray into hockey romance, but of course we get some football in the mix too and it was great.
Brody Faulkner is a college hockey player and a bio major, something you don’t see happen very often. After an injury put him on the sidelines last season, he’s struggling to figure out how hockey and the life he lived while recovering can go together and make him happy again. Dean Scott is a college football player who is determined to make it to the NFL and will do anything he can to make himself more fit, a better player and a more attractive draft pick. He’s almost single minded in his pursuit of his dream since it means a life completely different from the one he’s living now.
Brody and Dean end up as roommates when Brody’s best friend Ramsey sets them up - it’s a surprise but it ends up working out way better than either of them anticipate. Even when they’re trying to be friends, their chemistry is off the charts - they just seem to click and can anticipate what each other needs on a level that’s way more intimate than just friends. Their easiness around each other, the way they relax when it’s just them, their unwavering support, all of it was so sweet to read. Brody and Dean really had something special and I hope we get to see glimpses of them throughout this series!
I loved the cameos and mentions of past Beth Bolden characters and can’t wait to see where the rest of the series is headed/who else we’ll get to see along the way! Also really keeping my fingers crossed for a Ramsey story one of these days…I’m SO intrigued by him!! Can’t wait for the next Portland Evergreens book!
Brody Faulkner is a college hockey player and a bio major, something you don’t see happen very often. After an injury put him on the sidelines last season, he’s struggling to figure out how hockey and the life he lived while recovering can go together and make him happy again. Dean Scott is a college football player who is determined to make it to the NFL and will do anything he can to make himself more fit, a better player and a more attractive draft pick. He’s almost single minded in his pursuit of his dream since it means a life completely different from the one he’s living now.
Brody and Dean end up as roommates when Brody’s best friend Ramsey sets them up - it’s a surprise but it ends up working out way better than either of them anticipate. Even when they’re trying to be friends, their chemistry is off the charts - they just seem to click and can anticipate what each other needs on a level that’s way more intimate than just friends. Their easiness around each other, the way they relax when it’s just them, their unwavering support, all of it was so sweet to read. Brody and Dean really had something special and I hope we get to see glimpses of them throughout this series!
I loved the cameos and mentions of past Beth Bolden characters and can’t wait to see where the rest of the series is headed/who else we’ll get to see along the way! Also really keeping my fingers crossed for a Ramsey story one of these days…I’m SO intrigued by him!! Can’t wait for the next Portland Evergreens book!
Second Shot by Con Riley
4.5
Somehow Con Riley manages to always write sweet stories that tug at my heartstrings and make me cry…Second Shot was no exception!
Hayden Novac and Lewis (Rae) Raeburn meet at Glynn Harber on a random day, under the most random circumstances but that’s all it takes for them to start falling for each other. They both have complicated pasts that come out in little bits throughout the book, slowly processing their trauma and figuring out ways to grow from it both individually and together. Their romance is a bit of a whirlwind, but the stolen moments they have between trying to achieve their goals just makes them long for more time together to really explore their connection and chemistry. I loved hearing (and seeing in Rae’s case) how they saw each other, especially since it was so different from each character’s inner monologue - they were both so tough on themselves but finding someone who could emphasize all the good was exactly what they needed.
I do wish we would have gotten more of a resolution with Aleksander. No spoilers, but I feel like that was quickly glossed over and probably should have been a bigger deal. I also wish we got more insight into Rae’s book - so much of this story revolved around that and I wanted to know more, or maybe get Hayden’s reaction to seeing it finished for the first time.
As always, I LOVE how Con manages to weave so many of her past characters into each story. Seeing familiar names come up on the page makes me smile every time and I love that it’s almost like checking in with an old friend to see how they’re doing now. Can’t wait for more stories from the Glynn Harber crew soon!
Hayden Novac and Lewis (Rae) Raeburn meet at Glynn Harber on a random day, under the most random circumstances but that’s all it takes for them to start falling for each other. They both have complicated pasts that come out in little bits throughout the book, slowly processing their trauma and figuring out ways to grow from it both individually and together. Their romance is a bit of a whirlwind, but the stolen moments they have between trying to achieve their goals just makes them long for more time together to really explore their connection and chemistry. I loved hearing (and seeing in Rae’s case) how they saw each other, especially since it was so different from each character’s inner monologue - they were both so tough on themselves but finding someone who could emphasize all the good was exactly what they needed.
I do wish we would have gotten more of a resolution with Aleksander. No spoilers, but I feel like that was quickly glossed over and probably should have been a bigger deal. I also wish we got more insight into Rae’s book - so much of this story revolved around that and I wanted to know more, or maybe get Hayden’s reaction to seeing it finished for the first time.
As always, I LOVE how Con manages to weave so many of her past characters into each story. Seeing familiar names come up on the page makes me smile every time and I love that it’s almost like checking in with an old friend to see how they’re doing now. Can’t wait for more stories from the Glynn Harber crew soon!
Notorious Park Avenue Prince by Ella Frank, Brooke Blaine
3.5
East was the Park Avenue Prince’s story that I was most looking forward to. Unfortunately this one didn’t quite live up to my expectations in the end.
James (East) Easton can get anything he wants in the city just by dropping his last name and uses that to his advantage time and time again. Zac Fletcher is a grad student TA who has to deal with East in class and started to deal with him outside of class too thanks to a lot of pent-up frustration. Tyrone Kingston is a professor with a big secret…one that he doesn’t even fully clue East and Zac into for a while and I still feel like I’m missing a lot of parts even after finishing the book.
Their relationship starts as a plea for a hookup and turns into something much, much bigger than that. Their chemistry is great and their personalities together really worked and was super entertaining to read. I wish this book was longer or more than one book so that there was time to fully flesh out these three characters. The whole time they’re together they’d keep trying to have serious conversations that ultimately didn’t lead to anyone learning anything about each other - so much deflection and subject changing, I got a bit of whiplash
I definitely had some problems with their relationship dynamics. East and Zac’s already established non-relationship relationship was unexpected and super sweet - they were so protective of each other without even knowing but I hated that they didn’t really know anything about each other outside of hooking up. Zac and King’s work relationship turned into a romantic relationship felt like a natural progression, but the thing that bothered me most was that East felt like the third wheel when Zac and King were together and that didn’t sit well with me.
For this being the last of the Park Avenue Princes stories, I really expected more group moments. We had a few, but not nearly as many as I hoped. Potentially more to come in the Park Avenue Kings series coming next? This book felt like a lot of setup for the next series - we didn’t get many answers, just a lot more questions, which was frustrating since this is the last book in this series. So, I guess I’ll just have to wait and see what happens next?
James (East) Easton can get anything he wants in the city just by dropping his last name and uses that to his advantage time and time again. Zac Fletcher is a grad student TA who has to deal with East in class and started to deal with him outside of class too thanks to a lot of pent-up frustration. Tyrone Kingston is a professor with a big secret…one that he doesn’t even fully clue East and Zac into for a while and I still feel like I’m missing a lot of parts even after finishing the book.
Their relationship starts as a plea for a hookup and turns into something much, much bigger than that. Their chemistry is great and their personalities together really worked and was super entertaining to read. I wish this book was longer or more than one book so that there was time to fully flesh out these three characters. The whole time they’re together they’d keep trying to have serious conversations that ultimately didn’t lead to anyone learning anything about each other - so much deflection and subject changing, I got a bit of whiplash
I definitely had some problems with their relationship dynamics. East and Zac’s already established non-relationship relationship was unexpected and super sweet - they were so protective of each other without even knowing but I hated that they didn’t really know anything about each other outside of hooking up. Zac and King’s work relationship turned into a romantic relationship felt like a natural progression, but the thing that bothered me most was that East felt like the third wheel when Zac and King were together and that didn’t sit well with me.
For this being the last of the Park Avenue Princes stories, I really expected more group moments. We had a few, but not nearly as many as I hoped. Potentially more to come in the Park Avenue Kings series coming next? This book felt like a lot of setup for the next series - we didn’t get many answers, just a lot more questions, which was frustrating since this is the last book in this series. So, I guess I’ll just have to wait and see what happens next?
Conflicted by Lark Taylor
If this is the kind of story we can expect from the rest of the Hopeless Blessed stories about the rest of the unattached Seraphim, sign me up! I feel like this book had a lot of overarching storyline setup for the series, so can’t wait for more about this group of angel badasses. And, as always, love the cameos from all of our Lark Taylor faves from the past!
4.0
PNR + Enemies to Lovers + Forbidden Romance between an angel and a demon? I’m so here for it! Micah and Nox’s story was complicated and angsty and I enjoyed it so much.
Micah and Nox are opposites in almost every way, so when they realize their fated mates, they try to ignore the pull toward each other but end up mixed up with each other time and time again. Their relationship is technically forbidden, but fate clearly had something else to say, so they’re fighting an uphill battle every minute once they stop avoiding each other. I wasn’t sure what to expect for these two and their story, but Lark took us somewhere totally unexpected and so perfect for them.
The angst and twists and turns kept me on my toes and so invested in these two holding on to the little bits of happiness they’d found in each other. Even when things got really dark, I was holding my breath and fighting back tears while waiting for everything to work itself out. Their banter and their unique brand of love made me smile - Micah and Nox are each other’s biggest protectors (unaliving as a love language…so great) while still also leading a heavenly army and causing all kinds of chaos. But they also help each other to see that angels and demons really aren’t all that different even though they’ve been made to think that all along.
Micah and Nox are opposites in almost every way, so when they realize their fated mates, they try to ignore the pull toward each other but end up mixed up with each other time and time again. Their relationship is technically forbidden, but fate clearly had something else to say, so they’re fighting an uphill battle every minute once they stop avoiding each other. I wasn’t sure what to expect for these two and their story, but Lark took us somewhere totally unexpected and so perfect for them.
The angst and twists and turns kept me on my toes and so invested in these two holding on to the little bits of happiness they’d found in each other. Even when things got really dark, I was holding my breath and fighting back tears while waiting for everything to work itself out. Their banter and their unique brand of love made me smile - Micah and Nox are each other’s biggest protectors (unaliving as a love language…so great) while still also leading a heavenly army and causing all kinds of chaos. But they also help each other to see that angels and demons really aren’t all that different even though they’ve been made to think that all along.
If this is the kind of story we can expect from the rest of the Hopeless Blessed stories about the rest of the unattached Seraphim, sign me up! I feel like this book had a lot of overarching storyline setup for the series, so can’t wait for more about this group of angel badasses. And, as always, love the cameos from all of our Lark Taylor faves from the past!
Karaoke Queen by Dominic Lim
3.5
Karaoke Queen was a quick read full of interesting characters, growth and revelations.
Rex Araneta is a former drag queen who left it all behind years ago, locked away in a chest in his closet. When he meets an ex-boyfriend, Aaron, unexpectedly and hears about his bar suffering, he concocts a plan to bring back Regina Moon Dee to host karaoke nights at the Pink Unicorn. Things get messy and complicated due to Rex’s secrets that he’s keeping from Aaron, his father and the rest of his family.
I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would at the beginning. Once we started meeting all of the side characters - Paolo, Melboy, Eva, Rex’s mother, Kat - things really started to pick up. This story relied heavily on not telling the whole truth and that started to bother me after a while. I really enjoyed Rex and Paolo’s unexpected relationship and wished all of the relationships in the book were like that one - so open and honest.
I really disliked Aaron’s character. I feel like everything about him got under my skin and I disliked the way that Rex changed when he was around him. It was likely intentional to make Rex’s choice easier, but something about Aaron made me uncomfortable.
Looking forward to reading more books by Dominic Lim in the future!
Rex Araneta is a former drag queen who left it all behind years ago, locked away in a chest in his closet. When he meets an ex-boyfriend, Aaron, unexpectedly and hears about his bar suffering, he concocts a plan to bring back Regina Moon Dee to host karaoke nights at the Pink Unicorn. Things get messy and complicated due to Rex’s secrets that he’s keeping from Aaron, his father and the rest of his family.
I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would at the beginning. Once we started meeting all of the side characters - Paolo, Melboy, Eva, Rex’s mother, Kat - things really started to pick up. This story relied heavily on not telling the whole truth and that started to bother me after a while. I really enjoyed Rex and Paolo’s unexpected relationship and wished all of the relationships in the book were like that one - so open and honest.
I really disliked Aaron’s character. I feel like everything about him got under my skin and I disliked the way that Rex changed when he was around him. It was likely intentional to make Rex’s choice easier, but something about Aaron made me uncomfortable.
Looking forward to reading more books by Dominic Lim in the future!
Divine Heart by Garrett Leigh
5.0
Viktor and Ranger…the Russian mobster and the MC club nomad. Who would have expected that these two would absolutely steal my heart? Not me, but they most definitely did!
Viktor is lost after everything that he went through thanks to Priest - he’s recovering physically, battling his forced addiction and questioning his safety everywhere he goes. His unexpected savior? Ranger, the man he’s been dreaming about since their encounter back in England.
These two just about killed me - they’re unbelievably sweet together in a way I never expected for two men from such gritty and dark backgrounds. They don’t quite know what to do with each other at first, but they slowly start to figure it out - Viktor letting down the walls he’s built up during his time as a mercenary and Ranger being his solid, funny self to be there for Viktor through everything.
The vibe of this book was different from the other Rebel Kings MC books…it’s sweeter and felt so much more calm even though there’s the typical gangster craziness happening here that’s in the other books. Something about them having the time away from everyone to connect and see what they could be together made it feel more intimate even though both of them are so rough around the edges. The action was almost an afterthought and while it was still tense, it wasn’t nearly as angsty as the other books in the series.
As always, the Rebel Kings MC appearances made my heart happy. Their special MC family gets me every time and I love seeing all of them content, in love and having fun together. I’d love for Jakov to get a story of his own one of these days…he’s such an enigma and that’s always so much fun to read.
I’m not ready for this series to come to an end, so I’m so happy to see that there’s two more books coming before I have to say goodbye…I just want it to go on forever and ever!
Viktor is lost after everything that he went through thanks to Priest - he’s recovering physically, battling his forced addiction and questioning his safety everywhere he goes. His unexpected savior? Ranger, the man he’s been dreaming about since their encounter back in England.
These two just about killed me - they’re unbelievably sweet together in a way I never expected for two men from such gritty and dark backgrounds. They don’t quite know what to do with each other at first, but they slowly start to figure it out - Viktor letting down the walls he’s built up during his time as a mercenary and Ranger being his solid, funny self to be there for Viktor through everything.
The vibe of this book was different from the other Rebel Kings MC books…it’s sweeter and felt so much more calm even though there’s the typical gangster craziness happening here that’s in the other books. Something about them having the time away from everyone to connect and see what they could be together made it feel more intimate even though both of them are so rough around the edges. The action was almost an afterthought and while it was still tense, it wasn’t nearly as angsty as the other books in the series.
As always, the Rebel Kings MC appearances made my heart happy. Their special MC family gets me every time and I love seeing all of them content, in love and having fun together. I’d love for Jakov to get a story of his own one of these days…he’s such an enigma and that’s always so much fun to read.
I’m not ready for this series to come to an end, so I’m so happy to see that there’s two more books coming before I have to say goodbye…I just want it to go on forever and ever!
Forbidden Puckboy by Eden Finley, Saxon James
3.0
Forbidden Puckboy was just alright for me. It didn’t wow me like I was hoping with it being brother’s best friend and player + ref. There was so much promise there!
Easton Kikishkin and Knox Addison have known each other for years when Knox became best friends with Easton’s older brother, Connor. They’ve been in love with each other for years but haven’t ever talked about their feelings because of Connor. Hockey brings them together and they can’t deny their chemistry anymore. I wish we would have gotten some flashbacks to their youth to establish their relationship a bit more because it felt like we just jumped right in. Easton is really sensitive and so into Knox every step of the way but Knox strings Easton along and is so wishy-washy about things between them - it made me dislike him more and more as the story went on.
I felt kind of let down when it came to the charity match content - I wanted more Collective moments with them all being in the same place at the same time. I’m really hoping for a novella or something with more since it’s been hyped in so many of the Puckboys books.
Looking forward to the next book in the series…player + owner with a complicated past? I’m in.
Easton Kikishkin and Knox Addison have known each other for years when Knox became best friends with Easton’s older brother, Connor. They’ve been in love with each other for years but haven’t ever talked about their feelings because of Connor. Hockey brings them together and they can’t deny their chemistry anymore. I wish we would have gotten some flashbacks to their youth to establish their relationship a bit more because it felt like we just jumped right in. Easton is really sensitive and so into Knox every step of the way but Knox strings Easton along and is so wishy-washy about things between them - it made me dislike him more and more as the story went on.
I felt kind of let down when it came to the charity match content - I wanted more Collective moments with them all being in the same place at the same time. I’m really hoping for a novella or something with more since it’s been hyped in so many of the Puckboys books.
Looking forward to the next book in the series…player + owner with a complicated past? I’m in.
The Pairing by Casey McQuiston
slow-paced
3.5
The Pairing was definitely a mixed bag for me. I really liked some parts but also felt like some parts were too long or completely unnecessary.
Theo Flowerday and Kit Fairfield are exes who just so happen to rebook a canceled European food and wine tour at the same time before their vouchers expired from a doomed past trip. Theo is a budding sommelier in southern California with a custom cocktail side hustle and Kit is a Parisian pastry chef and definite romantic. They travel across Europe, eating, drinking, hooking up with other people (ugh - not my favorite) as part of a competition with each other and slowly getting to know each other as friends again. I liked the playful sides of each other that they brought out when they were together. It made me like each of their characters so much more because these two on their own were not my favorites.
The travel aspect of this book was really cool, but so much of the events in each location were the same. Also the food/wine pairings that were rambled off so often felt like a bit much - I understand the intention behind them, but as a non-foodie, it took me out of the story. I wanted the relationship conversations to happen earlier so that there was some time to enjoy the two of them being together after SO long apart (both in the book and after their break up).
I was really intrigued by some of the side characters but felt like we met so many of them but didn’t really get to know much about any of them, something that I missed from the story. The story is told from Theo’s POV (first half) and then Kit’s POV (last half), which was an interesting choice, but I found myself much more invested when it was Kit’s perspective - not sure if that was because his romantic notions appealed to me more than Theo’s uncertainty but the second half of the book flew by for me. Overall, I think the book felt too long. It has so many interesting parts, but the repetition during the trip and how long it took for them to have a real conversation started to bother me.
Thanks to NetGalley and SMP for an ARC copy of this book!
Theo Flowerday and Kit Fairfield are exes who just so happen to rebook a canceled European food and wine tour at the same time before their vouchers expired from a doomed past trip. Theo is a budding sommelier in southern California with a custom cocktail side hustle and Kit is a Parisian pastry chef and definite romantic. They travel across Europe, eating, drinking, hooking up with other people (ugh - not my favorite) as part of a competition with each other and slowly getting to know each other as friends again. I liked the playful sides of each other that they brought out when they were together. It made me like each of their characters so much more because these two on their own were not my favorites.
The travel aspect of this book was really cool, but so much of the events in each location were the same. Also the food/wine pairings that were rambled off so often felt like a bit much - I understand the intention behind them, but as a non-foodie, it took me out of the story. I wanted the relationship conversations to happen earlier so that there was some time to enjoy the two of them being together after SO long apart (both in the book and after their break up).
I was really intrigued by some of the side characters but felt like we met so many of them but didn’t really get to know much about any of them, something that I missed from the story. The story is told from Theo’s POV (first half) and then Kit’s POV (last half), which was an interesting choice, but I found myself much more invested when it was Kit’s perspective - not sure if that was because his romantic notions appealed to me more than Theo’s uncertainty but the second half of the book flew by for me. Overall, I think the book felt too long. It has so many interesting parts, but the repetition during the trip and how long it took for them to have a real conversation started to bother me.
Thanks to NetGalley and SMP for an ARC copy of this book!
Forgotten Romance by Saxon James
hopeful
lighthearted
4.0
Aww the end of the Divorced Men’s Club series is here and I’m so glad we finally get Mack and Davey’s story! After hearing about these two for most of the series, I was so curious to see what pulled them apart and how they ended up making it work to get back together.
Mack and Davey were in love, happily married and had built their perfect little family, but Davey’s work responsibilities constantly pulled them apart and put a strain on their relationship, leading to a divorce. But they were still very much in love with each other, so when Davey negotiates an extended time at home, they both set out to make the other fall in love with them all over again.
This book was really cute and a quick read - Mack’s lack of planning and earnestness were really endearing and Davey’s conviction in taking care of his family and being around to be a part of everything was so sweet. They wasted years being apart, but they spent the weeks they had together here falling back in love, not being afraid of their feelings for each other. Their little family was adorable and seeing them work toward something they both wanted so badly was a little infuriating at times when they didn’t communicate, but was mostly really sweet.
The DMC’s involvement in making things work between Davey and Mack was really fun and the perfect way to wrap things up for this crew - even when they were skeptical, they were fully invested in making sure their friends were happy. I’m sad to see this group go, but hoping we’ll get glimpses of them in future Saxon stories to come!
Mack and Davey were in love, happily married and had built their perfect little family, but Davey’s work responsibilities constantly pulled them apart and put a strain on their relationship, leading to a divorce. But they were still very much in love with each other, so when Davey negotiates an extended time at home, they both set out to make the other fall in love with them all over again.
This book was really cute and a quick read - Mack’s lack of planning and earnestness were really endearing and Davey’s conviction in taking care of his family and being around to be a part of everything was so sweet. They wasted years being apart, but they spent the weeks they had together here falling back in love, not being afraid of their feelings for each other. Their little family was adorable and seeing them work toward something they both wanted so badly was a little infuriating at times when they didn’t communicate, but was mostly really sweet.
The DMC’s involvement in making things work between Davey and Mack was really fun and the perfect way to wrap things up for this crew - even when they were skeptical, they were fully invested in making sure their friends were happy. I’m sad to see this group go, but hoping we’ll get glimpses of them in future Saxon stories to come!
Road to a Cowboy by Amy Aislin
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
4.0
Back to Windsor, Wyoming to catch up with the two sweetest best friends out there - Austin MacIsaac and Cal Anderson. After reading Home for a Cowboy, I couldn’t wait for these two to get a story of their own!
Austin MacIsaac is a famous night sky photographer based in Windsor, Wyoming - the place he’s called home his entire life. After his wife passed away from cancer, he’s taken a few years to work through his grief and figure out who he is and what he wants…and what he wants is his best friend, Cal Anderson. Cal is the foreman at the Windsor Ranch - he loves the land, the animals, the constant list of things to do and the people he works with. He hasn’t been looking for love - he has Austin close by to do everything together and that’s enough for him.
These two have been best friends for years, sharing everything, including a mistaken love of Twizzlers that was honestly adorable. When it comes to dating each other, they both have their reservations but honestly it works out better than I could have expected and sweeter too - their transition from friends to lovers is an easy one once they get past their hesitations and start being themselves. I really enjoyed how effortless they were together and how mature their conversations were when it came to making big career decisions or cutting out toxic family members.
Loved seeing Las and Marco some more here and I’m keeping my fingers crossed for more Windsor, Wyoming stories to come - I love this little ranch town!
Austin MacIsaac is a famous night sky photographer based in Windsor, Wyoming - the place he’s called home his entire life. After his wife passed away from cancer, he’s taken a few years to work through his grief and figure out who he is and what he wants…and what he wants is his best friend, Cal Anderson. Cal is the foreman at the Windsor Ranch - he loves the land, the animals, the constant list of things to do and the people he works with. He hasn’t been looking for love - he has Austin close by to do everything together and that’s enough for him.
These two have been best friends for years, sharing everything, including a mistaken love of Twizzlers that was honestly adorable. When it comes to dating each other, they both have their reservations but honestly it works out better than I could have expected and sweeter too - their transition from friends to lovers is an easy one once they get past their hesitations and start being themselves. I really enjoyed how effortless they were together and how mature their conversations were when it came to making big career decisions or cutting out toxic family members.
Loved seeing Las and Marco some more here and I’m keeping my fingers crossed for more Windsor, Wyoming stories to come - I love this little ranch town!