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bookishobsessedmama's reviews
382 reviews
Here We Go Again by Alison Cochrun
5.0
I absolutely adored this book.
The audiobook narration was extremely well done, and I think it added to my overall enjoyment of the story.
This gives alllllll the goodness you’d want from a queer romance novel. Friends to enemies (using enemies loosely) to lovers, found family & grumpy sunshine in a way. It has so much depth and it can be unbelievably hard to read at times due to the subject matter (be sure to read content warnings) but it was absolutely beautiful.
Joe was such a beautiful character. Everything he was and stood for especially for Rosemary and Logan was just perfection. He was truly the thread that sewed the entire plot and characters together.
The characters all went through such a deep sense of growth and they were all extremely likeable and relatable. I felt like I lost Joe too by the end of the book.
I absolutely would recommend this book as well as would return to this author again!
The audiobook narration was extremely well done, and I think it added to my overall enjoyment of the story.
This gives alllllll the goodness you’d want from a queer romance novel. Friends to enemies (using enemies loosely) to lovers, found family & grumpy sunshine in a way. It has so much depth and it can be unbelievably hard to read at times due to the subject matter (be sure to read content warnings) but it was absolutely beautiful.
Joe was such a beautiful character. Everything he was and stood for especially for Rosemary and Logan was just perfection. He was truly the thread that sewed the entire plot and characters together.
The characters all went through such a deep sense of growth and they were all extremely likeable and relatable. I felt like I lost Joe too by the end of the book.
I absolutely would recommend this book as well as would return to this author again!
Hating the Cinnamon Roll CEO: A Sweet Enemies to Lovers Romcom by Camilla Evergreen
5.0
I was pleasantly surprised how much i loved this book! I was laughing out loud through the majority of it. The banter was absolute perfection. It was the perfect combination of grumpy/sunshine, fake dating, and billionaire romance.
While i was laughing and truly loving this book because it’s more on the humorous, fluffy side there is depth to the book as well.
I would definitely read more by this author, i really enjoyed the writing. I think this would be such a fun audiobook if the right narrator is found as well.
Def recommend!
While i was laughing and truly loving this book because it’s more on the humorous, fluffy side there is depth to the book as well.
I would definitely read more by this author, i really enjoyed the writing. I think this would be such a fun audiobook if the right narrator is found as well.
Def recommend!
Before We Were Us by Denise Hunter
4.0
This was a cute book - it gave cozier vibes while following a more traumatic / emotional plot line.
I don’t know why but i really enjoy the amnesia plot line. It’s really enjoyable in a sense that when they give you amnesia and a daul plot line it gives you basically two love stories all wrapped in one.
There wasn’t anything groundbreaking in this, but i had a good time and would recommend it.
The narration in the audiobook was well done and lent positively to the overall enjoyment of the book!
I don’t know why but i really enjoy the amnesia plot line. It’s really enjoyable in a sense that when they give you amnesia and a daul plot line it gives you basically two love stories all wrapped in one.
There wasn’t anything groundbreaking in this, but i had a good time and would recommend it.
The narration in the audiobook was well done and lent positively to the overall enjoyment of the book!
Heavenbreaker by Sara Wolf
3.0
It’s not that i didn’t enjoy this book - the concept of the book is quite good. Its female rage against the rich, revenge unaliving/competition. FMC that works HARD to get her revenge. Surrounded by people she can’t figure out if she should trust (and probably shouldn’t).. it wasn’t awful. My issue with it is I went into this book because it was marketed as a ROMTANTASY. I’m not sure why because there is like 1 sentence in the entire 500 pages that even lends to any type of romance and that’s a stretch. Book 2 could definitely have that romance feel but this is more of a sci-fi book in my opinion.
I consumed this via audiobook and used the digital book in conjunction. I wished there was multiple narrators. The negative chapters was an interesting way to show a different POV, but it needed a second narrator imo.
I feel like there was A LOT going on, maybe even too much and that it needed another edit & potentially a refocus on what the genre actually was.
The book ends super ominously and on a cliffhanger so if you’re not fond of waiting to find out what happens i don’t suggest reading this until book 2 is here.
It wasn’t bad, but I don’t know that i would recommend to someone who isn’t a full flagged fantasy, sci-fi reader. It just needed some more love imo! I want to see what happens now though, so I will still be picking up book 2 when it is available.
I consumed this via audiobook and used the digital book in conjunction. I wished there was multiple narrators. The negative chapters was an interesting way to show a different POV, but it needed a second narrator imo.
I feel like there was A LOT going on, maybe even too much and that it needed another edit & potentially a refocus on what the genre actually was.
The book ends super ominously and on a cliffhanger so if you’re not fond of waiting to find out what happens i don’t suggest reading this until book 2 is here.
It wasn’t bad, but I don’t know that i would recommend to someone who isn’t a full flagged fantasy, sci-fi reader. It just needed some more love imo! I want to see what happens now though, so I will still be picking up book 2 when it is available.
It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover
3.25
I ended this book feeling a lot of mixed emotions. I love the idea of the book - shedding light to the victims of abuse and giving those who are lucky to have never been in that situation a look at what goes through someone's mind when they're meeting, falling in love, realizing and leaving their abuser. I do agree with that statement that is made a couple of times - so much light is placed on the victim with 'why did he/she stay so long,' 'why didn't he/she leave earlier' etc. and not enough light is placed on the actual abuser.
With that, I think it's unacceptable that there are no trigger warnings on this book. I have read that Hoover did this on purpose because she wanted the reader to experience the shock factor of abuse in the same manner that a victim does, but my big issue with that is we read for enjoyment generally. I feel the reader should have a right to know if a topic in a book is going to cause harm to their mental health. Furthermore, I do not believe Hoover accurately portrayed that. Within the first 20 minutes of the book, Ryle showed his aggressive manner and was overtly rude and standoffish demeanor. I never quite understood the pull that Lily had to Ryle. I believe 99.9999999% of women would leave a situation that Lily was put in in the first 20 pages of this book. If you're alone on a roof with a man that is showing overtly aggressive behavior - you would leave the situation or at the very least try to be undetected.
I had some issues with the ending of the book as well. I feel like we almost end the book with Ryle being redeemed - he is allowed to stay with Lily the week leading to the birth of their daughter, he is allowed to hold the baby, he is allowed in the room during the birth, she asks for a divorce while he is holding the baby, and then he is allowed to have their child ALONE. Truly, abusers are not redeemable. I worry about the impression this is giving young people and women who may be on the cusp of leaving their abuser and in a similar situation as Lily.
I did enjoy the concept of having letters as flashbacks instead of just doing a dual timeline book. It was creative and I really enjoyed reading them and being in Lily's brain during that time.
I really enjoyed Allysa's character in the beginning and the end. I did get bothered when she seemed to more of guilt Lily into hearing Ryle out about his past when she OBVIOUSLY suspected him of hitting her. I appreciated how she handled the situation when Lily did finally tell her everything and was on her side still even though it was her brother.
Overall, when I finished the book, I felt really indifferent. A lot of the book made me feel really angry and uncomfortable but not in the way I believe the author had intended. I am a domestic violence survivor. I endured 6 years of extremely violent abuse, and I believe if I would have read this book during that time, I would have felt that maybe my abuser would have been redeemable. Maybe I could make things work with him - as a partner, co-parent, whatever was necessary at that point. I believe there was a lot of time spent on Lily's and Atlas's relationship and I almost feel like more time could have been spent on really shedding light on Lily growing and getting help. Generally, after victims leave, the abuser is not present it their life AT ALL. I was absolutely shocked when Lily was leaving Emmy with Ryle and letting him take her alone. Yes, I know that he is her father, but he abused and almost graped her - it shocks me she would feel comfortable leaving Emmy alone with him. Supervised visits are there for a reason - I just feel like the author was focused on the romance side of the story having a happily ever after. Unfortunately, a lot of these stories do not have happily ever afters. The endings are sad, hurtful, uncomfortable, or a combination of feelings. I know this is fiction - but I just don't like the idea it is giving readers.
I can understand how this book would get people back into reading and how it would be impactful on readers. It is easy to read and pretty basic writing wise. I love that reading is subjective though and if you enjoyed this book, I absolutely love that! It just had a lot of issues for me that I believe should have been given more care and attention.
With that, I think it's unacceptable that there are no trigger warnings on this book. I have read that Hoover did this on purpose because she wanted the reader to experience the shock factor of abuse in the same manner that a victim does, but my big issue with that is we read for enjoyment generally. I feel the reader should have a right to know if a topic in a book is going to cause harm to their mental health. Furthermore, I do not believe Hoover accurately portrayed that. Within the first 20 minutes of the book, Ryle showed his aggressive manner and was overtly rude and standoffish demeanor. I never quite understood the pull that Lily had to Ryle. I believe 99.9999999% of women would leave a situation that Lily was put in in the first 20 pages of this book. If you're alone on a roof with a man that is showing overtly aggressive behavior - you would leave the situation or at the very least try to be undetected.
I had some issues with the ending of the book as well. I feel like we almost end the book with Ryle being redeemed - he is allowed to stay with Lily the week leading to the birth of their daughter, he is allowed to hold the baby, he is allowed in the room during the birth, she asks for a divorce while he is holding the baby, and then he is allowed to have their child ALONE. Truly, abusers are not redeemable. I worry about the impression this is giving young people and women who may be on the cusp of leaving their abuser and in a similar situation as Lily.
I did enjoy the concept of having letters as flashbacks instead of just doing a dual timeline book. It was creative and I really enjoyed reading them and being in Lily's brain during that time.
I really enjoyed Allysa's character in the beginning and the end. I did get bothered when she seemed to more of guilt Lily into hearing Ryle out about his past when she OBVIOUSLY suspected him of hitting her. I appreciated how she handled the situation when Lily did finally tell her everything and was on her side still even though it was her brother.
Overall, when I finished the book, I felt really indifferent. A lot of the book made me feel really angry and uncomfortable but not in the way I believe the author had intended. I am a domestic violence survivor. I endured 6 years of extremely violent abuse, and I believe if I would have read this book during that time, I would have felt that maybe my abuser would have been redeemable. Maybe I could make things work with him - as a partner, co-parent, whatever was necessary at that point. I believe there was a lot of time spent on Lily's and Atlas's relationship and I almost feel like more time could have been spent on really shedding light on Lily growing and getting help. Generally, after victims leave, the abuser is not present it their life AT ALL. I was absolutely shocked when Lily was leaving Emmy with Ryle and letting him take her alone. Yes, I know that he is her father, but he abused and almost graped her - it shocks me she would feel comfortable leaving Emmy alone with him. Supervised visits are there for a reason - I just feel like the author was focused on the romance side of the story having a happily ever after. Unfortunately, a lot of these stories do not have happily ever afters. The endings are sad, hurtful, uncomfortable, or a combination of feelings. I know this is fiction - but I just don't like the idea it is giving readers.
I can understand how this book would get people back into reading and how it would be impactful on readers. It is easy to read and pretty basic writing wise. I love that reading is subjective though and if you enjoyed this book, I absolutely love that! It just had a lot of issues for me that I believe should have been given more care and attention.
From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home by Tembi Locke
5.0
* I do not believe I should be rating Memoirs less than 5 stars. This is her story, her life and who am I to judge it in that way.
This is an absolutely beautiful, heartbreaking story. I decided to add this to my TBR because I absolutely adore the Netflix show. Tembe’s writing brings you through her journey of love and grief and finding herself as a widow. Watching her fall in love with Saro is absolutely beautiful and then it’s absolutely heartbreaking to find his ending.
I really enjoyed that she wrote it in a way that you learn the majority of their love story through flashbacks of grief which is absolutely so realistic. They hit you out of nowhere and they’re so realistic.
This memoir actually made me love the show even more too because they truly did such an outstanding job at following their story so closely. Yes, there was differences, but for the most part it was real, raw and accurate.
I truly loved this. I cried with her, laughed with her, fell in love with her and grieved with her. Beautifully written.
This is an absolutely beautiful, heartbreaking story. I decided to add this to my TBR because I absolutely adore the Netflix show. Tembe’s writing brings you through her journey of love and grief and finding herself as a widow. Watching her fall in love with Saro is absolutely beautiful and then it’s absolutely heartbreaking to find his ending.
I really enjoyed that she wrote it in a way that you learn the majority of their love story through flashbacks of grief which is absolutely so realistic. They hit you out of nowhere and they’re so realistic.
This memoir actually made me love the show even more too because they truly did such an outstanding job at following their story so closely. Yes, there was differences, but for the most part it was real, raw and accurate.
I truly loved this. I cried with her, laughed with her, fell in love with her and grieved with her. Beautifully written.
The Merriest Misters by Timothy Janovsky
4.0
this was truly a joy to read. It reminded me of The Santa Claus with Tim Allen but make it queer and i adored that.
There are deep themes of fixing a marriage on the brink of divorce, so protect your mental health if that is a hard subject for you.
I found myself just feeling joyous and like i was being given a warm hug while reading this.
I can really think of anything i didn’t really enjoy about this book - the characters are likable and you want to root for them, the story plot was cute and fun, and it was a quick easy read.
If you want something that’s more lighthearted and sweet, i would definitely recommend this! 🎅🏼
There are deep themes of fixing a marriage on the brink of divorce, so protect your mental health if that is a hard subject for you.
I found myself just feeling joyous and like i was being given a warm hug while reading this.
I can really think of anything i didn’t really enjoy about this book - the characters are likable and you want to root for them, the story plot was cute and fun, and it was a quick easy read.
If you want something that’s more lighthearted and sweet, i would definitely recommend this! 🎅🏼
Fall Me Maybe by Laney Hatcher
4.5
4/4.5 ⭐️
This was such a fun read. It felt quick, fun, cozy and sweet throughout the entire story. It was giving Gilmore Girls / Stars Hollow vibes - textbook friends to lovers, small town romance and i loved every second of it!
Such a fun concept - friends meet through a ride sharing app. She keeps ordering rides even when she doesn’t need them in order to spend more time with him.
I got grumpy sunshine vibes throughout as well. Lu is such a ray of optimistic sunshine. I really loved for such a cozy read it also had such deep character growth. I really loved the MCs and was rooting for them.
We do hit a third act break up, and i almost even saw it coming when the dinner was initially brought up but it didn’t negatively affect the overall joy of the book. I actually felt like (and i never say this) but it helped Lu’s character growth.
THE LU NICKNAMES. i absolutely loved this. It was so sweet and fun throughout the entire book. I looked forward to seeing what nickname he would use next!
This was my first book by Laney and I would absolutely go back to read more and recommend to my peers. If you’re looking for a quick, cozy read that still has depth this is definitely for you!
This was such a fun read. It felt quick, fun, cozy and sweet throughout the entire story. It was giving Gilmore Girls / Stars Hollow vibes - textbook friends to lovers, small town romance and i loved every second of it!
Such a fun concept - friends meet through a ride sharing app. She keeps ordering rides even when she doesn’t need them in order to spend more time with him.
I got grumpy sunshine vibes throughout as well. Lu is such a ray of optimistic sunshine. I really loved for such a cozy read it also had such deep character growth. I really loved the MCs and was rooting for them.
We do hit a third act break up, and i almost even saw it coming when the dinner was initially brought up but it didn’t negatively affect the overall joy of the book. I actually felt like (and i never say this) but it helped Lu’s character growth.
THE LU NICKNAMES. i absolutely loved this. It was so sweet and fun throughout the entire book. I looked forward to seeing what nickname he would use next!
This was my first book by Laney and I would absolutely go back to read more and recommend to my peers. If you’re looking for a quick, cozy read that still has depth this is definitely for you!
Magic in the Air by Adrianna Schuh
4.0
As someone who doesn’t primarily read fantasy, i’m always pleasantly surprised when i have a good reading experience with a fantasy book. This was definitely one of those experiences.
I really enjoyed the magical aspect of this book, it wasn’t a super in depth magical world so it was easy to follow and understand. I did also enjoy the romance. I would have enjoyed more angst and tension built up during the first portion of their relationship, but i still enjoyed it.
I felt the narration really added to the story over all. During the entire listening experience, I didn’t want to stop listening. I enjoyed the characters and their growth.
Please check trigger warnings if you’re planning to read as grief and abandonment are major themes in this book!
I really enjoyed the magical aspect of this book, it wasn’t a super in depth magical world so it was easy to follow and understand. I did also enjoy the romance. I would have enjoyed more angst and tension built up during the first portion of their relationship, but i still enjoyed it.
I felt the narration really added to the story over all. During the entire listening experience, I didn’t want to stop listening. I enjoyed the characters and their growth.
Please check trigger warnings if you’re planning to read as grief and abandonment are major themes in this book!
Bound to You by Bridie Charles
3.5
I have really mixed feelings about this book! I felt really unconnected to Ciao & Isla for the first 50-60% of the book. Their overall characters felt very surface level and forgettable. It was hard for me to be invested in their story for the first half of the book.
BUT.
the second half of the book was like a completely different world imo. I felt like the plot and conflict amped up, the tension and angst between the two built extremely heavy. I was kicking my feet and giggling when they finally had their first kiss & when Isla showed up at his home after work 🤌🏼🤌🏼
my absolute favorite part of this entire book was the found family aspect. I felt like the family atmosphere between these friends and siblings was absolutely beautiful. I really connected to the side characters within the second half of the book and i’m excited to see where they go in the books to come in this series.
overall, the beginning was a bit slow for me. I just wanted more. BUT as a debut i felt it was pretty well done. I think the author hit their stride come 50% of book 1 and that makes me so excited to see where we’ll go in the books to come.
Read this book if you’re looking for..
Found Family
Italian Summer Romance
Billionaire Romance
I would definitely revisit this author and would recommend this book to my peers.
BUT.
the second half of the book was like a completely different world imo. I felt like the plot and conflict amped up, the tension and angst between the two built extremely heavy. I was kicking my feet and giggling when they finally had their first kiss & when Isla showed up at his home after work 🤌🏼🤌🏼
my absolute favorite part of this entire book was the found family aspect. I felt like the family atmosphere between these friends and siblings was absolutely beautiful. I really connected to the side characters within the second half of the book and i’m excited to see where they go in the books to come in this series.
overall, the beginning was a bit slow for me. I just wanted more. BUT as a debut i felt it was pretty well done. I think the author hit their stride come 50% of book 1 and that makes me so excited to see where we’ll go in the books to come.
Read this book if you’re looking for..
Found Family
Italian Summer Romance
Billionaire Romance
I would definitely revisit this author and would recommend this book to my peers.