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397 reviews
Flawless by Elsie Silver
4.0
Why on earth did I wait so long to start this series!!!???
This cowboy/rodeo romance was absolutely binge worthy amazing! I loved how the grumpy x sunshine and forced proximity tropes played out.
Rhett is the grumpy, bad boy bull rider who desperately needs an image correction after an innocent conversation with another bull rider (and good friend), was caught on camera and went viral. Unfortunately, it pissed off some of his biggest sponsors and a few of his hometown fans as well. Enter Summer, new full-time employee with Kip Hamilton's PR Agency firm. Summer is assigned to keep Rhett in line and turn his image around - aka be the hard-headed 32-year old's babysitter.
At 25-years old, Summer is trying hard to prove to everyone the nepotism is not why she got the job with one of the best sport's agencies around. So hard-ass Kip is her father, doesn't mean she just coasted into the office without working her ass off through law school and coming up from the bottom in the company just like everyone else. Summer is a people pleaser to a fault, always concerned with what others think of her and how her actions may affect those around her. Unfortunately, a lot of that stems from insecurity of feeling like a burden and needing to be perfect to be useful to others. While her and Kip have good father-daughter/friend relationship, that's not the case with the other two members of their immediate family and it leaves Summer with a bit of a chip on her shoulder.
Summer and Rhett couldn't be further opposites from the outside if they try - rugged, country "bad boy" and polished, people-pleasing "city girl". They clash pretty early on, with Summer trying to see each day with optimism and wanting to be the best she can at this new responsibility, and Rhett pissed off that such an innocent, and honest, quip has landed him in this much hot water that he's been assigned essentially a glorified babysitter.
However, both start to see the sides of each other that are kept under the surface.
Summer quickly realizes that as the youngest boy, and 3rd of four kids, in his family that Rhett is really just looking for the attention/adoration he craved as a kid and that he just wants to do what he loves while maybe making someone proud. While Rhett has a close-knit family with his retired-cattle rancher dad, two older brothers, and younger sister, there's also a lot of tension between him and the other three men due to his refusal to retire from the dangerous sport of bull riding. Summer, however, is all in on the support from the beginning, and not just from an agent standpoint. She genuinely understands that he loves this sport and that walking away isn't that easy when it's all you've ever done, and it feels like it's all you are. Her unwavering support and the way she helps him manage injuries makes him open up his eyes to her even more.
Rhett, while he assumed Summer was all prim and proper from the moment he met her, that didn't stop the immediate physical attraction he felt. However, he knew better than to get involved with his agent's daughter and he was still pretty annoyed that Summer was going to be tied to him 24/7 and making choices for his day-to-day life. It didn't take long though for Rhett to see past the powerful and determined mask Summer wears around everyone, putting out a fierce, confident persona. He knows Summer is as strong as she acts but he can also see the quick flashes of vulnerability in her eyes. Her "never back down" and sassy spirt draw awe from him while also making his physical attraction to her grow into something even bigger.
I am usually not a slow burn fan but the tension and unmistakable chemistry between the two throughout the first half of the book kept me hooked! I really liked how both had complex feelings and insecurities and how each brought the best out of the other one. Summer needed someone to show her that you're allowed to be a little shellfish and that you deserved to be loved without stipulations, just as you are. & Rhett needed someone who showed interest in him, not the champion bull-rider; someone who wanted to take care of him because they care about him and show him that it's ok to close one chapter of your life and start another as he was stuck in the fear of not knowing who he was without competing.
Overall, this was a great read and I finished it in pretty much one sitting because I didn't want to put it down. I'm definitely excited to continue the series and certainly won't be putting the rest of the books off for as long as I did this one!!!
*Things that prevented me from giving that final fifth star - the age of Rhett felt off at times (he didn't always act/seem like the 32-year-old he was said to be), the unresolved issue between Summer and her sister (this may be addressed in a later book so tbd on this), and I would have liked a bit of an apology/understanding from Cade (oldest brother) regarding Rhett and his career (I understood where Cade was coming from but would have been nice if he started to see a bit of the side Summer saw in Rhett - this too may be addressed more in Cade's book though so we'll see!).
***Book Content/Tropes***
- Age gap (not giant - 25/32)
- Cowboy/Rodeo MMC
- City girl X Country boy
- Opposites attract
- Forced proximity
- Workplace romance (kinda - not in an office)
- Protective MMC
- 3rd act drama
- No cheating or being with other people
- Family issues
***TW/CW***
- past physical health/hospitalization mentioned
- past grooming (not by mmc) referenced
This cowboy/rodeo romance was absolutely binge worthy amazing! I loved how the grumpy x sunshine and forced proximity tropes played out.
Rhett is the grumpy, bad boy bull rider who desperately needs an image correction after an innocent conversation with another bull rider (and good friend), was caught on camera and went viral. Unfortunately, it pissed off some of his biggest sponsors and a few of his hometown fans as well. Enter Summer, new full-time employee with Kip Hamilton's PR Agency firm. Summer is assigned to keep Rhett in line and turn his image around - aka be the hard-headed 32-year old's babysitter.
At 25-years old, Summer is trying hard to prove to everyone the nepotism is not why she got the job with one of the best sport's agencies around. So hard-ass Kip is her father, doesn't mean she just coasted into the office without working her ass off through law school and coming up from the bottom in the company just like everyone else. Summer is a people pleaser to a fault, always concerned with what others think of her and how her actions may affect those around her. Unfortunately, a lot of that stems from insecurity of feeling like a burden and needing to be perfect to be useful to others. While her and Kip have good father-daughter/friend relationship, that's not the case with the other two members of their immediate family and it leaves Summer with a bit of a chip on her shoulder.
Summer and Rhett couldn't be further opposites from the outside if they try - rugged, country "bad boy" and polished, people-pleasing "city girl". They clash pretty early on, with Summer trying to see each day with optimism and wanting to be the best she can at this new responsibility, and Rhett pissed off that such an innocent, and honest, quip has landed him in this much hot water that he's been assigned essentially a glorified babysitter.
However, both start to see the sides of each other that are kept under the surface.
Summer quickly realizes that as the youngest boy, and 3rd of four kids, in his family that Rhett is really just looking for the attention/adoration he craved as a kid and that he just wants to do what he loves while maybe making someone proud. While Rhett has a close-knit family with his retired-cattle rancher dad, two older brothers, and younger sister, there's also a lot of tension between him and the other three men due to his refusal to retire from the dangerous sport of bull riding. Summer, however, is all in on the support from the beginning, and not just from an agent standpoint. She genuinely understands that he loves this sport and that walking away isn't that easy when it's all you've ever done, and it feels like it's all you are. Her unwavering support and the way she helps him manage injuries makes him open up his eyes to her even more.
Rhett, while he assumed Summer was all prim and proper from the moment he met her, that didn't stop the immediate physical attraction he felt. However, he knew better than to get involved with his agent's daughter and he was still pretty annoyed that Summer was going to be tied to him 24/7 and making choices for his day-to-day life. It didn't take long though for Rhett to see past the powerful and determined mask Summer wears around everyone, putting out a fierce, confident persona. He knows Summer is as strong as she acts but he can also see the quick flashes of vulnerability in her eyes. Her "never back down" and sassy spirt draw awe from him while also making his physical attraction to her grow into something even bigger.
I am usually not a slow burn fan but the tension and unmistakable chemistry between the two throughout the first half of the book kept me hooked! I really liked how both had complex feelings and insecurities and how each brought the best out of the other one. Summer needed someone to show her that you're allowed to be a little shellfish and that you deserved to be loved without stipulations, just as you are. & Rhett needed someone who showed interest in him, not the champion bull-rider; someone who wanted to take care of him because they care about him and show him that it's ok to close one chapter of your life and start another as he was stuck in the fear of not knowing who he was without competing.
Overall, this was a great read and I finished it in pretty much one sitting because I didn't want to put it down. I'm definitely excited to continue the series and certainly won't be putting the rest of the books off for as long as I did this one!!!
*Things that prevented me from giving that final fifth star - the age of Rhett felt off at times (he didn't always act/seem like the 32-year-old he was said to be), the unresolved issue between Summer and her sister (this may be addressed in a later book so tbd on this), and I would have liked a bit of an apology/understanding from Cade (oldest brother) regarding Rhett and his career (I understood where Cade was coming from but would have been nice if he started to see a bit of the side Summer saw in Rhett - this too may be addressed more in Cade's book though so we'll see!).
***Book Content/Tropes***
- Age gap (not giant - 25/32)
- Cowboy/Rodeo MMC
- City girl X Country boy
- Opposites attract
- Forced proximity
- Workplace romance (kinda - not in an office)
- Protective MMC
- 3rd act drama
- No cheating or being with other people
- Family issues
***TW/CW***
- past physical health/hospitalization mentioned
- past grooming (not by mmc) referenced
Fiftysix by Seven Rue
2.0
This age gap (taboo) romance wasn’t for me unfortunately. It wasn't that there was too much sex or too many kinks; I am all for writing as many sex scenes into your book as possible and generally don’t have issues reading books with kinks that are different than mine. But I actually ended up skimming so much of the book because it just got boring to me (maybe it won’t to you though!!). I think my biggest issues were that it was 340ish pages and when I’m reading a primarily smut book (aka pwp), I don’t really need it dragged out. Second, it felt like a giant shift once Val and Riggs got together officially; like a complete 180°.
18yo & 56yo is already a much much larger age gap than I’ve read (again not lowering my opinion of the book because of that as obviously the age gap was known going in) but just the giant shift to super serious, “long term” relationship was just way too unbelievable. Both characters described themselves as super open sexually and not wanting to be tied down and then suddenly they are planning a life together after a few times being intimate. Especially for Valley, that just seemed way out of left field; she will 32yo when he’s 80yo and just the way their personalities were, it was as way too unbelievable for that to last. I understood Rigg's as the possessive alpha-type and it made sense why he wouldn't want Valley to continue as a camgirl but still, the relationship just didn't feel like it came together well.
Kind of along the same thought, the 180° shift with Della (stepmom) was so rushed within the last chapter that I honestly thought my kindle skipped a chapter or two before the epilogue. She went from calling Valley immoral and a slut for her relationship with Riggs, to basically being the biggest supporter, seemingly overnight, after Valley sat down with her and expressed her feelings. Someone who grew up her entire life (even into adulthood) with as extreme conservative religious beliefs as Della did, isn’t flipping that fast, nope. Additionally, the Garret/Marcus conclusion was a letdown as well. It all felt like the author didn’t know how to end the book so just made everything perfect in the last chapter and then jumped to the epilogue.
I think I would have liked this book much if it would have been cut down (maybe closer to novella length) and if the HEA was more of a “we are together and enjoying each other right now and that’s enough; why think about 10+ years in the future when we can enjoy right now?” type of ending.
18yo & 56yo is already a much much larger age gap than I’ve read (again not lowering my opinion of the book because of that as obviously the age gap was known going in) but just the giant shift to super serious, “long term” relationship was just way too unbelievable. Both characters described themselves as super open sexually and not wanting to be tied down and then suddenly they are planning a life together after a few times being intimate. Especially for Valley, that just seemed way out of left field; she will 32yo when he’s 80yo and just the way their personalities were, it was as way too unbelievable for that to last. I understood Rigg's as the possessive alpha-type and it made sense why he wouldn't want Valley to continue as a camgirl but still, the relationship just didn't feel like it came together well.
Kind of along the same thought, the 180° shift with Della (stepmom) was so rushed within the last chapter that I honestly thought my kindle skipped a chapter or two before the epilogue. She went from calling Valley immoral and a slut for her relationship with Riggs, to basically being the biggest supporter, seemingly overnight, after Valley sat down with her and expressed her feelings. Someone who grew up her entire life (even into adulthood) with as extreme conservative religious beliefs as Della did, isn’t flipping that fast, nope. Additionally, the Garret/Marcus conclusion was a letdown as well. It all felt like the author didn’t know how to end the book so just made everything perfect in the last chapter and then jumped to the epilogue.
I think I would have liked this book much if it would have been cut down (maybe closer to novella length) and if the HEA was more of a “we are together and enjoying each other right now and that’s enough; why think about 10+ years in the future when we can enjoy right now?” type of ending.
Snatched by the Bratva by Evie Rose
3.0
It’s fine for what it’s meant to be - insta love, over the top possessive alpha, and innocent woman with some mafia thrown in. I didn’t particularly love it or hate it; just kinda of in the middle for me. I’m writing this review less than 3 days after reading it and already forgot a lot of it tbh.
But if you are wanting a quick mafia, smut read in between other books (which is what I wanted), then it’ll probably do the trick.
But if you are wanting a quick mafia, smut read in between other books (which is what I wanted), then it’ll probably do the trick.
Daddy's Addiction by BJ Alpha
3.0
Stepdaughter, who you've never met and didn't even know existed until the wife you were forced to marry dies from drug overdose, shows up at your house and you mistake her for an escort??? :)
Lol this is very much a "you get what is advertised" read - not much plot and a whole lot of spice!!! It was a quick read and perfect for when I was in between books and just needed a little palate cleanser. I liked Jade a lot and enjoyed her being a bit of a brat and going out of her way to entice Tommy; definitely gave me some laughs. I wasn't as big a fan of Tommy as he definitely had some growing up to do. But I liked him with Jade in the end as he did put the work in to be better once he decided that he wanted Jade in his life for good.
There is a (big) age gap and while Tommy does refer to Jade as "little girl" many times, there is no age play. Plenty of kinks are shown throughout this short read so make sure you check content warnings if there any kinks you're not fond of reading. (I added some trope information at the bottom - potential spoilers)
5/5 spice
3.5/5 story (hey it's a spicy novella, I don't need an amazing well-developed storyline with super complex characters and thought-provoking moments to like it lol)
*Content information*
- large age gap
- step parent (never met when MMC was married to FMC's mom & never loved/liked the mom)
- daddy kink
- degradation WITH aftercare
- piss kink (that was a first for me lmao definitely was questioning that one lol - I did skim that)
- breeding kink
- virgin FMC
- OWD (not really too much - NO cheating - but on page scene w/ MMC & OW before meeting FMC)
Lol this is very much a "you get what is advertised" read - not much plot and a whole lot of spice!!! It was a quick read and perfect for when I was in between books and just needed a little palate cleanser. I liked Jade a lot and enjoyed her being a bit of a brat and going out of her way to entice Tommy; definitely gave me some laughs. I wasn't as big a fan of Tommy as he definitely had some growing up to do. But I liked him with Jade in the end as he did put the work in to be better once he decided that he wanted Jade in his life for good.
There is a (big) age gap and while Tommy does refer to Jade as "little girl" many times, there is no age play. Plenty of kinks are shown throughout this short read so make sure you check content warnings if there any kinks you're not fond of reading. (I added some trope information at the bottom - potential spoilers)
5/5 spice
3.5/5 story (hey it's a spicy novella, I don't need an amazing well-developed storyline with super complex characters and thought-provoking moments to like it lol)
*Content information*
- large age gap
- step parent (never met when MMC was married to FMC's mom & never loved/liked the mom)
- daddy kink
- degradation WITH aftercare
- piss kink (that was a first for me lmao definitely was questioning that one lol - I did skim that)
- breeding kink
- virgin FMC
- OWD (not really too much - NO cheating - but on page scene w/ MMC & OW before meeting FMC)
Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
3.0
Wasn't bad but wasn't stellar in my opinion. I want to be very clear that, as a white woman, I am not going to attempt to speak on/review the experiences of racism a POC main character deals with accept to say I will forever be ashamed of how little we have come with dispelling racism in this country. I will never know the feelings Emira (and so many people in this world) went through but I felt for her, nonetheless. I was pissed at the store owner and other characters who then took advantage of the situation afterwards. It also made me further think about my own white privilege. I think narratives from a POC main character's point of view are incredibly important but also wish more people would open their eyes to what other's go through right in their own neighborhood without needing a book to spell it out for them through a "fictional" story.
Now, the feeling of being scared of adulthood - bills, job security, insurance, what the heck you're doing with the rest of your life - that I can definitely relate to and empathize with Emira on.
I liked that as a "lost" main character, Emira was written as a pretty realistic early 20s girl struggling to figure how what her future is going to be. However, there did seem to be a large disconnect with all her sides which made it hard for me to fully embrace her outside a fictional character.
Alix, however, was just annoying af the whole time and a horribly ignorant and privileged person. Kelly was also a character I felt no connection or likability with. Ooof, I did not once like him!
I did enjoy the ending chapters of Emira learning the truth and finally taking the reins to her future in her own hands. There were some powerful scenes within that section in my opinion.
The very ending paragraph left a sour taste in my mouth which unfortunately did turn me off the book a bit more. While it's not a reread for me; I do still think it's a good story to be told and have mentioned it to some friends who are more interested in this type of fiction narrative than I am.
Now, the feeling of being scared of adulthood - bills, job security, insurance, what the heck you're doing with the rest of your life - that I can definitely relate to and empathize with Emira on.
I liked that as a "lost" main character, Emira was written as a pretty realistic early 20s girl struggling to figure how what her future is going to be. However, there did seem to be a large disconnect with all her sides which made it hard for me to fully embrace her outside a fictional character.
Alix, however, was just annoying af the whole time and a horribly ignorant and privileged person. Kelly was also a character I felt no connection or likability with. Ooof, I did not once like him!
I did enjoy the ending chapters of Emira learning the truth and finally taking the reins to her future in her own hands. There were some powerful scenes within that section in my opinion.
The very ending paragraph left a sour taste in my mouth which unfortunately did turn me off the book a bit more. While it's not a reread for me; I do still think it's a good story to be told and have mentioned it to some friends who are more interested in this type of fiction narrative than I am.
Cherished by Emilia Emerson
5.0
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Emotional & incredible.
This is the third book in the Luna & Sol Omegaverse series & follows Westin’s journey. Starting a year after the “Forbidden” duet ended and the characters we met previously are now navigating a post Designation Government world.
Westin (FMC) is an omega who is dealing with chronic physical pain as well as being emotionally broken from a life of being told she is a burden & unwanted. Even with all that, she still has a sweet and caring personality & a thirst for joy and excitement. But as the physical and emotional pain grow stronger, she starts to seek out excitement through danger to feel alive. Separate moments lead her to three alphas & one beta, who each feel an immediate strong connection to her. As they all end up discovering the other’s tie to Westin and learn of her suffering, they become determined to give her all the love and care she deserves. With that, all five they embark on a roadtrip that ends up leading to physical and mental healing, discovery of self love, and found family acceptance & passion.
✨My Thoughts✨
This will forever be a top read for me. Westin’s story, emotions, & insecurities were heartbreaking but also incredibly real and raw. Emilia Emerson’s style of writing omegaverse is different from almost all others I’ve read as it is incredibly character driven & emotionally focused. She’s taken a fantasy style trope & filled it with such an abundance of realistic emotions and actions making you feel so completely connected to the characters that at times I’d forget I was reading a fictional story.
I related to Westin on a deep level & with that, some moments made the story very heavy for me to read; but were also incredibly validating as well. Westin’s fear, anxiety, and moments of heavy despair were like reading a journal written by me 10 years ago when I was in my darkest place. & each time I wanted to give her a hug and tell her she deserves love & care, was like wanting to hug my younger self & say “it’s okay, it does get better. you do deserve to be here I promise”.
As Westin slowly worked on healing herself mentally, her feisty and bubbly personality grew brighter and stronger. This was much more than a romance story of Westin finding her pack; it was also a romance story of Westin finding herself and learning to love herself again. I loved that her four mates weren’t the ones to “fix” her. Rather, through their constant love, touch, and reassurance, each of them individually and together helped her see that she doesn’t have to be “fixed” or be perfect to be loved and that she was deserving of devotion and care just as she was.
Her mates: Gray (broody, protective, bodyguard alpha daddy), Liam (protective alpha nurse who just wants to take care of everyone), Bear (motorcycle riding, goofy alpha who loves excitement), & Henry (sweet & sexy beta lawyer). Each different and complex but all so perfect with their love & devotion to Westin. Just like the original Forbidden duet, I loved how each of the male characters had their own insecurities and pasts that shaped who they are and how they acted with Westin and with each other.
Some of my favorite things/moments: Henry, Ferris wheel scene, carnival alley scene, Westin’s rollerblading, the road trip, Liam and Gray banter and then strong friendship, Henry & Bear moment, Bear being goofy and so incredibly sweet, Gray’s backstory, Gray’s deep regret at early actions and then apology, the heat chapters, did I mentioned Henry, Westin discovering love through friends and found family, the SPICE, no magic cure but learning we can love and be loved without one, Westin driving the Vespa, Henry’s dirty talk and suitcase of fun;), and so much more.
I really can’t recommend this series enough tbh.
Within this why choose, omega-universe you will get:
Found family, physical disability representation, mental health representation, self discovery, road trip adventure, tons of spice, kink positivity representation, over the top protective alphas, motorcycle rides, fighting for the rights of those who have been abused and underprivileged, justice against abusers, sweet and caring romantic moments, and a journey that leads to both external and internal love.
MFMMM w/ a touch of MM brought in at the end.
Please read author’s note at the beginning as this story does deal with heavy topics such as: depression, thoughts of suicide, and medical illnesses.
Also, a reminder to whoever may read this: you are stronger than you know, deserving of love and care, and are perfect just as you are.
This is the third book in the Luna & Sol Omegaverse series & follows Westin’s journey. Starting a year after the “Forbidden” duet ended and the characters we met previously are now navigating a post Designation Government world.
Westin (FMC) is an omega who is dealing with chronic physical pain as well as being emotionally broken from a life of being told she is a burden & unwanted. Even with all that, she still has a sweet and caring personality & a thirst for joy and excitement. But as the physical and emotional pain grow stronger, she starts to seek out excitement through danger to feel alive. Separate moments lead her to three alphas & one beta, who each feel an immediate strong connection to her. As they all end up discovering the other’s tie to Westin and learn of her suffering, they become determined to give her all the love and care she deserves. With that, all five they embark on a roadtrip that ends up leading to physical and mental healing, discovery of self love, and found family acceptance & passion.
✨My Thoughts✨
This will forever be a top read for me. Westin’s story, emotions, & insecurities were heartbreaking but also incredibly real and raw. Emilia Emerson’s style of writing omegaverse is different from almost all others I’ve read as it is incredibly character driven & emotionally focused. She’s taken a fantasy style trope & filled it with such an abundance of realistic emotions and actions making you feel so completely connected to the characters that at times I’d forget I was reading a fictional story.
I related to Westin on a deep level & with that, some moments made the story very heavy for me to read; but were also incredibly validating as well. Westin’s fear, anxiety, and moments of heavy despair were like reading a journal written by me 10 years ago when I was in my darkest place. & each time I wanted to give her a hug and tell her she deserves love & care, was like wanting to hug my younger self & say “it’s okay, it does get better. you do deserve to be here I promise”.
As Westin slowly worked on healing herself mentally, her feisty and bubbly personality grew brighter and stronger. This was much more than a romance story of Westin finding her pack; it was also a romance story of Westin finding herself and learning to love herself again. I loved that her four mates weren’t the ones to “fix” her. Rather, through their constant love, touch, and reassurance, each of them individually and together helped her see that she doesn’t have to be “fixed” or be perfect to be loved and that she was deserving of devotion and care just as she was.
Her mates: Gray (broody, protective, bodyguard alpha daddy), Liam (protective alpha nurse who just wants to take care of everyone), Bear (motorcycle riding, goofy alpha who loves excitement), & Henry (sweet & sexy beta lawyer). Each different and complex but all so perfect with their love & devotion to Westin. Just like the original Forbidden duet, I loved how each of the male characters had their own insecurities and pasts that shaped who they are and how they acted with Westin and with each other.
Some of my favorite things/moments: Henry, Ferris wheel scene, carnival alley scene, Westin’s rollerblading, the road trip, Liam and Gray banter and then strong friendship, Henry & Bear moment, Bear being goofy and so incredibly sweet, Gray’s backstory, Gray’s deep regret at early actions and then apology, the heat chapters, did I mentioned Henry, Westin discovering love through friends and found family, the SPICE, no magic cure but learning we can love and be loved without one, Westin driving the Vespa, Henry’s dirty talk and suitcase of fun;), and so much more.
I really can’t recommend this series enough tbh.
Within this why choose, omega-universe you will get:
Found family, physical disability representation, mental health representation, self discovery, road trip adventure, tons of spice, kink positivity representation, over the top protective alphas, motorcycle rides, fighting for the rights of those who have been abused and underprivileged, justice against abusers, sweet and caring romantic moments, and a journey that leads to both external and internal love.
MFMMM w/ a touch of MM brought in at the end.
Please read author’s note at the beginning as this story does deal with heavy topics such as: depression, thoughts of suicide, and medical illnesses.
Also, a reminder to whoever may read this: you are stronger than you know, deserving of love and care, and are perfect just as you are.
Dom by S.J. Tilly
5.0
I absolutely adored this book!!!! This book also made me temporarily hate King from book 2 which is truly saying something considering I loved King’s book lol. But sweet, neglected Val stole my heart the moment I opened the book. She just wants to feel loved and wanted and she’s so damn trusting because she craves affection so much as she’s never truly had it:(
Dom made her feel loved the way she always should have been; even if his motivates in the beginning were so wrong. I legit teared up a few times reading Val’s POV chapters because you could just feel her utter devastation with feeling unwanted and used. She would just shut down and accept it because that’s what she was used to. I just wanted to hug her
Dom made her feel loved the way she always should have been; even if his motivates in the beginning were so wrong. I legit teared up a few times reading Val’s POV chapters because you could just feel her utter devastation with feeling unwanted and used. She would just shut down and accept it because that’s what she was used to. I just wanted to hug her
Once You're Mine by Morgan Bridges
2.0
I’m not sure what I’m going to rate this book just yet. I liked it but it was also very much a “where is this going” and “what is happening” type situation. I think I need to wait to give a rating until I read the second book.
That being said - I like the dual side of Hayden being the super controlled attorney but also having a dark obsessive nature with his need to exact vengeance. His obsession with Callie made perfect sense to me as she doesn’t act like he expects and that in itself was enough to grab his attention.
Callie’s draw to Hayden was a little less believable but as with most fictional romance and/or thrillers, I don’t go into it expecting perfectly logical actions or feelings from the characters.
The chemistry needs a bit more work in my opinion because while Hayden’s feelings grow from his obsession, I think we need to see more where Callie is coming from. I get her need for security and feeling safe drives a lot of her but her shifts in feelings and decisions seemed abrupt at times. I think more was needed to explain how Callie goes from being the affluent daughter of a senator to basically destitute - I know she spent a lot on PI but seems her father would have had more finances available.
The mystery side of the story with what Callie’s dad potentially did and what Hayden did to him is intriguing enough for me to go pick up the second book. The author dropped enough crumbs that have me needing to know how it all plays out. I’m not positive I’d feel that way though if the second book wasn’t already out; I don’t think I’d be interested enough to remember to come back later if it was a wait. I knew exactly the cliffhanger this book was going to leave off on by halfway in so wasn’t too much of a shock factor.
I feel like this is a confusing review but that’s because my thoughts on the book are confusing so
That being said - I like the dual side of Hayden being the super controlled attorney but also having a dark obsessive nature with his need to exact vengeance. His obsession with Callie made perfect sense to me as she doesn’t act like he expects and that in itself was enough to grab his attention.
Callie’s draw to Hayden was a little less believable but as with most fictional romance and/or thrillers, I don’t go into it expecting perfectly logical actions or feelings from the characters.
The chemistry needs a bit more work in my opinion because while Hayden’s feelings grow from his obsession, I think we need to see more where Callie is coming from. I get her need for security and feeling safe drives a lot of her but her shifts in feelings and decisions seemed abrupt at times. I think more was needed to explain how Callie goes from being the affluent daughter of a senator to basically destitute - I know she spent a lot on PI but seems her father would have had more finances available.
The mystery side of the story with what Callie’s dad potentially did and what Hayden did to him is intriguing enough for me to go pick up the second book. The author dropped enough crumbs that have me needing to know how it all plays out. I’m not positive I’d feel that way though if the second book wasn’t already out; I don’t think I’d be interested enough to remember to come back later if it was a wait. I knew exactly the cliffhanger this book was going to leave off on by halfway in so wasn’t too much of a shock factor.
I feel like this is a confusing review but that’s because my thoughts on the book are confusing so