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bottleblondebookworm's reviews
868 reviews
The Usual Family Mayhem by HelenKay Dimon
2.75
Woof. This book had promise but it was a hot mess and not in a way I can appreciate. I don’t have much else to say other than I hope there’s another round of editing before it releases because it was so all over the place and I couldn’t keep up with anything. I loved the author’s last release, Moorewood Family Rules, so this was a big disappointment.
I received an arc from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
I received an arc from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
Never Gamble Your Heart by Lindsay Lovise
4.5
I was so excited to be back in Lindsay Lovise's world of governess spies! I loved her debut, Never Blow a Kiss, and Never Gamble Your Heart was just as good!
We meet our FMC, gentlelady turned governess, Frankie Turner, in Never Blow a Kiss. After her sister goes missing, Frankie, a gifted mathematician, agrees to work for The Dove, the mysterious woman running the governess spy network, in exchange for her help in locating Frankie's sister. During her own investigation, she discovers that many gently bred young ladies of a more radical mind are being married off to old, lecherous, and v conservative men. The only connection, the men are all members of Jasper Jones' gambling hell. Luckily for Frankie, Jasper Jones has just taken custody of his 15 year old niece, Cecelia, and needs a governess. Sparks fly between the bespectacled, socially awkward, mathematician and the stern, finance minded, gambler.
I really liked Frankie. I was intrigued by her in the last book and very pleased that Never Gamble Your Heart was focused on her story. She's brilliant at maths but because she wears spectacles and stumbles over social conventions she's been told she'll never make a match and desires to write mathematical papers for the rest of her days. Seeing her growth throughout the book was wonderful. She starts to revel in her newfound confidence, as bolstered by Jasper and Cece, and leans into her personality instead of hiding behind it.
Jasper Jones is a rake of the highest order... or is he? Spoiler: the man is down bad for Frankie practically from first meeting, though the arrogance of the man? Off the charts for the first bit, but he's very quickly humbled by our mathematician and his scheming niece. Which brings me to my favorite character, Cecelia. At first, I found Jasper's niece to be an annoying little piece of the puzzle, but she very quickly became a favorite with her scheming and plotting to marry Jasper off so she can have a moment's peace! I imagine this to be v relatable for anyone who has been a 15 year old girl in the care of her grumpy uncle during the 19th century. She had some absolute bangers here, and I wouldn't be upset to see a story about her once she's debuted and looking for love herself. Hint, hint.
Slight spoiler: When Jasper confesses his love to Frankie she basically says, "thanks but no" and it's absolutely iconic. Girl panics and says peace out. To be fair, there's a lot going on such as murder at a house party, so really, Jasper, why would you chose this moment? It's still a gorgeous declaration and I loved it. I said he was gonna fall first and hard and he very much did.
If you enjoy comedic histroms with a side plot of mystery, pick up this series!
Thanks to Forever Publishing for the complimentary arc. All opinions are my own.
We meet our FMC, gentlelady turned governess, Frankie Turner, in Never Blow a Kiss. After her sister goes missing, Frankie, a gifted mathematician, agrees to work for The Dove, the mysterious woman running the governess spy network, in exchange for her help in locating Frankie's sister. During her own investigation, she discovers that many gently bred young ladies of a more radical mind are being married off to old, lecherous, and v conservative men. The only connection, the men are all members of Jasper Jones' gambling hell. Luckily for Frankie, Jasper Jones has just taken custody of his 15 year old niece, Cecelia, and needs a governess. Sparks fly between the bespectacled, socially awkward, mathematician and the stern, finance minded, gambler.
I really liked Frankie. I was intrigued by her in the last book and very pleased that Never Gamble Your Heart was focused on her story. She's brilliant at maths but because she wears spectacles and stumbles over social conventions she's been told she'll never make a match and desires to write mathematical papers for the rest of her days. Seeing her growth throughout the book was wonderful. She starts to revel in her newfound confidence, as bolstered by Jasper and Cece, and leans into her personality instead of hiding behind it.
Jasper Jones is a rake of the highest order... or is he? Spoiler: the man is down bad for Frankie practically from first meeting, though the arrogance of the man? Off the charts for the first bit, but he's very quickly humbled by our mathematician and his scheming niece. Which brings me to my favorite character, Cecelia. At first, I found Jasper's niece to be an annoying little piece of the puzzle, but she very quickly became a favorite with her scheming and plotting to marry Jasper off so she can have a moment's peace! I imagine this to be v relatable for anyone who has been a 15 year old girl in the care of her grumpy uncle during the 19th century. She had some absolute bangers here, and I wouldn't be upset to see a story about her once she's debuted and looking for love herself. Hint, hint.
Slight spoiler: When Jasper confesses his love to Frankie she basically says, "thanks but no" and it's absolutely iconic. Girl panics and says peace out. To be fair, there's a lot going on such as murder at a house party, so really, Jasper, why would you chose this moment? It's still a gorgeous declaration and I loved it. I said he was gonna fall first and hard and he very much did.
If you enjoy comedic histroms with a side plot of mystery, pick up this series!
Thanks to Forever Publishing for the complimentary arc. All opinions are my own.
Unromance by Erin Connor
Slight spoiler, there is a third act break up, but it made sense for the characters, and I was surprisingly okay with it. Well, as okay with it as I’ll ever be. I think it could have been done a bit better (hence the 4 stars v 5) but it was still done in a way that I could appreciate and see the logic of, so maybe this should be 4.5 stars…idk. I loved the start of the book, but around the midpoint when the characters started fighting their feelings for each other, I got a bit tired and had to force myself to keep reading. After a few chapters I was back in it, but that one middle slog really hit and I think that’s what’s holding me back from 5 stars.
Also, Sawyer is so horny. It genuinely made me
Thanks to @readforeverpub for the
4.0
I had such a tun time with Unromance by Erin Connor, and I'm shocked it's a debut! It definitely gave me @jen.comfort.author vibes, and then I saw Jen blurbed the book so, look at me, intuiting well. Also, this is very high praise. I still think about Midnight Duet (JC’s book) almost daily.
Unromance is a fun, trope filled, romp but not in the typical manner! Sawyer and Mason make a pact to ruin Mason's stars in his eyes, over the top, fall too fast, romantic side, and to inspire Sawyer's romance is dead, but l'm a romance author so l have to be romantic, writer side. If that makes any sense... it does in the book, trust me. But of course, this is a romance, friends!
Trying to ruin classic tropes like going to a Christmas tree farm and having a New Year's Eve kiss just isn't gonna work. Especially when it's two hopeless idiots who really wanna 💥each other and kinda also think the other is a super great person?! I loved it.
Slight spoiler, there is a third act break up, but it made sense for the characters, and I was surprisingly okay with it. Well, as okay with it as I’ll ever be. I think it could have been done a bit better (hence the 4 stars v 5) but it was still done in a way that I could appreciate and see the logic of, so maybe this should be 4.5 stars…idk. I loved the start of the book, but around the midpoint when the characters started fighting their feelings for each other, I got a bit tired and had to force myself to keep reading. After a few chapters I was back in it, but that one middle slog really hit and I think that’s what’s holding me back from 5 stars.
Also, Sawyer is so horny. It genuinely made me
laugh. I have multiple highlights and notes about said horniness that I'll maybe share later.
Thanks to @readforeverpub for the
complimentary e-arc. All opinions are my own.