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charleys_bookshelf's Reviews (252)
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
My Big Fat Fake Marriage by Charlotte Stein is a fun and a little bit silly romance novel about an American book editor and a want-to-be English writer who happens to live down the hall from one another.
Beck is a big man and an even bigger nerd; from being teased and bullied his whole life, he still very much sees the good in people and wants to be kind and courteous to everyone. Connie, on the other hand, has a distrust in people who are nice since no one has ever truly been nice and meant it. While I had a good time reading, I found myself being uninterested in the characters and storyline. I usually eat a fake dating slow-burn romance up, but this one just didn't hit. How both of them just refused to communicate effectively. Like I said, I had a good time, but this isn't a book I am reaching for again. I think it definitely could be someone's cup of tea more than mine.
Tropes:
📖 Fake marriage
🔥 Slow-burn tension
💖 Inexperienced but secretly confident MMC
✍️ A bookish setting
🛌 Only One Bed
Thank you, NetGalley & St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin, for the copy for an honest review!
Beck is a big man and an even bigger nerd; from being teased and bullied his whole life, he still very much sees the good in people and wants to be kind and courteous to everyone. Connie, on the other hand, has a distrust in people who are nice since no one has ever truly been nice and meant it. While I had a good time reading, I found myself being uninterested in the characters and storyline. I usually eat a fake dating slow-burn romance up, but this one just didn't hit. How both of them just refused to communicate effectively. Like I said, I had a good time, but this isn't a book I am reaching for again. I think it definitely could be someone's cup of tea more than mine.
Tropes:
📖 Fake marriage
🔥 Slow-burn tension
💖 Inexperienced but secretly confident MMC
✍️ A bookish setting
🛌 Only One Bed
Thank you, NetGalley & St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin, for the copy for an honest review!
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Steamy On Set by D.S. Walls is a fun romance novel with snarky banter, set in on a movie set where the two MCs work!
Farrah, after getting dumped and ghosted by her friend-turned-boyfriend, leaves San Francisco with her best friend to move to LA for a fresh start. There, on set for her new job as a movie stylist, Farrah has a run with none other than Director Errol, who already seems to not like her or her work.
I had such a fun time reading this book, and I loved the banter between these characters throughout the whole book. I was obsessed that D. S. Walls kept the same level of playful and little mean banter throughout the book and in their relationship. Them getting locked in the closet was everything!! I love that Farrah was loud and proud of who she was and was pissed every time someone shamed her or called her entitled! Farrah is a strong female lead, and I loved that she had style and was plus-sized.
This is a great debut novel for D.S. Walls, and she is starting a fun series! I am excited to see where it goes and what else D. S. Walls has in store for us. I highly recommend picking up this book if you like Black main characters, banter, enemies to lovers, and workplace romance.
ARC REVIEW! Thank you to @dswallswrites for the copy to review early!
Farrah, after getting dumped and ghosted by her friend-turned-boyfriend, leaves San Francisco with her best friend to move to LA for a fresh start. There, on set for her new job as a movie stylist, Farrah has a run with none other than Director Errol, who already seems to not like her or her work.
I had such a fun time reading this book, and I loved the banter between these characters throughout the whole book. I was obsessed that D. S. Walls kept the same level of playful and little mean banter throughout the book and in their relationship. Them getting locked in the closet was everything!! I love that Farrah was loud and proud of who she was and was pissed every time someone shamed her or called her entitled! Farrah is a strong female lead, and I loved that she had style and was plus-sized.
This is a great debut novel for D.S. Walls, and she is starting a fun series! I am excited to see where it goes and what else D. S. Walls has in store for us. I highly recommend picking up this book if you like Black main characters, banter, enemies to lovers, and workplace romance.
ARC REVIEW! Thank you to @dswallswrites for the copy to review early!
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Italy Can Bite Me: A Vacation Romantic Comedy by MéLisa Ryun is a rom-com set on an Italy vacation and tour. Katie is your type-A binder-carrying planner. She has her whole life planned and out, from her wedding to scheduled bedroom activity in the later years of her marriage. When that becomes too many, her fiance dumps. Trying to win him, she spontaneously takes a trip with her Aunt to Italy. In walks Matteo, her opposite in every way. Loves make people's dreams come true on their vacation and don't stick to a schedule. However, these two immediately have chemistry.
I am not going to lie I had a hard time getting into this book because Katie was so annoying to me. I hated how much she planned and had things scheduled and expected everyone around her to be on her timeline. Also, the aunt and mom were so over the top that I was frustrated with how Katie said nothing. However, the book did get better the longer I read, and I was invested in Katie and Matteo getting together! This book was overall fun and flirty, and I had a good time reading it after a while. The second half went by much faster than the first.
💖 Opposites Attract
🚘 Vacation Fling
💖 Road Trip
🚘 Forced Proximity
💖 Snarky Banter as Foreplay
Thank you to Happily Booked PR and MéLisa Ryun for the Copy to review.
I am not going to lie I had a hard time getting into this book because Katie was so annoying to me. I hated how much she planned and had things scheduled and expected everyone around her to be on her timeline. Also, the aunt and mom were so over the top that I was frustrated with how Katie said nothing. However, the book did get better the longer I read, and I was invested in Katie and Matteo getting together! This book was overall fun and flirty, and I had a good time reading it after a while. The second half went by much faster than the first.
💖 Opposites Attract
🚘 Vacation Fling
💖 Road Trip
🚘 Forced Proximity
💖 Snarky Banter as Foreplay
Thank you to Happily Booked PR and MéLisa Ryun for the Copy to review.
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Queer as All Get Out: 10 People Who've Inspired Me by Shelby Criswell, and WOW, what a read! This beautifully illustrated nonfiction book highlights ten incredible LGBTQ+ figures from history. I learned so much about figures in history who were never celebrated and whom I have never heard of. This book is written as a graphic novel or comic style, which makes the reading experience easy to digest and very approachable. I discovered this book within an hour and could not recommend it more! 🖤✨
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I Accidentally Hooked Up with a Vampire by Jessica Cage is the second novel in the Accidents Happen series; it can be read as a standalone. You just find out what happened in book one at the end of this book! This book was fun and drama-filled from every point. It is chock-full of advantages and supernatural discoveries.
I loved that this book features a plus-size woman as the main love interest and that she doesn't need a man to solve her problems or save her. Whitney was so real in her reactions to finding out her whole world was upside down. Her reactions felt real and authentic to everything she was finding out. Also, Whitney's best friends were fantastic! I love it when a book has amazing and well-built side characters that are friends. Jackie and Lena were hilarious, and I loved listening to their antics! Domino was respectful and caring, and even after all of this, he never lost patience with Whitney and always gave her space to process what was happening! This book had me laughing out loud so many times, and I am obsessed with the grumpy cat! I Accidentally Hooked Up with a Vampire. It is a modern, magical world where things really do go bump in the night, and I couldn't recommend it more!
*Thank you to Jessica Cage for the ARC copy to review!
I loved that this book features a plus-size woman as the main love interest and that she doesn't need a man to solve her problems or save her. Whitney was so real in her reactions to finding out her whole world was upside down. Her reactions felt real and authentic to everything she was finding out. Also, Whitney's best friends were fantastic! I love it when a book has amazing and well-built side characters that are friends. Jackie and Lena were hilarious, and I loved listening to their antics! Domino was respectful and caring, and even after all of this, he never lost patience with Whitney and always gave her space to process what was happening! This book had me laughing out loud so many times, and I am obsessed with the grumpy cat! I Accidentally Hooked Up with a Vampire. It is a modern, magical world where things really do go bump in the night, and I couldn't recommend it more!
*Thank you to Jessica Cage for the ARC copy to review!
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
An Imperfect Truth is my first book by Leigh Carron, and I absolutely loved it! Chaz, a large plus-size male main character, initially drew me into this book! Chaz owns a coffee shop in a small town and has been taking care of his baby sister since he was 19. Lexie is running from her life of privilege and all of the problems to figure out what she wants out of life.
I had such a fun time reading this book; they have instant chemistry with their coffee shop and are cute. Leigh Carron did a fantastic job writing witty banter and care with the serious topics of this book but still making the book feel like a warm hug. Additionally, Leight Carron kept me on my toes throughout this book. Even with the precursor of what was to come in the prologue, I still was not ready for the twist and how everyone would handle it and overcome these problems. Often, with romance novels, we know they are going to have Happily Ever After, so it is easy to guess what is going to happen; however, with An Imperfect Truth, I was unsure of how Lexie and Chaz were going to rectify the issues. This book tackles themes of misogyny and assault in big industries. As well as the way they cover up problems, holding capitalism over human life and its impacts. Overall, I really loved and enjoyed reading this book and its representation, and I would recommend you read it, too!
*Thank you to Leigh Carron and Happily Booked PR for the ARC Copy.
I had such a fun time reading this book; they have instant chemistry with their coffee shop and are cute. Leigh Carron did a fantastic job writing witty banter and care with the serious topics of this book but still making the book feel like a warm hug. Additionally, Leight Carron kept me on my toes throughout this book. Even with the precursor of what was to come in the prologue, I still was not ready for the twist and how everyone would handle it and overcome these problems. Often, with romance novels, we know they are going to have Happily Ever After, so it is easy to guess what is going to happen; however, with An Imperfect Truth, I was unsure of how Lexie and Chaz were going to rectify the issues. This book tackles themes of misogyny and assault in big industries. As well as the way they cover up problems, holding capitalism over human life and its impacts. Overall, I really loved and enjoyed reading this book and its representation, and I would recommend you read it, too!
*Thank you to Leigh Carron and Happily Booked PR for the ARC Copy.
dark
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes