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cjwitch's reviews
112 reviews
Let's Do This by Loren Leigh
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
Horny and heartwarming.
I’m not typically a fan of books that jump immediately into sex within the first few chapters, and this book startled me with the best friends hooking up with no significant build up beforehand of their existing friendship. I would have disliked it under different circumstances or handled by a different author. But Let’s Do This spent the entire book exploring the characters developing relationship and feelings in a way that felt like a slow burn without actually being one. The writing was engaging and the characters well developed and relatable.
The laughter and joy and love was palpable between Burkie and Shaw, and they both put so much effort into caring for the other and communicating where they were at as they slowly figured their feelings out.
This book is low angst, high spice, and so sweet. The found family here felt authentic and the way the teammates showed up for each other and rizzed each other was phenomenal.
I will definitely read more of the IFU team when it comes!
I’m not typically a fan of books that jump immediately into sex within the first few chapters, and this book startled me with the best friends hooking up with no significant build up beforehand of their existing friendship. I would have disliked it under different circumstances or handled by a different author. But Let’s Do This spent the entire book exploring the characters developing relationship and feelings in a way that felt like a slow burn without actually being one. The writing was engaging and the characters well developed and relatable.
The laughter and joy and love was palpable between Burkie and Shaw, and they both put so much effort into caring for the other and communicating where they were at as they slowly figured their feelings out.
This book is low angst, high spice, and so sweet. The found family here felt authentic and the way the teammates showed up for each other and rizzed each other was phenomenal.
I will definitely read more of the IFU team when it comes!
Rookie Recovery by Lex Easton, Jemma Croft, Lex Veia
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Rookie Recovery is full of great banter, hilarious antics, and slow burn deliciousness. There is an element of Found Family common to sports romances, and all the side characters are developed and intriguing enough to leave you wanting more of each of them.
Bowie is lovable, endlessly horny, and so insecure that I just wanna wrap him in a blanket and smother him with junk food. And Jamie is his perfect grumpy, strict, and emotionally constipated counterpart. They are exactly what the other needs and spend the majority of the book discovering exactly that!
This book is adorable, low angst, and fun. There’s a little less hockey in the book than I would have liked (Bowie being injured before the season starts and the book focusing more on his recovery and budding friendship and then relationship with Jamie), but the banter made the book for me. That and the nicknames. And the humor…Okay, just go read this because it was so much fun!
Can't Spell Treason Without Tea by Rebecca Thorne
lighthearted
4.0
It's nearly impossible to read Can't Spell Treason Without Tea and NOT compare it to Legends and Lattes. On the surface, they have a lot of similarities: they are both cozy books about a warrior (a Queen's Guard in this case) who retires to renovate and then open a shop with a love interest, all while making new friends from a collection of strangers in the town.
Yet, for all the similarities, Can't Spell Treason Without Tea is unique and wonderful in its own right. Personally, there was a lot about this book that I enjoyed more. The magic system is fun and interesting. The relationship between the main POV characters, Reyna and Kianthe, is deeper and realistic, with a level of bickering that you only get in well established and loving relationships. Their communication and they way they are consistently working on their relationship was lovely and inspiring. The side characters are all well developed and the town itself is somewhere I wish I could visit!
This book felt queer and grounded and comforting. It's a story that I foresee visiting again many times!
Yet, for all the similarities, Can't Spell Treason Without Tea is unique and wonderful in its own right. Personally, there was a lot about this book that I enjoyed more. The magic system is fun and interesting. The relationship between the main POV characters, Reyna and Kianthe, is deeper and realistic, with a level of bickering that you only get in well established and loving relationships. Their communication and they way they are consistently working on their relationship was lovely and inspiring. The side characters are all well developed and the town itself is somewhere I wish I could visit!
This book felt queer and grounded and comforting. It's a story that I foresee visiting again many times!
The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
Did not finish book. Stopped at 5%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 5%.
I’d like to go back at some point, but this book is too much for my current state of mind
The Prospects by KT Hoffman
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
The Prospects is lighthearted and (mostly) low angst. It is a book that radiants hope. Hope for a better world, where acceptance is more widespread. Hope for dreams you barely dare to let yourself want. And hope for a life where happiness and love are abundant.
Gene’s voice and character are engaging. His transness is an integral part of his character without being the focal point of all conflicts. He is confident, accepted (by those who matter), and loved. He has a support system in a whole cast of side characters that are all fleshed out and flawed in their own ways.
The love story was everything that I want in a rivals to lovers book: it develops first into a solid friendship before it ever moves into romance. When romance comes, it isn’t perfect. Gene and Luis have to communicate and work for it; have to learn to trust themselves and each other.
This is a book that easily made it into my favorites and I can foresee rereading it many times. If you enjoy queer sports romance, do yourself a favor and pick this one up!
A final note: while this book is also a love letter to baseball in many ways, absolutely no baseball knowledge is needed to enjoy this story.
Changing the Game by J.J. Mulder
Did not finish book. Stopped at 43%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 43%.
DNF. It’s not bad, at all, but just not for me. This is about as close to instalove as you can get without actually being instalove. All the progression leading into the relationship happens off page, which led me to have zero investment in the characters or their relationship.
Lucky Bounce by Cait Nary
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
I greatly enjoyed this book. It's not quite "slice of life" cozy, but it's something adjacent to the genre. Life and love and enjoyment take precedence over any kind of plot, which does give it a bit of a "slice of life" vibe. It's low stakes, adorable, with great banter that had me laughing out loud and grinning wide enough to make my cheeks hurt.
There are aspects that I wish that the book delved deeper into and I definitely wish we had gotten to see more of Spencer's personality (his aversion to talking made him a difficult character to really get to know)...but that aside, this book was just an easy and enjoyable read that left me feeling happy.
I was invested in the characters and the way they interacted and the little family they were creating and I enjoyed every minute of the time I spent with them.
There are aspects that I wish that the book delved deeper into and I definitely wish we had gotten to see more of Spencer's personality (his aversion to talking made him a difficult character to really get to know)...but that aside, this book was just an easy and enjoyable read that left me feeling happy.
I was invested in the characters and the way they interacted and the little family they were creating and I enjoyed every minute of the time I spent with them.