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cozycritiques's reviews
67 reviews
The Bachelor on the Shelf by Jana Aston
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
“I wonder if it’s possible for genetics to carry the jackass trait because, if so, it seems firmly implanted in the trio.”
- The Bachelor on the Shelf
Tropes: Sports (Baseball), Fake Engagement, Image Rehab
Spice Scale: 🌶🌶🌶
CW: Grief
I think The Bachelor on the Shelf was my favorite of the second three books in this series. The heroine is a bookworm and works at a librarian, which I was completely jealous of while reading, and the hero is a cocky athlete. It’s a common combination in romances, but I still enjoy it. I also love fake dating, so although the ending was a little too neat and the pacing didn’t really work for me, fake dating is one of my favorite tropes, so it made up for it. The cute Christmas dates, grandfather meddling from beyond the grave, and dog shared-custody agreement definitely didn’t hurt either. Overall, it was a nice way to wrap up the second half of series, and the epilogue gave a satisfying glimpse into the three couples’ lives after their books ended.
- The Bachelor on the Shelf
Tropes: Sports (Baseball), Fake Engagement, Image Rehab
Spice Scale: 🌶🌶🌶
CW: Grief
I think The Bachelor on the Shelf was my favorite of the second three books in this series. The heroine is a bookworm and works at a librarian, which I was completely jealous of while reading, and the hero is a cocky athlete. It’s a common combination in romances, but I still enjoy it. I also love fake dating, so although the ending was a little too neat and the pacing didn’t really work for me, fake dating is one of my favorite tropes, so it made up for it. The cute Christmas dates, grandfather meddling from beyond the grave, and dog shared-custody agreement definitely didn’t hurt either. Overall, it was a nice way to wrap up the second half of series, and the epilogue gave a satisfying glimpse into the three couples’ lives after their books ended.
Content Warnings
Minor: Grief
One Night with a Nutcracker by Jana Aston
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
“Tomorrow, I’ll deal with the reality of this situation. Tomorrow, I’ll follow the rules and go right back to hating him. But right now? Right now, I plan to spend the rest of the day enjoying this man. Thankfully, the feeling seems mutual.”
- One Night with a Nutcracker
Tropes: Grumpy/Sunshine, One Night Stand, Forced Proximity
Spice Scale: 🌶🌶🌶
CW: Grief
One Night with a Nutcracker was cute, and I liked it a lot more than Elves with Benefits (first in the second trilogy). The Christmas vibes were great though, and it was a quick read. I liked the simultaneous timeline with the fourth and sixth books and the continued references to a Christmas romance book club. However, the pacing was rushed, and the chemistry felt forced. But it also had rescue goats and a protective hero moment over those goats, so it was an overall entertaining read.
- One Night with a Nutcracker
Tropes: Grumpy/Sunshine, One Night Stand, Forced Proximity
Spice Scale: 🌶🌶🌶
CW: Grief
One Night with a Nutcracker was cute, and I liked it a lot more than Elves with Benefits (first in the second trilogy). The Christmas vibes were great though, and it was a quick read. I liked the simultaneous timeline with the fourth and sixth books and the continued references to a Christmas romance book club. However, the pacing was rushed, and the chemistry felt forced. But it also had rescue goats and a protective hero moment over those goats, so it was an overall entertaining read.
Content Warnings
Minor: Grief
Elves with Benefits by Jana Aston
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
”Ryan Sheppard and I will never be a thing. Not even a quick Christmas fling. Besides, I’m more of a ‘kisses under the mistletoe’ than a ‘tryst with a naughty Santa’ kind of girl.”
- Elves with Benefits
Tropes: Enemies-to-Lovers, Grumpy/Sunshine, Opposites Attract
Spice Scale: 🌶🌶🌶
CW: Grief
Elves with Benefits was cute, however out of this series, it’s been my least favorite. But I still liked the setting and the series, which is why I stuck with it. The whole concept of a Christmas cop was hilarious, and the introduction of the Christmas romance book club was delightful. The heroine brought a whole new meaning to Christmas cheer, which helped make up for the pacing issues and the forced chemistry between the love interests.
- Elves with Benefits
Tropes: Enemies-to-Lovers, Grumpy/Sunshine, Opposites Attract
Spice Scale: 🌶🌶🌶
CW: Grief
Elves with Benefits was cute, however out of this series, it’s been my least favorite. But I still liked the setting and the series, which is why I stuck with it. The whole concept of a Christmas cop was hilarious, and the introduction of the Christmas romance book club was delightful. The heroine brought a whole new meaning to Christmas cheer, which helped make up for the pacing issues and the forced chemistry between the love interests.
Content Warnings
Minor: Grief
The One Night Stand Before Christmas by Jana Aston
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
”Yup. I just had a one-night stand with Santa Claus. That’s one hell of a way to get on the naughty list.”
- The One Night Stand Before Christmas
Tropes: One Night Stand, Mistaken Identity, Grumpy/Sunshine
Spice Scale: 🌶🌶🌶
The One Night Stand Before Christmas was my favorite of the first three books. The leads had amazing chemistry and a bit of a grumpy sunshine dynamic with a cynical heroine and a sweet but sexy hero. It was steamy, and the Santa sex puns should have been over-the-top, but instead I found them hilarious. I loved that it didn’t rely on the third act breakup/misunderstanding and was just a sweet story of them coming together. The epilogue at the end gave a good glimpse at everyone’s life afterward and had me looking forward to the second trilogy in the series.
- The One Night Stand Before Christmas
Tropes: One Night Stand, Mistaken Identity, Grumpy/Sunshine
Spice Scale: 🌶🌶🌶
The One Night Stand Before Christmas was my favorite of the first three books. The leads had amazing chemistry and a bit of a grumpy sunshine dynamic with a cynical heroine and a sweet but sexy hero. It was steamy, and the Santa sex puns should have been over-the-top, but instead I found them hilarious. I loved that it didn’t rely on the third act breakup/misunderstanding and was just a sweet story of them coming together. The epilogue at the end gave a good glimpse at everyone’s life afterward and had me looking forward to the second trilogy in the series.
If You Give A Jerk A Gingerbread by Jana Aston
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
”Kissing the competition seems dicey, doesn't it? I've never been a dicey girl, either. But I kinda like this new naughty elf version of myself.”
- If You Give a Jerk a Gingerbread
Tropes: Reality TV, Baking Competition, Rivals to Lovers, Instalove
Spice Scale: 🌶🌶🌶
If You Give a Jerk a Gingerbread continued with the cozy Christmas vibes and I liked that the timeline overlapped with the first and third books. The baking competition was a fun setting, and I loved the swoony British hero. The story does rely heavily on the insta love trope, which is not one of my favorite tropes. However, it worked and was cute in this book. I think think the fact that the book is a novella helped it. Overall, this was a cute, quick read.
- If You Give a Jerk a Gingerbread
Tropes: Reality TV, Baking Competition, Rivals to Lovers, Instalove
Spice Scale: 🌶🌶🌶
If You Give a Jerk a Gingerbread continued with the cozy Christmas vibes and I liked that the timeline overlapped with the first and third books. The baking competition was a fun setting, and I loved the swoony British hero. The story does rely heavily on the insta love trope, which is not one of my favorite tropes. However, it worked and was cute in this book. I think think the fact that the book is a novella helped it. Overall, this was a cute, quick read.
The Boss Who Stole Christmas by Jana Aston
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
“My boss is the Grinch. A Scrooge. A Dursley amongst Harrys. I'm sure of it, even if he doesn't live on a cliff overlooking Whoville or own a dog named Max. Even if he doesn't have an orphan named Harry living under his stairs. Even if he hasn't cancelled the company Christmas party. I bet he considered it. He's a misanthropic, mean-tempered jerk with a piece of coal where his heart should be. Confirmed Grinch. Mr Ebenezer Scrooge himself.“
- The Boss Who Stole Christmas
Tropes: Enemies-to-Lovers, Workplace, Boss/Employee
Spice Scale: 🌶🌶🌶
The Boss Who Stole Christmas is a short, steamy, and sweet. It has witty banter, a one-sided enemies-to-lovers trope, and tons—I mean TONS—of delightful Christmas references. It does go a little bit overboard at times, but I was expecting that, so I enjoyed it. I loved the cozy vibes and the picturesque setting of Germany at Christmas and the relationships between the Winter sisters. All in all, this was a cute, lighthearted read that definitely got me in the Christmas spirit.
- The Boss Who Stole Christmas
Tropes: Enemies-to-Lovers, Workplace, Boss/Employee
Spice Scale: 🌶🌶🌶
The Boss Who Stole Christmas is a short, steamy, and sweet. It has witty banter, a one-sided enemies-to-lovers trope, and tons—I mean TONS—of delightful Christmas references. It does go a little bit overboard at times, but I was expecting that, so I enjoyed it. I loved the cozy vibes and the picturesque setting of Germany at Christmas and the relationships between the Winter sisters. All in all, this was a cute, lighthearted read that definitely got me in the Christmas spirit.
Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
“I always think that when we’re quiet, we’re agreeing to be harmless to each other. That we’re just sharing the same space and letting each other exist exactly as we are, and neither of us would hurt or upset the other one.”
- Yours Truly
Thank you, NetGalley and Forever, for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Tropes: Workplace Romance, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Fake Dating, Epistolary, Forced Proximity, A little bit of grumpy/sunshine vibes
Representation: Anxiety
Spice Scale: 🌶🌶🌶
CW: Anxiety, Panic Attacks, Hospitalization, Chronic Illness, Past Cheating, Past Miscarriage
Part of Your World was one of my favorite reads last year, so I was excited to see Briana was getting a book. I’ve spent the past three months really struggling to read, but I absolutely devoured Yours Truly. I’m such a sucker for women in STEM romances, as well as fake dating and anything with an epistolary component to it, but for me, what stole the show for this book was Jacob. I can honestly say that Jacob was one of the most unflinching and unmasked depictions of anxiety that I have read in a long time. It made me feel seen.
Like her previous novels, Jimenez expertly balances difficult topics with warm and lighthearted moments that leaves you wanting more. I don’t know what she has planned next, but at this point, I don’t think Abby Jimenez can write a book I won’t fall in love with. The authenticity with which she writes her characters never fails to give me the feels, and Yours Truly was no exception.
- Yours Truly
Thank you, NetGalley and Forever, for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Tropes: Workplace Romance, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Fake Dating, Epistolary, Forced Proximity, A little bit of grumpy/sunshine vibes
Representation: Anxiety
Spice Scale: 🌶🌶🌶
CW: Anxiety, Panic Attacks, Hospitalization, Chronic Illness, Past Cheating, Past Miscarriage
Part of Your World was one of my favorite reads last year, so I was excited to see Briana was getting a book. I’ve spent the past three months really struggling to read, but I absolutely devoured Yours Truly. I’m such a sucker for women in STEM romances, as well as fake dating and anything with an epistolary component to it, but for me, what stole the show for this book was Jacob. I can honestly say that Jacob was one of the most unflinching and unmasked depictions of anxiety that I have read in a long time. It made me feel seen.
Like her previous novels, Jimenez expertly balances difficult topics with warm and lighthearted moments that leaves you wanting more. I don’t know what she has planned next, but at this point, I don’t think Abby Jimenez can write a book I won’t fall in love with. The authenticity with which she writes her characters never fails to give me the feels, and Yours Truly was no exception.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Medical content
Minor: Infidelity, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy