duckyreads's reviews
171 reviews

fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

A.H. Cunningham crafts a beautiful, relaxing, vacation in Out of Office. Genevieve is a stressed overachiever, that puts her work over everything, especially with a major promotion on the way. On a well-deserved two-week vacation, she falls in love with the city of Colón and her former driver, Adrián Nicolas.

Adrián and Gen's relationship was hot from the start, and eventually unraveled with emotional depth, including complex family stories. I really enjoyed watching them reach their happy ending, and I recommend this to anyone who knows they need a break.

Thank you to NetGalley and Afterglow Books by Harlequin for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Content Warnings

The Prospects by KT Hoffman

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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

5.0

After finishing The Prospects, I was shocked to find out that KT Hoffman is a debut author. We follow Gene, the first trans man playing professional baseball in the minor leagues, and his determination to get his team to the playoffs. He’s suddenly confronted by his former college teammate, Luis Estrada after he’s traded to the Beavers. As they stumble through learning how to play with each other again, Luis begins to become more vulnerable with Gene and we witness a spirited relationship. KT has a very digestible writing style and approaches baseball information at a base level, which makes it very approachable. I would definitely recommend this story to anyone and I’m looking forward to KT’s future works. He crafted a beautiful and celebratory queer baseball romance.

Thank you to Dial Press Publishing and NetGalley for a copy of the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Boyfriend Subscription by Steven Salvatore

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Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The Boyfriend Subscription is a sweet queer Pretty Woman retelling. Cole is a successful sex worker and businessman who finds himself hiring Teddy, a passionate plant enthusiast bouncing back from heartbreak.

Steven handled a lot of difficult topics in this story, including emotional and financial abuse, emotional manipulation, and sexual assault. If you’re looking for a romance with emotional depth, definitely check out The Boyfriend Subscription.

Thank you to Afterglow Books by Harlequin and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Content Warnings

Manila Takes Manhattan by Carla de Guzman

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Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

Manila Takes Manhattan is a sweet celebrity romance between a Filipino music producer and a Filipino-American A-list actress filming in New York City. This is my first Carla de Guzman story, and I really enjoyed her writing style and her rich inclusion of Filipino culture. It's clear that she has intimate knowledge about the immigrant experience as well.

It's very easy to care about Olivia and Mon, and how they depend on each other and get to know each other. I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a steamy read full with Filipino culture and delicious food.

A brief glossary at the end of the story that compiled all of the different phrases and food would be a great way for people unfamiliar with Filipino culture to have a reference point as a lot of cultural references vary person to person, something that Olivia experiences in the story herself.

Thank you to Afterglow Books by Harlequin and NetGalley for a copy of the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Content Warnings

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

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medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This Could Be Us by Kennedy Ryan

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medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

At this point, Kennedy Ryan can do no wrong! This Could Be Us is the second in the Skyland series by Kennedy Ryan. We follow Soledad and her messy husband who were introduced in Before I Let Go. Love, patience, and acceptance were explored and highlighted in this story beautifully. Kennedy also does a great job writing children and teenage characters and making them well-rounded. There's very little that I can say without spoiling parts of the story, but Kennedy continues to give a masterclass in crafting thoughtful characters and romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Frenemy Fix-Up by Yahrah St John

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medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Frenemy Fix-Up is the fourth book in the Six Gems series by Yahrah St. John, but can be read as a standalone. I really enjoyed Shay as the female lead in the story. Her drive and passion as an entrepreneur is very inspiring. Her group of friends were also very funny and protective of her, as every great friend group should be.

I did find it more difficult to relate to Colin as a main lead, since he had a more superficial personality. I enjoyed that their relationship shift from rivals to more was realistically awkward.

Thank you to NetGalley and Afterglow Books by Harlequin for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Content Warnings