ericas_bookshelf's reviews
704 reviews

A Daring Arrangement by Joanna Shupe

funny hopeful mysterious reflective relaxing slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes

3.0

This was just *okay* for me. Mary Jane Wells’ excellent narration is honestly what kept me reading haha. The romance was pretty standard, but I didn’t love the OM drama with Robert. It annoyed me, lol. The dynamic between Nora & Julius was entertaining and they definitely had chemistry though! 

A Shore Thing by Joanna Lowell

funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

“Loving you is exhilarating and all I most desire.”

This was absolutely remarkable. Kit is a trans man & artist who moves to Cornwall to forge a new life for himself, selling bicycles. This is where he meets Muriel, a botanist from New York who wants to commission Kit for illustrations of British seaweeds. This is overall low angst, but I especially loved how this was so much more than a love story. 

Joanna worked with her partner Mir, who is a trans man and a gender & sexuality historian. Together they really made this a wonderful, well rounded love story, with important historical context and politics. I mean the dedication and historical note alone made me SOB. 

“We don't think fiction and romance will save the world, but we do believe that imagination is vital to personal and social change. When things are hard, art can provide a place of dreaming new possibilities, and be a source of strength in making them real. History can also show us that people pushed to the margins have always fought for justice, and sometimes won.”

*huge thanks to the publisher for the free arc in exchange for my honest review*

Leather & Lark by Brynne Weaver

adventurous dark funny hopeful mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

“Tell the devil the Kanes send their regards.”

How Brynne managed to top B&B is astonishing to me. I can say with the utmost of confidence that I love this just as much, if not more than, Butcher & Blackbird. Seriously, I flew through this book. Between the marriage of convenience, cute murder craft time, and the killer on the loose they had to find, this was a banger from start to finish. 

Lark also had such strong Harley Quinn vibes AND I ATE IT UP. Brynne’s fmc’s are always gonna satisfy me, but goddamn Lark may be my new favorite of hers. Her and Sloane are also the definition of platonic soul mates and I just adore them. 

"Lark Montague doesn't just have a spiteful streak. She takes the idea of retribution and makes it into a full-on glitter parade of vengeance."

And Lachlan?! He’s a man obsessed. He’s down BAD. As he should be. 💅🏻

"My feckin' catastrophe. You fucking destroyed me. And now I can't imagine being anything but the man that I am with you."

Also this book made me cry twice?! WTF 😭

You Should Be So Lucky by Cat Sebastian

funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

me: “nah i don’t like mid century historical romance”

cat: “are you sure about that?” 👀

I was worried I wouldn’t love this one as much as ‘We Could Be So Good’, but I’m happy to report THAT I DID. It’s so tender and lovely, I absolutely adored this. 😭🥹🫶

Don't Hate Me by Eden Emory

adventurous dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

“Tell me what you feel when you’re around me?”
“Frustration.”
“Excuse me?”
“Frustration because ever since I saw you, I found myself unable to stay away.”


OK SO THIS IS MY FAV OF THE SERIES. WOW. I love my lil murderous lesbians so much. Seriously, Blake & Quinn are just, WOW. Such a good, fast paced, plot, really excellent plot twists, and in true Eden Emory style, lots & lots of smut. Just read this series haha. It’s bingeable in the best way tbh. 

Don't Forget Me by Eden Emory

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

One thing about me is that I will always eat up a stalker romance. 

Oh, and props to Eden for getting me to like the professor/student trope because I usually despise it. 😮‍💨

Don't Leave Me by Eden Emory

dark emotional hopeful relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.0

Sloan, you deserve better than Lillian. I said what I said. 

Onto the next one though because it’s a stalker romance apparently 👀👀👀

Don't Stop Me by Eden Emory

dark hopeful informative mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

Well this was H O T. 

Listen, if you read the Salacious Players Club series by Sara Cate and wished it was sapphic with mafia adjacent vibes, then you’ll love this series. I absolutely devoured this! 

There was one smut scene in particular that had my brain buffering for a good 10 minutes afterwards because it was so hot. 

The only reason it’s not a full 5⭐️ for me was because of the nicknames used. “Kitten” in particular is probably my least favorite nickname of all time haha. 

Seven Days in June by Tia Williams

dark emotional funny hopeful informative sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

“Listen, caring about things don’t make you soft. It makes you alive.”

This book not only spans the years of separation between Eva & Shane, and all the heartbreak surrounding that, but the generational traumas of being a woman, as well as living with an invisible disability, the complexities of recovering from alcoholism, self harm, substance abuse, and absent parents. It’s a….lot. But wow is it beautifully, beautifully, done. 

“If you have the opportunity to make a moment meaningful, why not take it?”

Tia’s writing and storytelling style is one that genuinely makes you sit down and really process the way you see and walk through the world. And the hope!! The romance!! Just absolutely perfect and honest to god the kind of love we should all aim to find. Eva & Shane both have traumas from childhood and getting to see them continually heal and find each other just shredded my heart in the best way. I cried 5 times. It was beautiful. 

“She stuck to his bones, imprinted herself on his brain—and thoroughly rearranged his world, in the best way.”

Last but not least, extra special shoutout to Eva’s daughter Audre because I LOVED HER. 

“Love is risky.”

“How on earth would you know that love’s risky?”

“Hello? I know Lemonade by heart.”

The Art of Catching Feelings by Alicia Thompson

funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes

3.0

This had the bones for a really wonderful romance, but I personally struggled with the lying and secret identity aspect of this plot. Overall this was still a great read, but isn’t one I would reread. 

Daphne kept *almost* telling him and then losing her nerve and it got quite annoying after a while, I’m gonna be honest. And listen, I get that this is a nerve wracking thing she’s dealing with, but come on lol. I don’t mind miscommunication in books, I think a lot of time it’s more realistic and can add to the angst of a romance, but this one annoyed me. 

I will say that I enjoyed Chris’s character. A LOT. That’s all. I just really loved him haha. 

Also, the smut was really hot and perfectly timed in their story, well done to the author for that 🥵

I finished this book generally feeling like I had a fun time but not a memorable time. I’m not a baseball fan in any aspect either so there were a lot of references and Easter eggs that likely went right over my head. 🤷‍♀️


*I received an arc from the publisher in exchange for my honest review*