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128 reviews
Off Pitch by Ashley Bow
*~*~*~*~*
There are debut novels, and then there are debut novels that hit differently and outshine the others, this debut novel, is one of them.
Ashley Bow has done an incredible job at providing a spicy book that is full of emotion and wonderful moments. This book truly has it all in terms of tropes, different story lines and loveable characters, and I think that’s one of the reasons to why her debut novel is amazing.
I’m not a baseball fan, and it’s not a sport that is popular where I’m from, but I really loved that there was a glossary at the end of this book for me to flip to when I didn’t understand certain words. Despite not being a baseball fan, I really enjoyed all of the baseball scenes and found them to be incredibly informative. Sometimes authors write sport romances but rarely portray the sports part. Every time there was a tense moment in a match, I felt the desperate and anxiousness that the characters would feel, I wanted the boys to do well, I needed them to win.
As mentioned previously, this story is full of emotion, and the thing that made this book so good for me was how Knox allowed himself to be vulnerable with Harlow. It was nice to read numerous moments where Knox would be honest about his past and allow himself to share a part of himself with Harlow that he had never shared with others. Knox isn’t perfect, and he messed up in a BIG way, but the way he overcame it had me falling hard for him. Once again, this is just another area where Ashley leaves you astonished that this is her debut novel.
Harlow is an absolute badass, and I was able to relate to her in terms of a previous relationship leaving a sour taste in her mouth. I like knowing that I can relate to a character, I like knowing that I’m not alone in some of the things I feel, and for that, Harlow is a big comfort character for me. She’s incredibly down to earth, and I love how focused she was on her blog. She deserves the absolute world, and I genuinely wish her blog was real because I would be obsessing over it if I had the chance
Finally, I could go on forever about the things I loved about this book. The friendships, the sports, the emotion, it was all incredible, and I will be obsessed with Ashley Bow forever at this rate. B the only reason I didn’t give this book five stars was because of how repetitive the characters would be at times. There were numerous times when the same thing would be said time and time again, and you would get a little fed up of it. However, this wasn’t enough to deter me from loving the book, and I cannot wait for book 2!
If you’re in the mood for a spicy romance where you’ll be simping over the characters AND the authors, then Off Pitch is PERFECT for you!
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
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
4.5
“Knowing you has been the greatest pleasure of my life, Harlow.”
*~*~*~*~*
There are debut novels, and then there are debut novels that hit differently and outshine the others, this debut novel, is one of them.
Ashley Bow has done an incredible job at providing a spicy book that is full of emotion and wonderful moments. This book truly has it all in terms of tropes, different story lines and loveable characters, and I think that’s one of the reasons to why her debut novel is amazing.
I’m not a baseball fan, and it’s not a sport that is popular where I’m from, but I really loved that there was a glossary at the end of this book for me to flip to when I didn’t understand certain words. Despite not being a baseball fan, I really enjoyed all of the baseball scenes and found them to be incredibly informative. Sometimes authors write sport romances but rarely portray the sports part. Every time there was a tense moment in a match, I felt the desperate and anxiousness that the characters would feel, I wanted the boys to do well, I needed them to win.
As mentioned previously, this story is full of emotion, and the thing that made this book so good for me was how Knox allowed himself to be vulnerable with Harlow. It was nice to read numerous moments where Knox would be honest about his past and allow himself to share a part of himself with Harlow that he had never shared with others. Knox isn’t perfect, and he messed up in a BIG way, but the way he overcame it had me falling hard for him. Once again, this is just another area where Ashley leaves you astonished that this is her debut novel.
Harlow is an absolute badass, and I was able to relate to her in terms of a previous relationship leaving a sour taste in her mouth. I like knowing that I can relate to a character, I like knowing that I’m not alone in some of the things I feel, and for that, Harlow is a big comfort character for me. She’s incredibly down to earth, and I love how focused she was on her blog. She deserves the absolute world, and I genuinely wish her blog was real because I would be obsessing over it if I had the chance
Finally, I could go on forever about the things I loved about this book. The friendships, the sports, the emotion, it was all incredible, and I will be obsessed with Ashley Bow forever at this rate. B the only reason I didn’t give this book five stars was because of how repetitive the characters would be at times. There were numerous times when the same thing would be said time and time again, and you would get a little fed up of it. However, this wasn’t enough to deter me from loving the book, and I cannot wait for book 2!
If you’re in the mood for a spicy romance where you’ll be simping over the characters AND the authors, then Off Pitch is PERFECT for you!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing and Sexual content
Captivated by his Convenient Duchess by Laurie Robinson
adventurous
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
reflective
slow-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? It's complicated
4.75
I don't care what anyone says, I love when a character is seen as weak but she proves them wrong... It's one of my favourite things to read about, and I love that I got to see Anita show everyone how wrong they were about her. Anita is without a doubt once of the strongest women I have had the pleasure of reading about, and the way the author introduced her being strong in front of Myles is something that will continue to live rent free in my head.
Anita hasn't been given the best in life, and she will always deserve better, but it was nice to know the reason behind why Myles insisted on marrying Anita rather than her cousin, even if he wasn't completely innocent with his thinking. Despite the fact that Anita didn't have the best life, her kindness knows no limits, and if I will say anything relating to this book, it's that what goes around comes around. Karma is a very real thing!
Myles is a walking green flag, one that I couldn't help but fall for, even if he wasn't the brightest person when it came to realising his feelings for Anita. More often than not, you'll read about dukes who don't have the greatest relationship with their families, but Lauri did an incredible job at straying from the cliche and making Myles have a good relationship with his family. Just like Anita, he's a kind soul, and the respect people had for him is something he deserved.
Another thing that really helped me enjoy this story was the focus on animals, mainly the horses. I'm not a horse person and I don't know much about them, so when I had the chance to read about horses and learn things about them, I really enjoyed it. The scenes with the horses were so special and I would really love for that theme to continue on in future stories.
Finally, I really loved that this story was a slowburn, but at times I wanted to shake the characters for their lack of communication and how oblivious they were when it came to feelings. It was a little frustrating at times.
All in all, I cannot thank Mills and Boon enough for sending me this wonderful book. I loved reading it, and I will certainly be reading more by Lauri Robinson in the future!
Anita hasn't been given the best in life, and she will always deserve better, but it was nice to know the reason behind why Myles insisted on marrying Anita rather than her cousin, even if he wasn't completely innocent with his thinking. Despite the fact that Anita didn't have the best life, her kindness knows no limits, and if I will say anything relating to this book, it's that what goes around comes around. Karma is a very real thing!
Myles is a walking green flag, one that I couldn't help but fall for, even if he wasn't the brightest person when it came to realising his feelings for Anita. More often than not, you'll read about dukes who don't have the greatest relationship with their families, but Lauri did an incredible job at straying from the cliche and making Myles have a good relationship with his family. Just like Anita, he's a kind soul, and the respect people had for him is something he deserved.
Another thing that really helped me enjoy this story was the focus on animals, mainly the horses. I'm not a horse person and I don't know much about them, so when I had the chance to read about horses and learn things about them, I really enjoyed it. The scenes with the horses were so special and I would really love for that theme to continue on in future stories.
Finally, I really loved that this story was a slowburn, but at times I wanted to shake the characters for their lack of communication and how oblivious they were when it came to feelings. It was a little frustrating at times.
All in all, I cannot thank Mills and Boon enough for sending me this wonderful book. I loved reading it, and I will certainly be reading more by Lauri Robinson in the future!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Injury/Injury detail
A Wager to Win the Debutante by Eva Shepherd
I think this is my favourite historical romance, and oh my, it was beautiful.
I just want to thank Mills and Boon for sending me this wonderful book because I absolutely adore it. When a historical romance involves a fake relationship, I will HAPPILY eat it up every single time because the tension and angst is just something that I can never get tired of, and there was PLENTY of it within this book!
Grace Lowerby is an absolute sweetheart and I want to protect her with everything I have because she deserves so much better than a grandmother who uses her. I think her character development was fantastic and I loved watched her become more confident as the story progressed. She may be naive at first, but the woman that she becomes is a force to be reckoned with.
Thomas Hayward is one of my favourite love interests, and I wish I had someone like him when I was surrounded by bullies. You don’t need a title to be someone important, and you should never allow bullies to see that they’ve gotten to you, and Thomas really did show that to be true. Don’t get me wrong, I’m angry for how he went about the wager regarding Grace, but oh my goodness, he is one of the sweetest men to grace the regency era, most of his intentions were good, and the way he was willing to give up land for Grace just had me in awe.
The reason I didn’t rate this book five stars was down to the fact that there was no diversity within this book, and I think diversity is important, no matter the type of book or genre. Despite this, I loved this book so damn much, and for anyone wanting to make their way into historical romances, this is the PERFECT starter for you.
Ps. I NEED a book on Isaac and Sebastian!!
adventurous
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
‘They will learn,’ he said, looking at his retreating friends. ‘And when they do, they’ll discover how love can sneak up on you in the most unexpected of places and steal your heart.’ He looked down at Grace and smiled. ‘And then you become its happiest, most willing captive.’
I think this is my favourite historical romance, and oh my, it was beautiful.
I just want to thank Mills and Boon for sending me this wonderful book because I absolutely adore it. When a historical romance involves a fake relationship, I will HAPPILY eat it up every single time because the tension and angst is just something that I can never get tired of, and there was PLENTY of it within this book!
Grace Lowerby is an absolute sweetheart and I want to protect her with everything I have because she deserves so much better than a grandmother who uses her. I think her character development was fantastic and I loved watched her become more confident as the story progressed. She may be naive at first, but the woman that she becomes is a force to be reckoned with.
Thomas Hayward is one of my favourite love interests, and I wish I had someone like him when I was surrounded by bullies. You don’t need a title to be someone important, and you should never allow bullies to see that they’ve gotten to you, and Thomas really did show that to be true. Don’t get me wrong, I’m angry for how he went about the wager regarding Grace, but oh my goodness, he is one of the sweetest men to grace the regency era, most of his intentions were good, and the way he was willing to give up land for Grace just had me in awe.
The reason I didn’t rate this book five stars was down to the fact that there was no diversity within this book, and I think diversity is important, no matter the type of book or genre. Despite this, I loved this book so damn much, and for anyone wanting to make their way into historical romances, this is the PERFECT starter for you.
Ps. I NEED a book on Isaac and Sebastian!!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
My Butterflies by B. Evans
First of all, I want to thank the authors for the ARC, I have so much love for this book, and I don’t think there will a day in my life when I don’t, because it’s not just a favourite book of mine, it’s a comfort read and a story I’ll never get tired of.
I’ve loved B. Evans since her Episode days and always wanted this book to see the light of day. Some authors struggle to go make the transition from interactive to novelist yet B has done an incredible job.
My Butterflies is a realistic story full of heartache, love, and forbidden feelings that you can’t help but feel. All of the characters are so complex and real, and everything they feel is valid. I love knowing that a lot of what they’re feeling are feelings that we have all experienced at one point in our life, which makes the characters relatable, and that’s important.
Tess is a lovely person, she has a heart of gold, and my heart hurt for her at times, especially when she was hurting, I could t help but feel all of her emotions and if anything, I would love to give her a big cuddle, listen to rock music with her and tell her she’s amazing.
JaXOn really does come across as a rock God, and boy did that man put up with a lot of shit! I have never wanted to shake a person and scream at them to get out of relationship like I have with him, but I also understand why he stayed. B did great at showing how trauma bonds really take place in a relationship. Jax was also incredibly relateable for me regarding his relationship with Brooke because I’ve been there, and it’s not easy. Also, can we just appreciate how candid Jax was regarding his past with drugs! It was such an important thing, and I hope we get to see more regarding his recovery journey in the next book!
Now… Brooke really had me feeling so many complicated feelings for her, but I don’t think I’ll ever feel incredibly bad for her. She is some5ing else entirely and it takes an incredible author to be able to make you hate a character so much. I genuinely want to slap Brooke across the face and tell her she gets what she deserves, it’s such a shame she isn’t real.
All in all, this book had me on a rollercoaster of emotions, but I would feel them time and time again if it meant I got to love them the way I have. Book 2 can’t come quick enough and I’m not okay with the fact that I have no idea as to when it will come because YOUR GIRL IS DESPERATE. ACTUALLY DESPERATE. I think it’s important to mention that I only rated this book a little lower because I felt like there were times when Brooke was a little OTT, but please don’t let this sway you from reading the book.
Pre-order this book, ENVELOPE yourself into this rollercoaster of a book, I promise you will not regret it one bit.
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-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
4.5
“Did you ever notice that I have a hard time breathing around you too? You know why? Because you take my breath away every time I see you.”
First of all, I want to thank the authors for the ARC, I have so much love for this book, and I don’t think there will a day in my life when I don’t, because it’s not just a favourite book of mine, it’s a comfort read and a story I’ll never get tired of.
I’ve loved B. Evans since her Episode days and always wanted this book to see the light of day. Some authors struggle to go make the transition from interactive to novelist yet B has done an incredible job.
My Butterflies is a realistic story full of heartache, love, and forbidden feelings that you can’t help but feel. All of the characters are so complex and real, and everything they feel is valid. I love knowing that a lot of what they’re feeling are feelings that we have all experienced at one point in our life, which makes the characters relatable, and that’s important.
Tess is a lovely person, she has a heart of gold, and my heart hurt for her at times, especially when she was hurting, I could t help but feel all of her emotions and if anything, I would love to give her a big cuddle, listen to rock music with her and tell her she’s amazing.
JaXOn really does come across as a rock God, and boy did that man put up with a lot of shit! I have never wanted to shake a person and scream at them to get out of relationship like I have with him, but I also understand why he stayed. B did great at showing how trauma bonds really take place in a relationship. Jax was also incredibly relateable for me regarding his relationship with Brooke because I’ve been there, and it’s not easy. Also, can we just appreciate how candid Jax was regarding his past with drugs! It was such an important thing, and I hope we get to see more regarding his recovery journey in the next book!
Now… Brooke really had me feeling so many complicated feelings for her, but I don’t think I’ll ever feel incredibly bad for her. She is some5ing else entirely and it takes an incredible author to be able to make you hate a character so much. I genuinely want to slap Brooke across the face and tell her she gets what she deserves, it’s such a shame she isn’t real.
All in all, this book had me on a rollercoaster of emotions, but I would feel them time and time again if it meant I got to love them the way I have. Book 2 can’t come quick enough and I’m not okay with the fact that I have no idea as to when it will come because YOUR GIRL IS DESPERATE. ACTUALLY DESPERATE. I think it’s important to mention that I only rated this book a little lower because I felt like there were times when Brooke was a little OTT, but please don’t let this sway you from reading the book.
Pre-order this book, ENVELOPE yourself into this rollercoaster of a book, I promise you will not regret it one bit.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Addiction, Drug use, and Death of parent
Minor: Infidelity, Physical abuse, and Car accident
Iced by Cala Riley
I didn’t think I was going to finish this book in all honesty, I found it fairly cringey, but I continued through it because I really needed to know how it ended.
Grace is a sweet girl, but she’s always been someone who’s supported her best friend and never cared for anyone when it came to relationships.
Clayton is the most popular hockey player and yet he doesn’t fit the cliches regarding girls which is something I love how different he was.
Despite the cringey moments that were present in this book, I think so many important things were touched upon. You got to see someone come out of her shell and grow into herself rather than being stuck in their own rut. Grace became stronger and more confident within herself.
I hated her “best friend” and I think he was purely jealous because he saw someone else want Grace the way he should’ve wanted her. I don’t think he deserves a redemption, but I feel like that could potentially happen in another book.
I l really enjoyed the tutoring scenes and how Clayton and Graces friendship grew slowly, and that their feelings took time to get to where they did. It was refreshing.
All in all, this was a great book and if it wasn’t for the cliche, cringey moments, I would’ve rated it a little higher. I can’t wait to read the next book!
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
fast-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
4.0
“Grace, you’re the only woman who has ever made me look twice. The only one who has ever made me want something other than hockey. I know it’s too soon, but it’s you, and it will be you.”
I didn’t think I was going to finish this book in all honesty, I found it fairly cringey, but I continued through it because I really needed to know how it ended.
Grace is a sweet girl, but she’s always been someone who’s supported her best friend and never cared for anyone when it came to relationships.
Clayton is the most popular hockey player and yet he doesn’t fit the cliches regarding girls which is something I love how different he was.
Despite the cringey moments that were present in this book, I think so many important things were touched upon. You got to see someone come out of her shell and grow into herself rather than being stuck in their own rut. Grace became stronger and more confident within herself.
I hated her “best friend” and I think he was purely jealous because he saw someone else want Grace the way he should’ve wanted her. I don’t think he deserves a redemption, but I feel like that could potentially happen in another book.
I l really enjoyed the tutoring scenes and how Clayton and Graces friendship grew slowly, and that their feelings took time to get to where they did. It was refreshing.
All in all, this was a great book and if it wasn’t for the cliche, cringey moments, I would’ve rated it a little higher. I can’t wait to read the next book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing and Sexual content
Built to Last by C.G. Murray
It takes a special type of author to leave you feeling seen and heard, and that’s the way Charlotte has left me feeling.
After a meet disaster and a surprise encounter, Rose and Phillip spend their time together creating something wonderful while also getting to know one another and falling in love.
I absolutely love how mature Rose and Phillip are, and the way they talk to one another. I think their maturity is what allows them to get along so well while also allowing them to be their own person.
One of the big things regarding this book was the on page flare up that Rose experienced, and I felt so seen and like Rose was a part of me within the moment. It’s also what made me love this book even more.
The only thing that frustrated me was the miscommunication trope, but all was well in the end and it was only short lived!
For anyone wanting to read something cute and fast, this book is perfect for you!
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-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? It's complicated
4.5
“If we stay here any longer, we won’t make it to dinner and it would be a shame if in the only one who gets to see how beautiful you look.”
It takes a special type of author to leave you feeling seen and heard, and that’s the way Charlotte has left me feeling.
After a meet disaster and a surprise encounter, Rose and Phillip spend their time together creating something wonderful while also getting to know one another and falling in love.
I absolutely love how mature Rose and Phillip are, and the way they talk to one another. I think their maturity is what allows them to get along so well while also allowing them to be their own person.
One of the big things regarding this book was the on page flare up that Rose experienced, and I felt so seen and like Rose was a part of me within the moment. It’s also what made me love this book even more.
The only thing that frustrated me was the miscommunication trope, but all was well in the end and it was only short lived!
For anyone wanting to read something cute and fast, this book is perfect for you!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness and Sexual content
Beneath The Wildflower by Rosaline Jackson
This book was beautifully written by Rosaline Jackson and it was a pleasure to read it as an ARC, I can only begin to imagine the amount of time and effort that has gone into this book, and I hope that my review does it a little bit of justice.
Sareena Nahar is someone who's had to grow up way too quickly and become an adult when she should've been allowed to have a different life experience. In all honesty, I can understand why and it's unfortunate that she did, but I also feel that others who love her have the tendency to occasionally treat her like a child because of this.
Emilia Romano is the definition of powerful, if you looked the word up in the dictionary, you'd find her picture there. I love how she constantly exuded power and never failed to make anyone think otherwise. I love that she sometimes came across as someone with a masculine personality but still showed her feminine side in a way that left everyone woman wanting to be her, and every man wanting to know her.
Emilia and Sareena are complete polar opposites and yet they attract one another like a moth to a flame and I really love that they mellow one another out while also making them stronger. Their relationship is beautiful and I was constantly rooting for them to end up with a happily ever after.
For anyone who wants to read this book, I would recommend making sure you are in the right headspace as this book was a very emotional ride and often focused on situations relating to the mental health and areas of self harm. There were days when I was reading this book and struggled because of how intense things were. The trigger warnings are something that need to be taken very seriously as it could leave you in a bad place if you are struggling with your mental health.
In addition to the mental health, I really love how Rosaline focused on a topic that isn't often focused upon in books. It was nice to see a focus of Sareena's culture and the beliefs and traditions that are followed. Diversity is such an important thing and I enjoyed learning about things that were important to Sareena, even if she didn't follow everything completely. With this however, showed a darker side that you don't often here about and at times I was stressing out trying to figure out why Sareena's mother stayed when she saw and went through what she did, but I also appreciate that the author didn't leave any loopholes there. I may not understand things to the degree that had taken place within the book, but I felt every emotion that Sareena did, and my heart broke for her.
The plot twist that took place over half way really through me and left me tearing up. It wasn't something I was expecting and was one of the reasons I kept reading despite the feeling that the story was dragging on a little. Rosaline touches on so many important topics and moments that you can't help but want to appreciate every word she's written.
Now for why I rated the book a little lower: my first reason is due to the length of the book; before I even started reading this book, I couldn't understand WHY it was over 700 pages long and while I do appreciate the amount of detail that was put into this book, I do think it could've been shortened to less than 500 pages and still achieve the same effect that was achieved in the end. Sometimes less is more. The second reason was for the way Emilia is this powerful business woman, but she almost acted as though she was the head of a mafia and did numerous things that don't seem normal for a 'business woman'. I know the mafia was joked about, but I also can't remember it out right saying her family were the mafia? It just felt a little weird for me and I could've done without it. It also took away from Sareena being able to grow and become more confident which was a let down for me.
All in all, this was a brilliant book to read and I would recommend it to anyone, but I would certainly be mindful of the mental health aspect as I was in a bad place when reading this and sometimes it hit a little hard. I loved the amount of love that Sareena has to give, I love the way Emilia really would do anything for Sareena, and I loved the relationships with it. It's the relationships that really made this book beautiful alongside the writing.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
"To know you is my new wish. I wish to know you forever, Sareena, and to see you, and to be with you and to come to bed with you for the rest of my life."
This book was beautifully written by Rosaline Jackson and it was a pleasure to read it as an ARC, I can only begin to imagine the amount of time and effort that has gone into this book, and I hope that my review does it a little bit of justice.
Sareena Nahar is someone who's had to grow up way too quickly and become an adult when she should've been allowed to have a different life experience. In all honesty, I can understand why and it's unfortunate that she did, but I also feel that others who love her have the tendency to occasionally treat her like a child because of this.
Emilia Romano is the definition of powerful, if you looked the word up in the dictionary, you'd find her picture there. I love how she constantly exuded power and never failed to make anyone think otherwise. I love that she sometimes came across as someone with a masculine personality but still showed her feminine side in a way that left everyone woman wanting to be her, and every man wanting to know her.
Emilia and Sareena are complete polar opposites and yet they attract one another like a moth to a flame and I really love that they mellow one another out while also making them stronger. Their relationship is beautiful and I was constantly rooting for them to end up with a happily ever after.
For anyone who wants to read this book, I would recommend making sure you are in the right headspace as this book was a very emotional ride and often focused on situations relating to the mental health and areas of self harm. There were days when I was reading this book and struggled because of how intense things were. The trigger warnings are something that need to be taken very seriously as it could leave you in a bad place if you are struggling with your mental health.
In addition to the mental health, I really love how Rosaline focused on a topic that isn't often focused upon in books. It was nice to see a focus of Sareena's culture and the beliefs and traditions that are followed. Diversity is such an important thing and I enjoyed learning about things that were important to Sareena, even if she didn't follow everything completely. With this however, showed a darker side that you don't often here about and at times I was stressing out trying to figure out why Sareena's mother stayed when she saw and went through what she did, but I also appreciate that the author didn't leave any loopholes there. I may not understand things to the degree that had taken place within the book, but I felt every emotion that Sareena did, and my heart broke for her.
The plot twist that took place over half way really through me and left me tearing up. It wasn't something I was expecting and was one of the reasons I kept reading despite the feeling that the story was dragging on a little. Rosaline touches on so many important topics and moments that you can't help but want to appreciate every word she's written.
Now for why I rated the book a little lower: my first reason is due to the length of the book; before I even started reading this book, I couldn't understand WHY it was over 700 pages long and while I do appreciate the amount of detail that was put into this book, I do think it could've been shortened to less than 500 pages and still achieve the same effect that was achieved in the end. Sometimes less is more. The second reason was for the way Emilia is this powerful business woman, but she almost acted as though she was the head of a mafia and did numerous things that don't seem normal for a 'business woman'. I know the mafia was joked about, but I also can't remember it out right saying her family were the mafia? It just felt a little weird for me and I could've done without it. It also took away from Sareena being able to grow and become more confident which was a let down for me.
All in all, this was a brilliant book to read and I would recommend it to anyone, but I would certainly be mindful of the mental health aspect as I was in a bad place when reading this and sometimes it hit a little hard. I loved the amount of love that Sareena has to give, I love the way Emilia really would do anything for Sareena, and I loved the relationships with it. It's the relationships that really made this book beautiful alongside the writing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Business Casual by B.K. Borison
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Words cannot express how much I enjoyed reading this story. My heart is filled with so much love for Charlie and Nova, and I’m lowkey wishing they’d let me in their relationship and become a throuple with them.
Lovelight Farms is one of those places where you could continue to read to read about the lives of everyone who lives there and never get bored. And honestly, while the series is now finished, I feel like Bec Borrison has done the perfect job of wrapping the town up and putting a cute little bow on it, leaving you happy with every story that was offered.
Charlie Milford is the definition of a golden retriever, there’s no doubt in my mind that he was one in his past life. He has the kindest heart and every single thing he does and has done, makes me swoon. He’s my favourite character of them all, and I love how you saw his progress of being someone who gives become someone who sometimes takes.
Nova Porter is one complete badass and it’s great that she allowed herself to love someone in the end. She’s got a wonderful personality and her passion for tattooing just makes me adore her more. Her relationship with her brother shows her at some of her most vulnerable points and allows you to be relate to her. I love that I got to see Nova fall in love with Charlie and cherish him the way she did. I just have a massive crush on her, I can’t help it.
There’s not a single thing that could take away from how wonderful this story is, it was perfect in so many ways and when I was struggling, it was the reason I smiled. Thank you Chlo Davies at Pan Macmillian for sending me this and having me use a ton of annotation stickies, and thank you Bec, for creating such beautiful characters that will forever have my heart.
Lovelight Farms is one of those places where you could continue to read to read about the lives of everyone who lives there and never get bored. And honestly, while the series is now finished, I feel like Bec Borrison has done the perfect job of wrapping the town up and putting a cute little bow on it, leaving you happy with every story that was offered.
Charlie Milford is the definition of a golden retriever, there’s no doubt in my mind that he was one in his past life. He has the kindest heart and every single thing he does and has done, makes me swoon. He’s my favourite character of them all, and I love how you saw his progress of being someone who gives become someone who sometimes takes.
Nova Porter is one complete badass and it’s great that she allowed herself to love someone in the end. She’s got a wonderful personality and her passion for tattooing just makes me adore her more. Her relationship with her brother shows her at some of her most vulnerable points and allows you to be relate to her. I love that I got to see Nova fall in love with Charlie and cherish him the way she did. I just have a massive crush on her, I can’t help it.
There’s not a single thing that could take away from how wonderful this story is, it was perfect in so many ways and when I was struggling, it was the reason I smiled. Thank you Chlo Davies at Pan Macmillian for sending me this and having me use a ton of annotation stickies, and thank you Bec, for creating such beautiful characters that will forever have my heart.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Sips About to Go Down by Audrey Vaughn
I just want to thank Audrey Vaughn for allowing me an ARC of Sips About to Go Down! Please note that this review is completely honest and every thought is my own.
While reading this book, I went back and forth with what I would be rating it, I had so many opinions and feelings, and while I do wish I could rate it higher, I feel like my rating is fair and will make sense.
I LOVED the mixology part, I found the whole aspect of bartending, creating a new fun drink and competing to be something unique and original. I've never read a book with that kind of theme. While I loved this theme, I do feel that the title was a little misleading. I expected for the competition situations to be a little more dramatic. I thought we'd see something explosive happen and yet that explosion never truly took place, there was only a slight fizzle. Despite this, I continued to enjoy scenes which is one of my main reasons for rating it four stars.
Now onto the romance department... It lacked majorly for me. Don't get me wrong, Wes is down bad for our girl and I love that, I love how he acted and how as his feelings started to come to light, he became this simp for her. He had my heart every time he did something sweet and selfless just because it would make Rose smile. Also, CAN WE JUST APPRECIATE THAT THIS MAN TALKS ABOUT HIS FEELINGS?! HELL YES, AUDREY! I LOVE YOU FOR THAT! It's not often that you see a man talk about his feelings with other men, and rather than having a stigma surround that, it was appreciated and reciprocated.
Although I've praised the romance regarding Wes, I do feel that Rose wasn't as affectionate or as into Wes as she claims to be. His actions showed it more than hers, and while I understand that Rose was more in the zone of swearing off of men, it does come across that her feelings were more forced than natural which is why I bought the rating down. I didn't get the sense that she was completely into him and if anything, I feel like she would've been happier just keeping their relationship as a friends with benefits situation until her life picked up.
The final reason I bought the rating down was for the slight plot hole regarding Wes's backstory. It's mentioned that he was in jail but it's never truly elaborated on what happened for him to get to that moment or how it affected him. It was just kind of mentioned and then forgotten about when it was clearly a big part of Wes's life! I would've loved to see more of that back story, or at least a flashback.
As I mentioned at the start, I went back and forth with my rating, and I really do wish I could've given it a better rating, but I also think that for Audrey's debut novel, she did an INCREDIBLE job and I do want to read the next book if there's a sequel because I want to know more about Waylon and JD... If you've made it this far in the review, I would certainly encourage you to give this book a go because you could end up thinking completely different to me, but also go in cautious that you may not have as much romance as you love.
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
"God, she's so fucking gorgeous. I can't believe that she's even real."
I just want to thank Audrey Vaughn for allowing me an ARC of Sips About to Go Down! Please note that this review is completely honest and every thought is my own.
While reading this book, I went back and forth with what I would be rating it, I had so many opinions and feelings, and while I do wish I could rate it higher, I feel like my rating is fair and will make sense.
I LOVED the mixology part, I found the whole aspect of bartending, creating a new fun drink and competing to be something unique and original. I've never read a book with that kind of theme. While I loved this theme, I do feel that the title was a little misleading. I expected for the competition situations to be a little more dramatic. I thought we'd see something explosive happen and yet that explosion never truly took place, there was only a slight fizzle. Despite this, I continued to enjoy scenes which is one of my main reasons for rating it four stars.
Now onto the romance department... It lacked majorly for me. Don't get me wrong, Wes is down bad for our girl and I love that, I love how he acted and how as his feelings started to come to light, he became this simp for her. He had my heart every time he did something sweet and selfless just because it would make Rose smile. Also, CAN WE JUST APPRECIATE THAT THIS MAN TALKS ABOUT HIS FEELINGS?! HELL YES, AUDREY! I LOVE YOU FOR THAT! It's not often that you see a man talk about his feelings with other men, and rather than having a stigma surround that, it was appreciated and reciprocated.
Although I've praised the romance regarding Wes, I do feel that Rose wasn't as affectionate or as into Wes as she claims to be. His actions showed it more than hers, and while I understand that Rose was more in the zone of swearing off of men, it does come across that her feelings were more forced than natural which is why I bought the rating down. I didn't get the sense that she was completely into him and if anything, I feel like she would've been happier just keeping their relationship as a friends with benefits situation until her life picked up.
The final reason I bought the rating down was for the slight plot hole regarding Wes's backstory. It's mentioned that he was in jail but it's never truly elaborated on what happened for him to get to that moment or how it affected him. It was just kind of mentioned and then forgotten about when it was clearly a big part of Wes's life! I would've loved to see more of that back story, or at least a flashback.
As I mentioned at the start, I went back and forth with my rating, and I really do wish I could've given it a better rating, but I also think that for Audrey's debut novel, she did an INCREDIBLE job and I do want to read the next book if there's a sequel because I want to know more about Waylon and JD... If you've made it this far in the review, I would certainly encourage you to give this book a go because you could end up thinking completely different to me, but also go in cautious that you may not have as much romance as you love.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Cursing and Alcohol