hollyreadsromance's reviews
1238 reviews

If It Makes You Happy: A Small Town Single Dad Romance by Julie Olivia

5.0

Julie Olivia never fails. She writes such beautiful stories that make my heart so happy every single time. I loved every single thing about it. The fall vibes, the flannel, the 90s, Rocket?! I love that dog so much. Him and Michelle were the sweetest duo! It was so easy for me to envision everything, it read like a movie and I just love when that happens. Julie knows how to make a place feel like home, and she’s done it again with Cooper Run.

Michelle and Cliff were honestly meant to be from the second their eyes met and I LOVED that Julie kept circling back to that moment. Michelle was the perfect grumpy black cat to Cliff’s GOOFY golden retriever and their SLOW burn formed to lovers story was SO sweet! They were both so guarded but in different ways. And watching them slowly but surely opening up to each other was beautiful.

Any man that keeps baking you things until he finds your favorite pastry??! And he just *knows* when it’s not your favorite??! 

I loved how much Emily and Brittany were in the book. They were just as important as Michelle and Cliff and I LOVED how quickly and seamlessly they all formed a little unit. It was exactly what they all desperately needed.

Okay listen I love an epilogue. There is nothing that makes me happier than seeing everyone in their happily ever after. THIS ONE WAS PERFECT. Absolute PERFECTION.

Thank you so much to Pen Pal PR for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!!!

Close Knit by Kels Stone

4.0

Anything Kels and Denise write is easy to love! I can already tell this new series is going to be absolutely fantastic and I cannot wait to get to know the rest of the Hastings siblings!! I loved this so much, there is something about a sunshine girl and a grumpy guy that makes my heart so HAPPY. Especially when she calls him a grumpy eclair!! And like always Kels and Denise were able to delicately balance all the cute fun things with mental health struggle that real people deal with on a daily basis in such a caring way!!

Daphne has my heart. I loved her and her Yes Year and her knitting and her lavender hair!! She is such a sweet sunshine girl and exactly what Cameron needed in his life. I really liked seeing how she dealt with her anxiety. it wasn’t pretty when it was trying to take over, but she did the things that she knew would help her and while that also wasn’t easy she knew she had to it.

And Cameron! He was struggling so much, and he didn’t think he was good enough or needed any help. It was rough watching him struggle in all of the areas of his life. I did like that for the most part him and Daphne were easy. Even as they were just friends with underlying FEELINGS. They understood each other and they were really able to be themselves with each other. I also appreciated how his mental health was written. By the end when he was able to get some help and get some answers, I could almost feel the relief like he did!

The family that the football team created was also SO SWEET. Both Cameron and Daphne needed that, and it was so seamless for everyone to become a family (even though Cameron resisted for a LONG time!). 

I cannot wait to get back to this series!!

Thanks so much to Kels and Denise Stone & Valentine PR for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Take It Offline by Dani McLean

5.0

There’s nothing like a book written by Dani. Just like every other book I’ve read by them I am in absolute awe. It was full of frustrations and so much unfairness and so much LOVE and fun and banter and family! It was such a good time getting to know Emma and Charlie, I love them so so much.

Emma and Charlie were honestly perfection, the best kind of messy perfection. They both had so much baggage and so much from their past haunting them, and even things between the two of them that made things difficult… but when they were finally forced together and had to spend actual time together…they were MAGIC (and not just in the bedroom, but that was especially sweet for the taking them). I loved watching them really work together and be vulnerable and open and just be GOOD together.

Charlie is a man who is DOWN BAD. And I loved every single second, there was never a doubt that he was attracted to Emma and that despite his efforts to be feeling-less that he did in fact feel SOMETHING for her. And Emma despised him! Until he showed her his softer side, and she fell just as fast. It was so seamless??! It just HAPPENED. I loved it so so much.

Thank you SO MUCH to Dani McLean for the ARC interchange for an honest review. I am so thankful to be here!!!

Daydream by Hannah Grace

5.0

Hannah never misses. Once again she’s written such a beautiful book and I am in awe. We’ve all been waiting for Henry and let me just say it was well worth the wait. I can tell and from her socials I know Hannah put her whole heart into this and it shows! I loved every single second. It was quiet and soft and so vulnerable all while being so fun and full of the same chaos that the other Maple Hills have! Halle and Henry are so special and I’m so glad they got their love story.

Halle and Henry are both people who are so desperate to live up to the expectations of other but process that in different way and the way Hannah wrote each other experiences was done so well. They were both so complex and needed someone to really hear them. Which is not to say Henry’s friends couldn’t be that for him, because they are infact excellent friends and would do anything for him, but Halle was able to accomplish it in a way that Henry actually needed?? The way they slowly and so easily got to know each other, they communicated well even when it was hard for them, even when they misspoke. They were just SO GOOD.

This felt like it was a little light on the romance but it also wasn’t?? The romance was just quieter, softer. They were slowly falling in the love the whole book and they were just trying to figure themselves out while figuring out the other person? They were becoming such good friends which laid a solid foundation for their eventual relationship and it was BEAUTIFUL. They were having sleepovers and kissing and sharing things they’d never share with another person and becoming best friends!!

I loved this book so much. I loved seeing Nate and Stassie again. I LOVE Henry and Stassie’s relationship. And Henry and Russ!! They are seriously the cutest. And I loved that Aurora so easily befriended Halle. And that Halle was able to finally find her people!! Hannah knows how to write and family and this one is one of the best.

Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura

3.5

This was such a good book! There is nothing better than academic rivals to lovers??? ESPECIALLY when they had a *moment* and it passed and then they spent the rest of their lives competing from afar?! And the whole fact that they’re archaeologists and Corrie is a literal badass?? There was adventure and fun and fulfilling life goals! The whole backdrop of the dig was so fun! I loved Ethan and Sunny so much! It was so good!

I also love women in STEM. It makes my heart so happy to see Corrie out there living her DREAM and proving time and time again that she IS amazing! I wish her nothing but the best because she DESERVES EVERYTHING.

And listen. Ford Matthews. Did he make so many questionable choices!? YES. I was stressed. There were actually a lot of things that annoyed me about him?? His judgment was so clouded. Did I still like his chemistry with Corrie? Yes. Did I want them to figure their stuff out and make it work? Yes?? He was SO down bad for her and he knew she was better than him, and I wish he hadn’t been afraid to admit it sooner.

I just got the ARC for the next book and I am SUPER excited to read that so soon!!

Perfect Pairing by Amanda Chaperon

4.0

The Delatou sisters make my heart so happy! I knew I was going to LOVE Brie and Ezra the second Amanda introduced them in the previous books! And of course their story didn’t disappoint. It was full of good food, laughs, love, family, and heartbreak. Like always Amanda was able to balance everything with so much love and care. Brie and Ezra were honestly THE perfect pair and I love them so so much!

I REALLY loved that we got to start from the beginning. Not only did we get to see where Ezra and Brie started, but we got to revisit everyone but this time from another POV and i just love that. But most importantly we got to see Ezra and Brie’s beginning!! And it was MAGIC! Their instant connection! The realization that it probably won’t work out the way they want because of their circumstances but they’re going to do it anyway!! And the phone calls! The helping each other bake/cook!! And then the second chance!! It was SO SWEET! And so easy?! Once they really talked things out, put everything on the table?? They were MEANT TO BE!

I loved them both so much! Ezra had been through so much and he had such a hard time trusting himself or anyone really. And Brie was so desperate to prove herself. And I really liked that in their time apart they were actually able to accomplish and overcome so many things so when they did come back together they were better versions of themselves.

As always thank you so much to Amanda Chaperon for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! I already cannot wait for what’s next!!

Clean Point by Meg Jones

5.0

I have been (impatiently but) HAPPILY waiting for this since Meg announced it and I was so excited to see it get traditionally published!! And it was so worth the wait! Do I know anything about tennis? Nope! But I loved every single second of this and I cannot wait for whatever is next!! 

Scottie and Nico are PERFECTION. The way Nico was immediately entranced?? But also SO GRUMPY! The way they got under each other skin but also knew that they were each other’s best shot at a comeback?? The way they SO easily moved from “just sort of make it look like MAYBE there’s some romance happening” to being IN LOVE. I loved them so much. They were so fun together too. All the teasing and the tiptoeing around each other?? And the FLIRTING.

They both worked SO HARD to overcome their individual struggles and seeing them finally have someone to count on, someone to ACTUALLY be in their corner was so sweet to see. I loved watching them change their dreams based on each other, separately, because they realized that the other one was the most important thing!!! 

I loved this and I love Meg. I desperately want to reread Invisible String because I LOVE that book so much too.

The Royals Next Door by Karina Halle
Did not finish book.

This has nothing to do with the book! Its good! And I want to finish it one day! But today is not that day. It’s not the vibe right now.

Out of the Woods by Hannah Bonam-Young

5.0

I am feeling so thankful I got to read this already. It feels so special to be able to read a book you’ve been anticipating since the second it was announced a little early. I’m so grateful for this little life that I’ve created for myself and the cute little things I get to do because of it.

THIS IS THE BOOK! I have loved every single one of Hannah’s books, OOAL is one of my absolute favorites. But this one is so special. There is something SO GOOD about Hannah’s writing. She writes with so much love and hope and fun and is able to balance it all with not so shiny parts of life - feeling lost, grief, and not knowing what’s next. This was so beautifully written and I loved every single second.

I love Sarah and Caleb with my whole entire heart 🥹

I have tons more to say but I’ll come back later with more ramblings.

Thanks so much to Dell for this ARC in exchange for an honest review I am so eternally grateful 🥹

The Ex Vows by Jessica Joyce

5.0

This is simply the best book 🥹 I love Eli and Georgia SO MUCH.

Chapter 34 will never not ruin me.

Also I loved Adam the first time. But the second time around I love him even more 🥹

Kyla Garcia is PERFECTION. I love her voice and her narration is so beautiful.