jess_justmaybeperfect's reviews
813 reviews

How to Steal a Galaxy by Beth Revis

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adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Not in Love by Ali Hazelwood

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emotional funny hopeful reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Yup, ok, I get it. That was great.
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Coming Swoon by Sarah Estep

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Coming Swoon is the 4th book in Estep's small town Brunch Bros series that focuses on a group of guy friends who through an inheritance and numerous romance reasons end up finding love in a small town in the Pacific Northwest.

This installment stars Sybil, an "unlikeable heroine," whose delightfully prickly personality has been its very own character throughout the series. Sybil might be my fave FMC in the whole series. She's self-determined, grumpy, funny, kind, devoted, and a really great friend/sister/lover. Sybil's first love, Peter, is one of the Brunch Bros and after a shocking reunion in an earlier installment, he's been trying desperately to get back in her good graces. Guys, it's been 12 years of heartbroken pining and he is determined, despite her overt (but is it??) resistance.

Once they finally talk and restart their physical relationship (good plan guys - but also it's super hot so worth it), a massive miscommunication comes out and Peter redoubles his efforts. The ultimate conflict and its resolution - complicated but worth it and with a definitive light at the end of the tunnel- shine.

My faves:
- Sybil obviously
- Crane Cove being the kind of small town that never makes me worry where the MCs were on Jan 6th
- Peter clarifying when a person in his life is upset whether they need advice or sympathy
- Peter's amazing parents
- The Pro-Choice vibes
- Sisters 
- The nods to HistRom and late night readers

Meh:
- 2nd chance when they've been in love the whole time isn't my fave
- Peter is just too nice, all the green flags

Thanks to Estep for this arc in exchange for my honest review. 
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All the Painted Stars by Emma Denny

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted 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

4.5

Enter medieval tournament disguised as a man to save your “friend” from a forced marriage, runaway together when one of you gets a little over protective one night, live a glorious few weeks with a safe and caring family, learn how to run a brewery(!!), show off your embroidery skills, pass cute notes, swimming lessons, slow burn finally heats up, dramatically joyful (and also, unfortunately awful) reunions, wild rescue, HEA.
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Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn

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adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad fast-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

A Lady, Her Lord, & Their Duke by Nicola Davidson

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emotional lighthearted reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A very Nicola premise, with very Nicola characters, and very Nicola 🔥!

Plus it’s got class differences, it’s both body and enthusiastic consent positive, and stars a FemmeDom (merchant class) and her 2 devoted subs (aristos). 
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Emily Wilde's Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett

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adventurous emotional funny 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

5.0

Book 3 in this series picks up almost exactly where book 2 left off. Emily and Wendell are off to claim their places as King and Queen of Wendell's realm (Silva Lupi), with their trusty magical animal sidekicks. Silva Lupi is gorgeous, dangerous, confusing, and dying. The battle for the thrones is brief. The rescue of the realm takes a lot more work. Faerie Folklore (one of Emily's expertises) is particularly important in this book and weaves in perfectly with the story.

Much like the other installments this book is adventurous, funny, heartfelt, a little violent, full of found family, and women kicking ass in their careers. You also get to see many of the series' previous side characters, a reunion with Lilja and Margaret was particularly delightful. Plus, you pet lovers out there will be deeply touched by the continuation of Emily and Shadow's story.

What I liked best about Compendium of Lost Tales was seeing Emily's growth. She's an accomplished scholar throughout the series, but here the reader gets to see her come into her own as a friend, colleague, leader, lover, and even Queen. To quote the most devoted of partners, "Oh, Em."
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The Lady Sparks a Flame by Elizabeth Everett

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adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

The Lady Sparks a Flame is the 5th book from Elizabeth Everett, second in her new series, and my new favorite. 

Set in Victorian England, it tells the story of Lady Phoebe Hunt and Mr. Sam Fenley. Phoebe is a “villain” from a previous book banished to America and back in England to help her mother and sister deal with the financial fallout of her tyrannical father’s death. Sam is an entrepreneur from the merchant class and has designs on rising above his station perhaps even with a titled wife. When the opportunity to help Phoebe's family gives him a chance to court Karolina, Phoebe’s sister, he jumps at the chance. As you might imagine, his designs on Karolina don’t last very long and Karolina’s feelings are decidedly unhurt.

As Sam learns more about the Hunt women, and deals with his own preconceived notions about what those with privilege may also endure, Phoebe confronts the awful reality of her past, including the mistakes she made and the horrifying abuse she, her sisters, and mother suffered at the hands of her father. 

While Phoebe and Sam navigate cataloging the Hunt home and belongings they realize their attraction is more than it seems. Sam’s joyful, nearly goofy, personality gives Phoebe the opportunity to laugh without restraint for the first time, in, well, perhaps ever. He also gives Phoebe the space she needs to come to terms with the impact the abuse had on her and to forgive herself. Phoebe’s reserve and steadfast loyalty to her mother and sister show Sam that not all families are the same and that smart, brave, complicated, and serious women are in fact some of the best kinds of women. 

Everett uses this book (written two years ago mind you) to tackle tariffs, misogyny, incels, and women’s careers along with sisters, friendship, family, forgiveness, and overprotective men (who we love but who need to chill out).
  
The Lady Sparks a Flame is at times a difficult read. The abuse Phoebe and her family suffered and how Phoebe dealt with it is brutal but also brutally honest. Everett acknowledges the cycle of abuse while giving her characters the opportunity to find their way out of the cycle. 

Sam is kind, warm, industrious, ridiculous, forgiving, delightfully clumsy, really a nice himbo/golden retriever mix. Phoebe is smart, crass, sharp, hilarious, self protective, devoted, and powerful. Also she’s older than him. Whoop! Like the rest of Everett’s books, the sex is so good and it’ll make you think. And the epilogue, oh my goodness!!

The Lady Sparks a Flame (and book 1 in this series) is set in the same universe as Everett’s first series. You don’t have to read book one or that first series to enjoy Phoebe and Sam’s story, but you’ll be happy if you do.

Thanks to Everett for this arc!

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A Lady Would Know Better by Emma Theriault

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adventurous emotional funny lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A Lady Would Know Better is Theriault’s debut. 

It’s full of tons of great romance tropes (amnesia, found family, forced proximity, class differences), lots of friends and siblings who promise great love stories of their own, a peak villain, Jane (aka _________) a stunner of an FMC, and Jasper, the MMC, a (Victorian) feminist who knows his place when it comes to the woman he loves.

Really looking forward to what Theriault puts out next!
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Abortion: Our Bodies, Their Lies, and the Truths We Use to Win by Jessica Valenti

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challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

5.0

This is a difficult but important (and quick) read. 

If you aren't following Valenti or subscribed to her substack, you should be. As she writes “abortion is proactively objectively good.” It is medical care and the attacks against that care are expanding exponentially. They are coming for BC. They are targeting marginalized populations for prosecutions and young people for new restrictions in the hope that Americans simply won’t care. And they are coming for the helpers. They are firing prosecutors who won’t prosecute abortion crimes. Maternal and fetal medical care generally is suffering. Doctors are leaving or declining positions in jurisdictions with restrictive abortion bans for fear of their careers, fines, and jail time. We have to stay informed and pay attention.

You should read this, even if you’re already a fervent supporter of abortion rights. It’s inspiring and informative. As Valenti says, she’s not preaching to the choir, she’s arming it.
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