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justmevictoria's reviews
510 reviews
Better Not Pout: A Brother’s Best Friend Spicy Holiday Rom Com by Kat Savage
fast-paced
4.0
Things are getting a little kinky this Christmas!
Ten years ago, Dalton and Lacy made a bet - if she didn’t have her dream life of husband, kids and perfect career in a decade, they'd be spending Christmas together however he chooses. Ten years later, it's time for Dalton to collect his winnings. Ever since they met, there's been undeniable chemistry between Lacy and Dalton, but there's always been something, or someone, in the way of either of them pursuing anything. But now the stars have aligned and they're both single, and both are going into this debt collection with the hopes of finally taking things to the next level. With a secluded cabin surrounded by nothing but snow and a bag full of kinky fun, Santa isn't the only one coming this Christmas…
Another spicy festive read to warm things up this Christmas! Despite its length, this novella crammed in so much sweet and spice, and SO much chemistry between the characters. I've seen so many people raving about Kat's books, and this small taste is enough to show me why so many people love her work!
There's so much to love about the 'right person, wrong time' trope, and when paired with the brother's best friend / best friend's sister, it's the perfect boiling pot for oozing chemistry and sexual tension. Dalton and Lacey had SO much chemistry, and their sweet romantic moments were perfectly balanced with the kink-filled spicy moments. I don't know how she did it, but Kat managed to fill such a short novella with a really well-rounded story and characters that didn't feel rushed or under-developed.
Between their shared history and their chemistry, the story really delivers so much more heart and depth than your average novella, and while Kat does an excellent job at making the story feel complete, getting to explore these two across a full-length novel would be an absolute treat, although not at all necessary.
Add a little spice to your holiday reading and cram an extra book in before the end of the year with this swoony and kinky Christmas romance!
Dear Santa, Send Me a Cowboy by Remi Rose
fast-paced
3.5
When love and lust come knocking on the door…
After one too many wines, single mom Diana Ward pens a letter to Santa, asking him for a cowboy for Christmas. Between dealing with her lousy baby daddy and going on failed date after failed date, she just wants something positive in her life, besides her 12-year-old son. It's a Christmas miracle that she's after. And it's a Christmas miracle she might just get, when Lawson Boone comes knocking on her door, delivering her Christmas tree. He's everything she's asked Santa for, and there's an undeniable connection between them, and Lawson is determined to prove he's the man for her.
Did someone say sugar, SPICE, and all things nice, emphasis on the spice? No seriously, this story is like 1% festivities, 1% actual story, and 98% spice, and I ain't even mad because Remi DELIVERED.
Diana and Lawson had some good chemistry, especially when it came to the spice of it all. You've got a sassy, stubborn, and slightly bratty, single mom, and a dirty-mouthed cowboy who isn't afraid to go after what he wants, and together they work well. Throw in a belt buckle, frosting and some tinsel, and you've got yourself some smutty Christmas fun!
As we all know, the novella format does mean that things move a little more quickly than in a regular old 300+ novel, and while this was an enjoyable read, some aspects did feel a bit too rushed. In particular, Lawson's character felt like he would have benefited from pacing of a full-length novel - the story is like insta-love on steroids and Lawson in particular was super intense, which wouldn't have been noticeable if the story took place over more than just like 24 hours.
But Remi set out to write a smutty festive novella, and that's exactly what she served up! Insta-love and intensity aside, this was an enjoyable read, and a great read to cram in as we approach the end of the year.
If you're looking to spice things up this Christmas, especially my Northern Hemisphere romance readers in the depths of cold winter, this is definitely a novella to slot into your holiday TBR!
Because of Them by Devon May
4.0
This book was kindly sent to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
When the person you least expect is the person you didn't know you needed…
Post-divorce life has been a bit of a struggle for Audrey. While she's happy that her ex-husband has found the love of his life and their daughter Maisie has another person in her life to love her, things are a little stagnate for Audrey. Her one attempt at dating was going swimmingly until the guy got scared off by her daughter, so she turned back to focusing on her career. But now life has really thrown Audrey a curve ball - two pink lines she wasn't planning for. As much as she wants Michael in her, and their baby's life, he's shown he's not in the same place of life that she is - he's got a gym in his bachelor pad apartment and he has no desire to progress in his career, even though his father has told him numerous times that it'll be passed to Michael upon his retirement. He's definitely not ready to raise a child. But Michael surprises her, stepping up to the plate to support her throughout her pregnancy, and working to put his life on track for the family he's always wanted but wasn't expecting so soon.
Apparently I enjoy the accidental/surprise pregnancy trope? And Devon delivered a fabulous one, wrapped up in a single mum bow! I'm usually all about the single dad romances, but I clearly need to get some more single mum romances under my belt because this was a joy to read and filled with so much emotion as we followed Audrey and Michael on their unplanned journey to parenthood.
Devon gave a nice little tease to Audrey's happy ending in the previous book, so it was nice to go back and see the journey she went on, especially considering Audrey was a bit of a cold character through the eyes of Cassidy and Callum. And having gotten a tiny glimpse of Michael in the first book, it was definitely fun to learn about his character. Together, Audrey and Michael had such great chemistry as they navigated the joys and challenges of finding love under unexpected circumstances.
A trigger warning for birth trauma and NICU life. Devon fills these scenes with so much emotion from both perspectives as Audrey and Michael have their birth plan go out the window and how they thought becoming parents was going to go. There are also brief discussions of infertility in terms of Cassidy opening up to Audrey about her inability to have children and her feelings around Audrey being pregnant.
Aside from Audrey and Michael's relationship, it was also such a joy to see the development of Maisie's parenting team as Audrey, Callum and Cassidy learnt to be a parenting trio, along with Michael as his relationship with Audrey developed. Maisie is such a fun character and her life is filled with so much love, and getting to see all these characters work together and interact is really fun.
And speaking of side characters, the teasers for Amira and Noah? I cannot wait for their book! Devon has truly written an unmissable contemporary romance, filled with fabulous characters, heart-wrenching emotions, undeniable chemistry, and an authentic relationship. If these first two books are anything to go by, the conclusion to this trilogy is going to so damn good!
If, like me, you've been reading all the single dad romances, it's time to dip your toe in the single mum pond!
Because of Her by Devon May
4.0
A second chance at love and the chance for a family…
With his divorced finalised, it's time for Callum to finally take the step of moving out of the family home, even though it will be hard living apart from his daughter Maisie. An unexpected bright spot on his current situation is a blast from the past in the form of his new neighbour - Cassidy, the girl he used to crush on while they were working together but who he let slip through his fingers for fear of ruining their friendship. For Cassidy, she always thought her and Callum were endgame, and after a recent heart-shattering breakup, his presence is a nice surprise, making her feel like a teenager again. In each other's company, it's a reminder of more carefree times, with no worries about businesses and families. As much as Callum wants to step back into his old life, Maisie is his priority, and Cassidy knows that she was always been Callum's first priority, no matter how much they love each other. Having struggled with infertility, Cassidy has had a rough time with relationships and the prospect of not being able to have a family. But with Callum fighting for both of his relationships, Cassidy is forced to finally face the true depths of her heartbreak and trauma if she wants the second chance she's been dreaming of.
Single dad romances clearly have me in a chokehold this year! And Devon delivered one that I absolutely adored and couldn't get enough of! Oh, and a moment to appreciate that this is Devon's debut - what a flipping fabulous way to kick-off your writing career!
Callum and Cassidy's relationship was so sweet, especially as they reconnected with their former selves and their current selves. They had such a great chemistry throughout their slow burn and forced proximity romance. Throw Maisie into the mix, and this second-chance romance will filled with so many feet-kicking, swoony, sweet, and heartfelt moments. There was definitely a bit too much miscommunication between these two, but in the end it brought out a strength to their relationship, and for Cassidy in particular the miscommunication was the cause for some view-changing realisiations.
A trigger warning for discussions of infertility, which includes mentions of previous failed IVF and miscarriages. Cassidy's fertility struggles is something that she works to come to terms with throughout the whole book, as well as her approach to how she sees family. Her relationship with Callum and his daughter comes with highs and lows in terms of her views of being a mother and having children in her life. Also a trigger warning for anxiety and panic attacks, which affects both Cassidy and Callum. Devon handled both topics really well, filling these moments with lots of heart and emotion as well as the tenderness and delicacy that they deserve.
I could not get enough of the story Devon crafted as she delved into the complexity of finding love when life is already full, or you believed you've come to terms with the fact that it won't be as full as other's. Her writing style sucked me right into the story and I did not want to put the book down for anything. Add in the fact that Devon's Australian and the book was set in Melbourne, it was like the cherry on top (seriously, I need more Aussie romances that just ooze Australian charm, banter, and character).
For all my single dad romance girlies, this is a book you definitely need to have at the top of your TBR! And Devon is definitely an author you need to keep on your radar is this debut is anything to go by!
A Photo Finish by Elsie Silver
4.5
Which will hurt less - falling from a horse or falling in love?
Moving back to Ruby Creek and Gold Rush Ranch wasn't on Cole Harding's bucket list. But with a new investment company the next town over in need of a serious overhaul, it's the only accommodation option he has. And as if being away from the hustle and bustle of the city wasn't enough, he's now in close proximity to the woman he's not stopped thinking about for the past year. Violet Eaton is still crushed by her online situationship turning to shit, and now that she knows the guy she was slowly falling in love with is her boss's boss, she's determined to keep her distance. However that plan goes out the window when Violet injures herself during a race and needs to recover somewhere without stairs. The only suitable place to stay is in the big house where Cole is currently living. Forced to face their past, Violet and Cole are also pushed to start breaking down their walls and open up to one another. Both have past trauma that they haven't fully learned to deal with, and if being together is what they both want, they're going to have to bare their scars and face their fears together, or deal with the inevitable heartbreak.
Violet's story has been the one I've been hanging out for from the moment we meet her in the Chestnut Springs books and got a glimpse into her life (yes, I know this series came out first, but I obviously didn't start with it!). Elsie has really just gone from strength-to-strength with her books - she really does have a gift for creating complex and relatable characters who feel so real and pull at your heartstrings in all the right ways. I felt like I was besties with Violet and feeling all the feels she was feeling.
Despite the tension in their relationship from the moment they reconnect, it's clear that Violet and Cole have some undeniable chemistry, with every scene and interacting between then charged with tension and heart. Both with their own personal baggage and vulnerability, they both have to go through a lot on their own and together in order for them to open themselves up to finally following their heart. I loved watching their relationship evolve as they navigate their insecurities and fears to find trust in each other, and ultimately live as their truest selves, without the walls and secrets.
Elsie truly knows how to capture small-town life, both its charms and quirks, and that's coming from someone who lives in and grew up in a small town. There's just something about small-town and rural life that I cannot get enough of, and I continue to live by the belief that Elsie is lacing her books with something addictive, because I adore being pulled into her world. Her writing is engaging, witty, and filled with so much emotion, it’s easy to get lost in every page. The crew that make up the world of Gold Rush Ranch are all so fun, and like with all companion novel series, it's fun to get to know them little by little before they step into the role of main character, and to continue following their stories after they've had their time in the spotlight.
If you don't know it by now, you should know that I cannot recommend Elsie's books more highly, and this installment in her un-put-downable universe is everything I've come to love about her work and more! Get around the small-town romance genre and dive into an absolutely fabulously swoony read!
Lost and Lassoed by Lyla Sage
4.5
There's a fine line between loathe and love…
For as long as anyone can remember, Teddy Andersen and Gus Ryder have never been able to get along, constantly sending barbs back and forth whenever they're together. With Emmy and Luke's wedding coming up, Emmy really wants her best friend and brother, who are going to be maid of honour and best man, to start getting along a little more. So when Gus is on solo parenting duty for the summer, and struggling to balance running Rebel Blue Ranch and looking after his daughter Riley, Emmy suggests that Teddy spends the summer babysitting, now that she's out of a job. It's not the first option either would choose, but both love Riley and both know that Gus spreading himself thin isn't good for father or daughter. So Teddy spends half the week living with Gus and Riley, spending her days with the sassy and adventerous six-year-old. And in the evenings, when Riley has gone to bed, Gus and Teddy get to talk and see a different side of one another. As the summer progresses, the dynamic of Teddy and Gus's relationship begins to change, but with the end date of this arrangement fast approaching, they must decide whether these feelings stay within their babysitting bubble, or if their connection is a forever kind of thing.
Lyla Sage, the woman you are, THANK YOU - "for everyone who got to chapter three of Done and Dusted and immediately wanted Gus and Teddy." It's me. I've been everyone waiting for this book!! And oh my god it was worth the wait!!
Book one? Fabulous! Book two? Fabulous! Book three? FABULOUS!! The hype around this book and this series if very real, and Lyla has AGAIN absolutely delivered on all fronts. The setting, the characters, the chemistry, and the spice was all ON POINT, and I wish I had paced myself more reading this because I cannot wait until April for the next book, and even then I'm already bummed that we've only got one book left in this fantastic series!
As I've said, I've been waiting for Gus and Teddy's story from the moment they first crossed paths way back in book one - I knew then that they were destined for an un-put-downable romance and I was right! Their banter throughout the previous two books has had their chemistry simmering beneath the surface, and once they're living under the one roof, that chemistry just increases tenfold! There's so much history between the characters, and with both focusing on caring deeply and fiercely for others, they fit together surprisingly well in spite of their initial loathing of one another.
Riley is an absolute firecracker and has been so fun throughout the first two books, so getting to see her so much throughout this book was super fun, and she added a fun layer to Gus and Teddy's relationship. She's such a great combination of all our favourite characters and adds some great comedy moments to the story. A fun child is always such a big draw when it comes to the single dad trope, and Riley was absolute top-tier! Honestly, single dad romances for the win!
I dipped into the audiobook at a few points (ya girl had to keep reading even when she couldn't physically have the book in front of her), and just like with the previous two books, the casting of Jason Clarke and Samantha Brentmoor was perfect! Each narrator chosen for these characters throughout the series has made the audiobook experience so enjoyable, so definitely recommend checking the audiobooks out if you’re looking to listen on-the-go!
This series has me in a chokehold and I don't know, firstly, how I'm going to dive into another book anytime soon, and secondly, how I'm going to move on from this whole cast of characters once I've turned the page on the final book. Lyla has absolutely nailed swoony cowboys and small town life, and I'm seriously considering packing up my entire life, jumping on a plane, and moving to Wyoming to find my own dreamy rancher…
There’s a reason you’ve seen these books all over your feed, so believe the hype and jump on board the Rebel Blue Ranch bandwagon! And if you're new to the small-town and cowboy romance trope, this series is definitely the place to start!
Make the Season Bright by Ashley Herring Blake
4.0
When spending Christmas with your ex wasn't in the plan…
Christmas has always been somewhat cursed time for Charlotte Donovan, especially since she was left at the alter five years ago. And this year is no different. With her string quartet about to head on a European tour in the new year, she doesn’t want the curse to strike and ruin this big moment. Her plan is to just have a quiet Christmas by herself, but when her friend and fellow quartet member Sloane learns of her plans, she invites Charlotte, as well as the rest of the quartet, to her family home in Colorado for the holidays. With the promise that the quartet will still rehearse over the holiday period, Charlotte agrees despite her Christmas curse anxiety. And she has every right to be anxious when she finds that Sloane's sister Adele has brought along a friend as well - Charlotte's ex-fiancee Brighton Fairbrook. Charlotte is still heartbroken about being left at the alter and Brighton is still guilty about hurting the love of her life the way she did. Forced together for Christmas events and snowstorms, they finally face the heartbreak and issues that lead to Brighton's decision. There's still a spark between them, but the issues that drove them apart are still issues, and the only hope is that five years have given them new perspectives on their relationship.
We're starting on the Christmas reads because there are SO many books I want to read for the holidays!
Literally had no idea what this book was about when I went into it - all I needed to know was that it was another, hopefully fabulous, sapphic read from Ashley Herring Blake! So I was like 'omg I bet they're both the exes!' as I read the first few chapters as I hadn't read a single word of the synopsis, which was honestly a fun way to dive into the book. As expected, Ashley delivered another fun and swoony sapphic romance, with all the magic of Christmas and a fun group of characters.
Ashley was able to weave so much history into this story when it came to Charlotte and Brighton, and you could instantly feel how deep their bond and connection was, even with the five years of heartbreak before their surprise reconnection. I really enjoyed the chemistry between Charlotte and Brighton, and was definitely rooting for their second chance, although for the longest time I couldn't see how they could resolve the issues that led to their breakup the first time, but Ashley managed to pull it all together in the end with a really sweet ending.
I found it a little harder to connect with Charlotte compared to Brighton - the nature of Charlotte's character is that she's very closed-off and in her head, which was lowkey relatable, but meant that I found it hard to connect with her and the way she communicated with Brighton in particular. Brighton on the other hard was a much more outgoing and charismatic character who had lots of great banter with all characters. They're very much opposites-attract and balance each other out.
As I said, there's a fun group of characters in this one, and I loved how easily the two friend groups came together to create a super fun dynamic. Throw in Sloane and Adele's mother, and the friendship dynamics and banter throughout the holiday shenanigans were just as enjoyable as the romance between Charlotte and Brighton. I don't think Ashley has any plans to write more books with these characters, but I wouldn't be opposed to getting to see more of them in a future book or two!
This was definitely a good way to kickstart my holiday reading, and I'm already counting down the days until Ashley's next release - I CANNOT get enough of her writing and her characters, and I already know I'm going to love what's next just as much as I've loved what's already come! If you can't resist a good queer romance, and even better a good queer holiday romance, this needs to be your next read!
Drippy by Stephanie Swann
3.0
It's sweet, awkward, and cringe all at the same time…
At night, Agatha earns her living as an adult phone operator known as 'Angel', and by day she's just a regular awkward dork. One of her regulars is 'Adonis', who suggests after one of their sessions that they actually meet up IRL. Bookstore worker Arnold is nothing like the persona he uses, just like Agatha is nothing like hers. In fact, the pair have more in common as their regular dorky selves. There's certainly a spark, but they just have to get past all the awkward interactions, inexperience, and questionable body part descriptions if they want a shot at true love.
The DNF series is a collection of standalone novellas where every book is written to make you cringe. The challenge? To make it through as many novellas before you finally give into the urge to DNF!
Cringe? That I did! This was my first book in the DNF series and I don't know if it was necessarily the best place to start? As per the brief for the series, Stephanie filled the novella with ALL the cringy language and descriptions that definitely had me laughing out loud about just how terrible the descriptions were. Never have I seen so many variants on meat/beef, and quite frankly I never want to see those descriptions used ever again, so Stephanie certainly hit the nail on the head with how she injected cringe into the story!
Agatha and Arnold were definitely cute and sweet, wrapped up in a dorky and awkward ribbon. Their relationship was definitely one that could be explored properly in a full-length novel where two nerdy, book-loving introverts fall in love. I don't know if it's just because it's a novella so Stephanie had to rush through the story a bit, or if that's part of the cringe charm, but the pacing was a bit off. Having never read anything by Stephanie before, I can't say whether it's her writing style or the nature of the series.
I think I'm going to find it difficult to rate these novellas, because on the surface it's such terrible book and would therefore have a less than 3-star rating. But as a story that's designed to be cringe, it ticks all the boxes which would warrant like a 4-star rating. But it's definitely not on-par with other books I've rated 4-stars. So while I want to praise it for living up to the expectations it laid out, I simply cannot make myself rate it highly. Just know that it's a good read under the circumstances for which it was written. If you want a book that's so bad and cringe that it's good, then this is for you.
If you're a romance reader looking for a bit of a challenge to spice up your reading, the DNF challenge is definitely one to take on! I don't know how far I'll make it through this series, but it's certainly going to be a wild ride trying!
The One Month Boyfriend by Roxie Noir
4.0
Enemies fake dating? What could possibly go wrong…
With the prospect of having to share her office with her ex-fiance for the next month, Kat - can't help but jump on an offer made by Silas - to be his date to a work event. Kat and Silas have never been friends, but both are desperate enough to fake a relationship. Silas wants to show his bosses that he does in fact have a life outside of work and is partner material, and Kat wants to make her ex Evan suffer for treating her like crap. The plan is simple enough - for the next month, the duo will fake date, getting spotted being affectionate and intimate around town, and putting their "relationship" in front of Evan as much as possible to get under his skin, plus attending a couple of work events for Silas. The fact that they don't like each other that much should make things easy and help them keep real feelings and emotions out of the way. But Kat and Silas have a lot more in common than they realise and they begin to form a deeper connection through a shared understanding of each other's struggles. Despite their best intentions, the line between real and fake becomes blurred and it's not long before neither want this arrangement to come to an end once the month is up.
Okay, granted it's been what feels like forever since I've read the Loveless Brothers series, but it too me longer than I care to admit to realise that this Silas is the Silas we met way back in Levi's book, Break The Rules. There was something familiar about him for ages until it finally clicked and then so many little refences fell into place! Honestly, I'm tempted to go back and at least reread Break The Rules, if not all the Loveless Brothers books.
Kat and Silas were such great characters and the perfect combo for an enemies-to-lovers and fake dating situation. Despite their dislike of one another, they still had great chemistry from the beginning, even when they were annoyed and frustrated with one each other. The more time they spent together and the more they got to actually know each other, the more that chemistry intensified. This resulted in some really sweet, swoony, heartful and emotionally raw moments that added so much depth to their story. Throw in some delectable spice scenes and I thoroughly enjoyed following their relationship develop throughout the book!
Trigger warning for PTSD, anxiety and panic attacks, discussions of alcoholism and discussions about previous suicide. There's definitely a lot of heavier moments throughout this book that Roxie is able to handle with care. Kat's anxiety and Silas' PTSD help bring these two together as they find someone who understands their struggles and how to help them through their low points.
Despite how long it's been, it was nice to be back in Sprucevale. The Loveless Brothers series was where I fell in love with Roxie's writing, and although I haven't read as much from her as I would have liked, this was certainly a great place to start getting back into her work! While you definitely don't need to have read the Loveless series to understand what's going on in this spin-off series, it's nice to establish Sprucevale more with the previous series, if you so desire.
The rest of the Wildwood guys were all really fun, although it took me a long time to get my head around each character, their personality and their voice. Regardless, I'm excited to get to know them all more throughout the rest of this series and continue getting to see all their really fun banter with one another.
Get ready to book a one-way ticket to Sprucevale to find your own moody yet swoony lawyer to fake date and fall in love with!
Passing Through by Katia Rose
4.0
Sometimes soul-searching leads you to where you least expect…
After falling in love with random women in bars one too many times and dealing with heartbreak more than she'd like, and being laid off from her job, Kim Jefferies packs her life into a van for a soul-searching road-trip around British Columbia, starting with Vancouver Island. It's outside of tourist season, so most of the island is still closed and she's beginning to fear this whole idea has been a big mistake. Until she finds herself in a bar in River's Bend where she meets Emily Rivers. With the pressures of running her family's campground - Three Rivers Campground - and ensuring this season is a success, Emily is running herself ragged trying to get the grounds ready for the new season. Everything seems to be in need of repair or replacing and she can't find anyone to help. Until she meets Kim Jefferies in her local bar. She's attracted to Kim, sure, but there's no time for romance in her schedule. But when Kim offers to help until they open for the new season and she can start travelling again, Emily isn't about to turn her down. Romance wasn't in the plan for either of them, but maybe this particular romance is what they both need, if only they can both open themselves up to it.
Why did it take me THIS long to realise this was a sapphic small town romance!?! And that it's a whole sapphic small town romance trilogy!?! Shame on me for not realising sooner, but I'm so glad to have finally picked this one up because Katia certainly delivered the goods! This was such a sweet small town romance and I definitely wouldn't mind getting on a plane to go to Three Rivers Campground!
Emily and Kim had such sweet chemistry in this slow burn as they both worked to overcome and open up about previous heartbreak. They were cute and awkward, but had so much heart, emotion and love for one another as they got to learn about each other and be the person that had been missing from the other's life. And Katia did not hold back with the spicy scenes she gave Kim and Emily, which only made their story even better!
I absolutely loved the dynamic of the Rivers sisters, particularly between Emily and Trish, so I can't wait for Trish's book next! Throw in Kim's bestie Kennedy and bartender Scooter and you've got a fun cast of secondary characters the help flesh out the world of River's Bend.
There's just something about Canadian small town romances because I clearly can't get enough! My fellow small town romance girlies, definitely get around this beauty, especially if you enjoy sapphic romances!