Scan barcode
katemc7's reviews
1269 reviews
Broken Bonds by J. Bree
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I am coming in with a slightly different review than most on this one. I hate to say it but I didn't think a character could be more annoying or frustrating than Violet in Iron Flame (still loved the book buutttt). Somehow Ollie did that for me in this one. I am giving this a solid 3 stars because I feel like there is enough there to give me hope that these books will be as good as the reviews say they will be. I just had a hard time with Oli's attitude WHILE I understood it at the same time. Actually really with all of the guys attitudes except for maybe Gabe and Gryphon and then Atlas. Everyone just needs to take the next 5 books to sift through their feelings so this bonding experience can be golden.
I honestly am still a little lost on the plot/premise and am hoping we will learn more about Oli's family's past, how the Bonded situation works and then of course the Resistance. Ollie has been running her whole life. Ever since tragedy hit at her hand (from what I can tell), she has no one. Of course she has her 5 bonds who will always be there but she doesn't want to hurt anyone else. So she runs and runs. She does things I am sure we will find more out about in future books. She does all of these things to protect her bonds and her society, but then she is caught. And she thought her bonds would be mad at her, but they straight up hate her. North is high up in the council for their society. Nox (his brother) is a professor at the new school Ollie is forced to go to. Gabe is on the football team. Gryphon runs the special ops team that helped get Ollie in and then there is Atlas who I am not sure what he does yet. Now Ollie is in this environment where her body is calling towards these guys, but again she is protecting them. She is taking the hits and not showing them anything. Her shell cracks a bit. And I did like seeing Gryphon and Gabe and then Atlas come around at the end. When she shows them her gifts at the end I wanted to whoop in the air.
This was a good intro book. It dangled enough to keep me wanting more. I am excited to learn what all of the guys gifts are. I am excited to learn what Ollie's OTHER gifts are. I want to learn more about the Resistance all while navigating the future bondings and social anxiety that is college. Here we go! So far I am team Atlas and leaning towards Gabe. Gryphon intrigues me. Nox absolutely does nothing for me. I want to punch him right now. North- I can't get a read on it.
I honestly am still a little lost on the plot/premise and am hoping we will learn more about Oli's family's past, how the Bonded situation works and then of course the Resistance. Ollie has been running her whole life. Ever since tragedy hit at her hand (from what I can tell), she has no one. Of course she has her 5 bonds who will always be there but she doesn't want to hurt anyone else. So she runs and runs. She does things I am sure we will find more out about in future books. She does all of these things to protect her bonds and her society, but then she is caught. And she thought her bonds would be mad at her, but they straight up hate her. North is high up in the council for their society. Nox (his brother) is a professor at the new school Ollie is forced to go to. Gabe is on the football team. Gryphon runs the special ops team that helped get Ollie in and then there is Atlas who I am not sure what he does yet. Now Ollie is in this environment where her body is calling towards these guys, but again she is protecting them. She is taking the hits and not showing them anything. Her shell cracks a bit. And I did like seeing Gryphon and Gabe and then Atlas come around at the end. When she shows them her gifts at the end I wanted to whoop in the air.
This was a good intro book. It dangled enough to keep me wanting more. I am excited to learn what all of the guys gifts are. I am excited to learn what Ollie's OTHER gifts are. I want to learn more about the Resistance all while navigating the future bondings and social anxiety that is college. Here we go! So far I am team Atlas and leaning towards Gabe. Gryphon intrigues me. Nox absolutely does nothing for me. I want to punch him right now. North- I can't get a read on it.
Trouble by Meghan Hollie
hopeful
inspiring
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
3.5
I am going to give this a solid 3.5 stars (slightly rounded up). I liked the overall story and haven't been able to quite put my finger on what made it not a full 4. There was good character development in some aspects but then I felt like less so in other areas. Things were moving slow and then fast. Overall though solid intro book to a new series.
Indie is finally where she wants to be. She is on a scholarship at the school where she has worked so hard to be. She has her walls up and intact. She does not plan on making friends let alone having a relationship that is until she is reminded of what could have been. She runs into the ONE guy she thought she would never see again. Sebastian. Seb. The guy who made her feel like a queen only to ghost her and never reach out. Well she got the message loud and clear, but what are the chances that they are now in the same school. And that she is roommates with his sister Quinn. What are the chances what he is conveying to her and how he wants to talk about what happen could mean that that summer meant as much to him as it did to her? What are the chances she ends up with his family for Thanksgiving and her walls start to come down? And what are the chances that he is now her tutor for math to help her pass and keep her scholarship? She is so worried that he will leave her when he is done with her because that's what everyone she cares about does. Will he be able to prove her wrong?
Sebastian has never stopped thinking about that summer where he made a huge mistake. He knew he hurt her, but he was too scared to do it in person. He didn't want to not reach out to her but with a broken phone and a behind cloud backup he had no way to contact her. And now her she is. And not only that she is his sisters roommate and now he is her tutor. Sure her walls are up but he can see it in her eyes that what they is still very real for her. Just like it is for him. So of course he goes along with her rules and boundaries. He will do anything to keep her around. He just has to prove to her that he isn't going anywhere and that what they feel for each other is very real.
I liked the character growth in this one. Indie has been through so much, but she still finds ways to push herself and continue to grow. She finds herself with a cheerleader BF and her boyfriend is the star quarterback. She finds herself opening up about her past more and more in a way that doesn't make her sad as much as it helps remind her where she came from. I liked how Seb wasn't giving up. I liked the reverse grumpy x sunshine. There need to be more of these! Seb had the best way of getting her to smile or snarl at him and he loved both. I also liked the supporting characters and am excited to read Quinn and Miles story!
Thank you to Love Notes PR and Meghan for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Indie is finally where she wants to be. She is on a scholarship at the school where she has worked so hard to be. She has her walls up and intact. She does not plan on making friends let alone having a relationship that is until she is reminded of what could have been. She runs into the ONE guy she thought she would never see again. Sebastian. Seb. The guy who made her feel like a queen only to ghost her and never reach out. Well she got the message loud and clear, but what are the chances that they are now in the same school. And that she is roommates with his sister Quinn. What are the chances what he is conveying to her and how he wants to talk about what happen could mean that that summer meant as much to him as it did to her? What are the chances she ends up with his family for Thanksgiving and her walls start to come down? And what are the chances that he is now her tutor for math to help her pass and keep her scholarship? She is so worried that he will leave her when he is done with her because that's what everyone she cares about does. Will he be able to prove her wrong?
Sebastian has never stopped thinking about that summer where he made a huge mistake. He knew he hurt her, but he was too scared to do it in person. He didn't want to not reach out to her but with a broken phone and a behind cloud backup he had no way to contact her. And now her she is. And not only that she is his sisters roommate and now he is her tutor. Sure her walls are up but he can see it in her eyes that what they is still very real for her. Just like it is for him. So of course he goes along with her rules and boundaries. He will do anything to keep her around. He just has to prove to her that he isn't going anywhere and that what they feel for each other is very real.
I liked the character growth in this one. Indie has been through so much, but she still finds ways to push herself and continue to grow. She finds herself with a cheerleader BF and her boyfriend is the star quarterback. She finds herself opening up about her past more and more in a way that doesn't make her sad as much as it helps remind her where she came from. I liked how Seb wasn't giving up. I liked the reverse grumpy x sunshine. There need to be more of these! Seb had the best way of getting her to smile or snarl at him and he loved both. I also liked the supporting characters and am excited to read Quinn and Miles story!
Thank you to Love Notes PR and Meghan for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
The One I Left Behind by Piper Rayne
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
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
3.5
This was a solid 3.5 stars for me! It was a very easy and fast read. There is just something about the second chance situation that gets me every time. That and brother's BF or little sister's BF. The challenges I had with this one was I felt like there could have been more character development. Everything was very fast paced. It seemed that Gillian was mad and neither of them were thinking anything would happen and then a few chapters later they were making declarations of love. Don't get me wrong- when you know you know. I guess I just wanted a LITTLE more development. What I did like was their connection. I liked the mini flashbacks we got from when they were younger. I liked how much Clay was involved in the story and in Gillian's life. I liked how Ben made it his mission for Clay to like him and come around and that he recognized how important he was. I liked the touch her and die vibes. I also liked the banter between the brothers and the outlying characters.
Ben is on the other side of retirement and he still has the rest of his life to figure out what he wants to do. First thing on the agenda is going home to check in with his family. Get his head straight. It is definitely not to see her...Gillian....the one he left get away...the one he walked away from and decided to forget...but who is he kidding...he has never forgotten her. Even if he acts like he has. And then he sees her and the connection he feels is still there. He decides he owes her an explanation or at least a convo to break the ice. But she doesn't want to hear it. Until she says yes to breakfast on the outskirts of town and somehow or other Ben is now going to be the high school football coach. He is now picturing a future here, and he wants nothing more than to have Gillian by his side. Is he too let? Will she open up to him?
Gillian has never told anyone the name of her son's father. Even though everyone suspects it's Ben. It's not. She has kept that part of her life closed off to her son Clayton, but now that Ben is back she can't hide from him anymore. She also can't deny the feelings that never seemed to go away. She can't deny that she still feels a pull towards him. There are some hurdles in the way- the number one being how long is he going to be here? Is it worth being hurt if it is only for a short time? Will Clayton ever learn to accept him?
Like I said super-fast short read and great intro to a small town! I have requested an ARC for book 2 and can't wait to see what happens with Jude and Sadie. I haven't read a lot of friends to lovers books!
Thank you to Valentine PR and Piper for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Ben is on the other side of retirement and he still has the rest of his life to figure out what he wants to do. First thing on the agenda is going home to check in with his family. Get his head straight. It is definitely not to see her...Gillian....the one he left get away...the one he walked away from and decided to forget...but who is he kidding...he has never forgotten her. Even if he acts like he has. And then he sees her and the connection he feels is still there. He decides he owes her an explanation or at least a convo to break the ice. But she doesn't want to hear it. Until she says yes to breakfast on the outskirts of town and somehow or other Ben is now going to be the high school football coach. He is now picturing a future here, and he wants nothing more than to have Gillian by his side. Is he too let? Will she open up to him?
Gillian has never told anyone the name of her son's father. Even though everyone suspects it's Ben. It's not. She has kept that part of her life closed off to her son Clayton, but now that Ben is back she can't hide from him anymore. She also can't deny the feelings that never seemed to go away. She can't deny that she still feels a pull towards him. There are some hurdles in the way- the number one being how long is he going to be here? Is it worth being hurt if it is only for a short time? Will Clayton ever learn to accept him?
Like I said super-fast short read and great intro to a small town! I have requested an ARC for book 2 and can't wait to see what happens with Jude and Sadie. I haven't read a lot of friends to lovers books!
Thank you to Valentine PR and Piper for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
The One That Got Away with Murder by Trish Lundy
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was a great mystery, cold case thriller with some teen romantic vibes. I liked the characters with all of their faults and teenage insecurities. I liked the overall plot and how much it showed that the town had been shaken up by what had transpired. I liked the tragedy aspect- all of the main characters had experienced some form of tragedy and were facing it in there own way. I had a hard time with the "bullying" that occurred, but I guess that is high school for you. I also did not see the ending coming. I do feel like it kind of happened fast which is why this dropped from a 5 star to a 4. I also feel like there was not a ton of explanation as to why the person who had done all of these things did them. It seemed glossed over, but overall this was a wonderful debut!
Lauren O'Brian and her mom have moved to a new town for a fresh start. Lauren is still reeling about how much her life has changed over the past few months, and now she is about to start a new high school in her senior year with her mom getting closer to her boyfriend Mark. No one here knows about the fire that changed her life. Or the boyfriend who she loved but doesn't talk to anymore. Or about any of it. She has found a casual hookup with Robbie which is helping her keep her mind off the bad things. What she doesn't know is that Robbie has his own tragedy that he has faced. A few years ago his girlfriend Victoria drowned at their lake house. The same lake house he has now invited her to come to. The same lake house that people think Robbie killed Victoria at and got away with it. To keep the scandal going, Robbie's brother, Trevor, has also experienced tragedy. His girlfriend Jess also died under the mysterious guise of an overdose.
While at the lake house, Lauren finds evidence on the boat about what might have happened to Vic. Evidence that now has her along with the rest of the town convinced he did it. She doesn't know how to act but decides to continue to keep him close but at a distance so she can help get to the bottom of what happened. What she doesn't realize is how much hanging out with him would affect HER at her new school. Now she finds herself off of the soccer team and having nothing else to do but try to string clues together that maybe all of these tragedies were done by the same person. Now she has received a creepy phone call telling her to back off. Her past has been put on blast for the school to read about. The Crestmonts have experienced yet another tragedy, and yet they are no closer to finding out what happened. But with the newest round of tragedy, Lauren finds herself with a small circle of people willing to help her. They also want to find out what happened and put it behind them. What Lauren doesn't know is that the killer has already set his eyes on her, and formed a plan with how to get away with her murder.
Like I said, this was a great debut! There are mentions of drug use on page, sexual assault (kind of on page), bullying, and other triggering things. I would recommend checking those out before reading this one. As much as I struggled with the killer reveal and that ending, I did like how Robbie and Lauren circled back. They both realized that what they had didn't need to be casual. I liked how they both came to that realization individually and together. I am looking forward to reading more by Trish in the future! I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Lauren O'Brian and her mom have moved to a new town for a fresh start. Lauren is still reeling about how much her life has changed over the past few months, and now she is about to start a new high school in her senior year with her mom getting closer to her boyfriend Mark. No one here knows about the fire that changed her life. Or the boyfriend who she loved but doesn't talk to anymore. Or about any of it. She has found a casual hookup with Robbie which is helping her keep her mind off the bad things. What she doesn't know is that Robbie has his own tragedy that he has faced. A few years ago his girlfriend Victoria drowned at their lake house. The same lake house he has now invited her to come to. The same lake house that people think Robbie killed Victoria at and got away with it. To keep the scandal going, Robbie's brother, Trevor, has also experienced tragedy. His girlfriend Jess also died under the mysterious guise of an overdose.
While at the lake house, Lauren finds evidence on the boat about what might have happened to Vic. Evidence that now has her along with the rest of the town convinced he did it. She doesn't know how to act but decides to continue to keep him close but at a distance so she can help get to the bottom of what happened. What she doesn't realize is how much hanging out with him would affect HER at her new school. Now she finds herself off of the soccer team and having nothing else to do but try to string clues together that maybe all of these tragedies were done by the same person. Now she has received a creepy phone call telling her to back off. Her past has been put on blast for the school to read about. The Crestmonts have experienced yet another tragedy, and yet they are no closer to finding out what happened. But with the newest round of tragedy, Lauren finds herself with a small circle of people willing to help her. They also want to find out what happened and put it behind them. What Lauren doesn't know is that the killer has already set his eyes on her, and formed a plan with how to get away with her murder.
Like I said, this was a great debut! There are mentions of drug use on page, sexual assault (kind of on page), bullying, and other triggering things. I would recommend checking those out before reading this one. As much as I struggled with the killer reveal and that ending, I did like how Robbie and Lauren circled back. They both realized that what they had didn't need to be casual. I liked how they both came to that realization individually and together. I am looking forward to reading more by Trish in the future! I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Hunter Reborn by Katie Reus
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
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
4.0
My husband and I recently celebrated our 8 year anniversary with a weekend away sans children. That being said I was able to read A LOT without the interruptions. So I decided to go ahead and finish this series since the last few books were shorter. I was in the mood for some shifter drama, and this series was able to deliver. This book focuses on Aiden and Larissa. They defied the rules of the time and despite being different species, him a shifter she a vamp, they bonded. They were in love. They were looking forward to setting an example for future generations until Aiden felt the bond break. Which in his mind meant she had died. He has now been roaming lost and lonely for 200 years since then.
All of this changes when he sees her while him and his packmates are out on a mission. No way- it can't be her. But then he realizes it absolutely is. He doesn't think before grabbing her and bringing her with him to cabin. He can't believe it. The bond is back and everything. Though it is much weaker than it was. But now Larissa is awake, and she is fighting him. She has now recollection of who he is. In fact, a witch has convinced her that Aiden was responsible for her parents death. Despite that, Aiden convinces her to let him help her find this witch and figure things out. Because he realizes the mistakes he made with her long ago, and they won't be happening this time.
Larissa is beyond confused. She has found herself in a cabin with a wolf shifter who claims to be her bondmate. And she can tell he is telling her the truth but she has zero idea who he is. Yet she finds herself trusting him. And wanting him. Her body may remember him but her mind does not. Then she starts having dreams of their courtship. She realizes that he is special to her. She isn't ready to explore things just yet because she wants to figure out who this witch is. Why would someone want to lie to her about who killed her parents? Are they really dead? Who is behind all of this deceit and death? One thing she knows is that Aiden is it for her, but is she ready to dive in all the way?
I haven't read the amnesia trope yet, but I liked it. I liked how much they both felt the connection but then of course there was angst because she didn't want to give in yet and Aiden wanted to give her space. I liked the flashbacks of when they were young and how brave and bold they were together. It seemed that after they were reunited, they both started becoming brave and bold again. They both became ALIVE. I really like this world and am excited to see how all of these other stories wrap up!
All of this changes when he sees her while him and his packmates are out on a mission. No way- it can't be her. But then he realizes it absolutely is. He doesn't think before grabbing her and bringing her with him to cabin. He can't believe it. The bond is back and everything. Though it is much weaker than it was. But now Larissa is awake, and she is fighting him. She has now recollection of who he is. In fact, a witch has convinced her that Aiden was responsible for her parents death. Despite that, Aiden convinces her to let him help her find this witch and figure things out. Because he realizes the mistakes he made with her long ago, and they won't be happening this time.
Larissa is beyond confused. She has found herself in a cabin with a wolf shifter who claims to be her bondmate. And she can tell he is telling her the truth but she has zero idea who he is. Yet she finds herself trusting him. And wanting him. Her body may remember him but her mind does not. Then she starts having dreams of their courtship. She realizes that he is special to her. She isn't ready to explore things just yet because she wants to figure out who this witch is. Why would someone want to lie to her about who killed her parents? Are they really dead? Who is behind all of this deceit and death? One thing she knows is that Aiden is it for her, but is she ready to dive in all the way?
I haven't read the amnesia trope yet, but I liked it. I liked how much they both felt the connection but then of course there was angst because she didn't want to give in yet and Aiden wanted to give her space. I liked the flashbacks of when they were young and how brave and bold they were together. It seemed that after they were reunited, they both started becoming brave and bold again. They both became ALIVE. I really like this world and am excited to see how all of these other stories wrap up!
Crave by Chelle Bliss
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I haven't read Chelle before but now find myself wanting to immerse myself more into the worlds that she has created. This was a great intro novella to new characters and seems to have a lot of possibility on where it could go. In this one, we meet Tate and Wylder. Tate is a next gen from another one of the Men of Inked series where her dad is the man star. Wylder seems new (from what I gathered). He is the brother to 2 guys that are part of the MC where Tate's ex boyfriend is. He has two daughters and is a little lost after his wife left him and them. Now Tate & Wylder have bumped into each other and are realizing that they are feeling things they haven't felt in a while. Wylder finds himself wanting to explore what they have, and Tate finds herself hesitant as she has just told herself no casual hookups. I liked the buildup in this one. They both decide to be friends and go from there but then at the end they share a pretty hot kiss!! The next book set to come out in October centers around them now that Wylder has decided he wants Tate in his life.
This was super fast read. I liked it because it was more of a buildup of what is to come in the next book versus a really fast story that is usually some sort of insta love with not a ton of character building. I am looking forward to book 2 later in the year! Thank you to Chelle and Valentine PR for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review :)
This was super fast read. I liked it because it was more of a buildup of what is to come in the next book versus a really fast story that is usually some sort of insta love with not a ton of character building. I am looking forward to book 2 later in the year! Thank you to Chelle and Valentine PR for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review :)
The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-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
I don't even know how to describe the way this book made me feel and has thus impacted my whole week- in the BEST way possible. I am really mad at myself for putting off reading this. I started it and honestly got a little disenfranchised with it- I got distracted. I jumped back in this week determined to get hooked and just wow. I felt such an array of emotions reading this book. I felt awe, happiness, giddiness, grief (so much grief) and saddness but then happiness and inspiration. Having been someone who has lost someone close to me to suicide- I could relate to EVERYTHING that Clementine was feeling. I am not really an underliner or highlighter of books, but I couldn't help myself with this one. The way that Ashley was describing grief and the aftershocks was just too on point for me.
I loved everything about this book. I loved both of the main characters. I loved their journeys and how different but alike they were. I liked how they helped each other more than they could admit (at first). I liked the mystical aspect with the magical apartment. I liked the unpredictability. I liked the side characters, but as I said before I loved how this book made me FEEL. I must have told every person I saw this week how much I liked it. I would highly recommend checking out the TW as it does speak heavily of grief and loss specifically around suicide.
Clementine is at a low point. Her aunt has just passed away and given her her apartment. The apartment holds soo many memories, and Clementine is having a hard time only focusing on the good ones. She can't help continuing to think about why she has the apartment. The cool thing about this apartment is that at any point, it can travel back in time by 7 years. And what do you know this happens to Clementine. She comes home one day from work, where she is about to land her dream job, to find a man in the kitchen. Not just a man but a handsome man. He is cooking and setup like he owns the place. Come to find out she has gone back in time and this man, Iwan, is her aunt's really good friends son. He is in NY to take a stab at being a chef. She decides to roll with it and has a wonderful night. She finds herself being able to open up to this stranger who knows nothing about what is going on in her life. She finds herself looking forward to tomorrow. They have another great night together and then he is gone. She finds herself sad and wishes they had more time together because she felt something towards him. A connection of sorts.
Now that she is back in today's time, her company is working towards nailing down the hottest chef in town because he is coming out with a cookbook. Well it turns out this hot chef happens to be HER Iwan. Except he goes by James and when they see each other, she doesn't know how to act. So she acts like he doesn't know her. They reconnect and she finds herself noticing how different this Iwan is from the one she met 7 years ago. He is more bottled up. Less carefree. She finds herself wondering what happened to him. She wants to dig and in the process finds herself brought back to the past and then back to the present a few times. Her and Iwan have a connection- that she wants him to remember. She wants to remember. She is ready to make some big decisions in her life, and she wants him to be there with her. The question is will he want to do this after everything? Will he support her big decisions?
It was really interesting to see the changes in Iwan and how life had affected him. And when he finally opened up to Lemon as he calls her, it was so beautiful. I thought it was cool that even though there was no time difference for Clementine, she truly had an awakening after meeintg carefree Iwan. He made her want to do more things and be more. I can't say enough about how much I loved this book!! If you haven't read it- pick it up!! I went ahead and preordered her next release and am hoping it is just as good. The bar has been set LOL.
I loved everything about this book. I loved both of the main characters. I loved their journeys and how different but alike they were. I liked how they helped each other more than they could admit (at first). I liked the mystical aspect with the magical apartment. I liked the unpredictability. I liked the side characters, but as I said before I loved how this book made me FEEL. I must have told every person I saw this week how much I liked it. I would highly recommend checking out the TW as it does speak heavily of grief and loss specifically around suicide.
Clementine is at a low point. Her aunt has just passed away and given her her apartment. The apartment holds soo many memories, and Clementine is having a hard time only focusing on the good ones. She can't help continuing to think about why she has the apartment. The cool thing about this apartment is that at any point, it can travel back in time by 7 years. And what do you know this happens to Clementine. She comes home one day from work, where she is about to land her dream job, to find a man in the kitchen. Not just a man but a handsome man. He is cooking and setup like he owns the place. Come to find out she has gone back in time and this man, Iwan, is her aunt's really good friends son. He is in NY to take a stab at being a chef. She decides to roll with it and has a wonderful night. She finds herself being able to open up to this stranger who knows nothing about what is going on in her life. She finds herself looking forward to tomorrow. They have another great night together and then he is gone. She finds herself sad and wishes they had more time together because she felt something towards him. A connection of sorts.
Now that she is back in today's time, her company is working towards nailing down the hottest chef in town because he is coming out with a cookbook. Well it turns out this hot chef happens to be HER Iwan. Except he goes by James and when they see each other, she doesn't know how to act. So she acts like he doesn't know her. They reconnect and she finds herself noticing how different this Iwan is from the one she met 7 years ago. He is more bottled up. Less carefree. She finds herself wondering what happened to him. She wants to dig and in the process finds herself brought back to the past and then back to the present a few times. Her and Iwan have a connection- that she wants him to remember. She wants to remember. She is ready to make some big decisions in her life, and she wants him to be there with her. The question is will he want to do this after everything? Will he support her big decisions?
It was really interesting to see the changes in Iwan and how life had affected him. And when he finally opened up to Lemon as he calls her, it was so beautiful. I thought it was cool that even though there was no time difference for Clementine, she truly had an awakening after meeintg carefree Iwan. He made her want to do more things and be more. I can't say enough about how much I loved this book!! If you haven't read it- pick it up!! I went ahead and preordered her next release and am hoping it is just as good. The bar has been set LOL.
Meet Your Match by Kandi Steiner
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
slow-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
4.0
OMG yall VINCE! He has been on my radar for a minute (how could he not with this cover) so I decided to go ahead and start listening to the audio. The narrators were fantastic! This was just such a great read/listen. I could feel the tension between them from the jump. The buildup was pretty epic in this one. I didn't LOVE the idea of using other women to get Maven to make a move, but at the end of the day Vince would come back to her instead of making a mistake. I liked how they pushed each other. These are two characters from opposite sides of the track that actually have a lot in common. I liked the anxiety that Maven experienced because let's be honest- who hasn't had some of those thoughts running through their head. I liked how much Vince kept pushing in the best way. He wasn't taking no for an answer. I also liked that even though he was a playboy he at no point said he wasn't open for a relationship but more that he hadn't found the right person yet. I liked how he was just so much of himself around Maven.
Maven is so close to getting her dream job. She is a social media content journalist and wants to be able to bring awareness to the people that need it in Tampa Bay. She just has to prove herself with her new bosses which starts with a gala for the hockey team. Where she meets none other than Vince Tanev aka Vince Cool. Gosh he just exudes wealthy and snobby. He definitely is only doing this as a PR stunt. Maven thinks she is moving loser to her goal when her bosses let her know that they have struck a deal with the hockey team for her to follow Vince around for a whole month. She has to be with him 24/7. The same guy that pissed her off at the gala. The same one who reminds her of her ex so much. Until he doesnt. Because somehow the community actually knows him. He is kind to them. He has a mini art studio in his condo. He is completely himself around her without hiding anything. He shows her his pregame rituals. And MAN OH MAN is there chemistry. Which she is going to ignore. Until one night she can't. But he sets rules. She has to beg for him. That is the only way he will give in. Well he is going to have to wait for a while...or is he? Because it is becoming clearer and clearer that Maven has met her match in every way.
Vince finds himself immediately drawn to the woman with the yellow dress. He doesn't think he'' ever forget that yellow dress. And he finds himself oddly excited that he gets to spend so much time with her. He finds her intriguing. She fits in with the team. She is down to earth when her walls are down. But for whatever reason she is fighting him. She is fighting this thing between them. He just has to prove to her that he isn't who she thinks he is. They could be together if she would give him a shot.
Favorite Parts:
- the park with Vince's friends
- the reenactment of Ghost scene at the wheel
- the gym at the stadium scene
- when Maven realizes she was wrong about Vince
- how Vince stands up for her
I really enjoyed this intro to a new "world." These characters and ALL of the characters were just fantastic. I am wondering if Livie will get a book? I heard that book 4 is Aleks and then Carter and Coach. Maybe Livie and Coach?? I am here for whatever journey Kandi takes us on. I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did!!
Maven is so close to getting her dream job. She is a social media content journalist and wants to be able to bring awareness to the people that need it in Tampa Bay. She just has to prove herself with her new bosses which starts with a gala for the hockey team. Where she meets none other than Vince Tanev aka Vince Cool. Gosh he just exudes wealthy and snobby. He definitely is only doing this as a PR stunt. Maven thinks she is moving loser to her goal when her bosses let her know that they have struck a deal with the hockey team for her to follow Vince around for a whole month. She has to be with him 24/7. The same guy that pissed her off at the gala. The same one who reminds her of her ex so much. Until he doesnt. Because somehow the community actually knows him. He is kind to them. He has a mini art studio in his condo. He is completely himself around her without hiding anything. He shows her his pregame rituals. And MAN OH MAN is there chemistry. Which she is going to ignore. Until one night she can't. But he sets rules. She has to beg for him. That is the only way he will give in. Well he is going to have to wait for a while...or is he? Because it is becoming clearer and clearer that Maven has met her match in every way.
Vince finds himself immediately drawn to the woman with the yellow dress. He doesn't think he'' ever forget that yellow dress. And he finds himself oddly excited that he gets to spend so much time with her. He finds her intriguing. She fits in with the team. She is down to earth when her walls are down. But for whatever reason she is fighting him. She is fighting this thing between them. He just has to prove to her that he isn't who she thinks he is. They could be together if she would give him a shot.
Favorite Parts:
- the park with Vince's friends
- the reenactment of Ghost scene at the wheel
- the gym at the stadium scene
- when Maven realizes she was wrong about Vince
- how Vince stands up for her
I really enjoyed this intro to a new "world." These characters and ALL of the characters were just fantastic. I am wondering if Livie will get a book? I heard that book 4 is Aleks and then Carter and Coach. Maybe Livie and Coach?? I am here for whatever journey Kandi takes us on. I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did!!
Here For The Cake by Jennifer Millikin
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-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
4.0
What an adorable book! This book legit just made me smile almost the whole time. Klein & Paisley had such an instant connection. Their banter was fantastic. Chemistry was spot on. I loved how much Klein helped Paisley see how awesome she truly is. He was a rock for her even when she didn't know that is what he was being. They both pushed each other to be better. I liked their history together too. Man did they have a rocky start, but they couldn't ignore how they made each other feel.
Paisley is in a bad situation. Her sister is somehow marrying her ex. Her pretty serious ex. But Paisley being Paisley went along with it. She will be there for them. She will be smiling, and she will be happy. On the bachelorette party she runs into Klein. The same Klein who was probably the worst kiss of her life. Oh and did we mention that he then ghosted her. Now Paisley finds herself on the other side of a paper napkin contract in which Klein will be her plus one to her sister's wedding and she and her marketing firm will help Klein breakthrough on social so that he can get a meeting for his book that he wants published. The only problem is that Klein and Paisley don't know anything about each other. So they devise a plan to hang out for a few weeks to get to know the basics. The thins significant others would know. This helps Paisley start to realize she actually likes Klein. He is sweet and charming and witty and makes her feel good about herself. But he couldn't possibly feel the same right? This is a business situation not anything else...or is it?
Klein is dreaming. He has somehow found himself on an island with the woman who he let get away unintentionally. He now has a chance to prove himself to her that they could really be something. He doesn't care if he gets hurt along the way. He just wants to help her. He wants her to see how awesome she is. So he signs up to be her fake BF. He is going to be the best fake BF a girl could want. He just has to keep reminding himself it's fake. That the kisses are for show. But now they are kissing in the shower. In the ocean. On the bike. The lines have become blurry, but Klein knows he is not going to let Paisley go without saying how he really feels.
I had not read anything by this author yet and was pleasantly surprised. Like I said, I smiled the whole time. I loved their texting. Their nicknames. The slow burn into realization that they mean something to each other. I also found myself relating to Paisley's people pleasing ways. I liked how Klein helped her through those. I would definitely recommend this book. I want to thank Jennifer and Valentine PR for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Paisley is in a bad situation. Her sister is somehow marrying her ex. Her pretty serious ex. But Paisley being Paisley went along with it. She will be there for them. She will be smiling, and she will be happy. On the bachelorette party she runs into Klein. The same Klein who was probably the worst kiss of her life. Oh and did we mention that he then ghosted her. Now Paisley finds herself on the other side of a paper napkin contract in which Klein will be her plus one to her sister's wedding and she and her marketing firm will help Klein breakthrough on social so that he can get a meeting for his book that he wants published. The only problem is that Klein and Paisley don't know anything about each other. So they devise a plan to hang out for a few weeks to get to know the basics. The thins significant others would know. This helps Paisley start to realize she actually likes Klein. He is sweet and charming and witty and makes her feel good about herself. But he couldn't possibly feel the same right? This is a business situation not anything else...or is it?
Klein is dreaming. He has somehow found himself on an island with the woman who he let get away unintentionally. He now has a chance to prove himself to her that they could really be something. He doesn't care if he gets hurt along the way. He just wants to help her. He wants her to see how awesome she is. So he signs up to be her fake BF. He is going to be the best fake BF a girl could want. He just has to keep reminding himself it's fake. That the kisses are for show. But now they are kissing in the shower. In the ocean. On the bike. The lines have become blurry, but Klein knows he is not going to let Paisley go without saying how he really feels.
I had not read anything by this author yet and was pleasantly surprised. Like I said, I smiled the whole time. I loved their texting. Their nicknames. The slow burn into realization that they mean something to each other. I also found myself relating to Paisley's people pleasing ways. I liked how Klein helped her through those. I would definitely recommend this book. I want to thank Jennifer and Valentine PR for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
The Undermining of Twyla and Frank by Megan Bannen
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-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
4.0
This is such an interesting series to me!! It's a quirky fantasy romance set in one of the most original worlds I have read. This is a standalone and honestly is one I would say you do not have to read the first book BUT I would recommend it. The characters in these books are so fun!! This one introduces us more to Frank and Twyla. They are marshalls like Hart was on in book 1. They work with Duckers who is also from book 1. Anyways Frank and Twlya have been friends for the past 12 years. They are inseparable. They have retirement plans together. This is the story about how all of that changes and it involves DRAGONS!! The buildup in this was really cute. I liked that both of these characters were at a different phase in their life. I had a huge smile through most of this book but it was mega wattage by the end.
Twyla and Frank have a plan. They are going to work their rounds for a few more years and then retire and start a B&B somewhere. Twyla has no room for romance. She doesn't need a man after how her husband made her feel. She has her kids and Frank and the future. All that changes when they find none other than a baby dragon on tour. Not only have they found a baby dragon, but the baby dragon has bonded with Frank. It will not leave his body. Now a dracologist is called in to learn more about this species that everyone thought was extinct. The dracologist is handsome and to Twyla's shock asks her out. And this is when things start to change with Frank. Now he is acting weird around her. He makes Twyla wonder why I man would ask her out. Then one night Frank's life is in danger. All thought leaves Twyla's head- she is thankful he is alive. And then she has the best most erotic kiss of her life with FRANK. The same Frank who she can't not have in her life. The same Frank who she can't ruin his friendship with. So she backs off- calls it a mistake. But was it? What if she really feels for him? She is starting to think he feels for her too. Like loves her and wants to be with her feels. But she is scared. What if he treats her how her husband treats her? What if they don't work? Or what if he takes away her choice and doesn't give her a chance because she has hurt him?
This book is a true slow burn. I don't think anything ended up happening between Frank and Twyla until like the 60% mark on my Kindle, but it was worth it. We get to see the quirkiness of all of the other characters. We get to see Hart and Mercy get married. We get to see the transformation and realization that Twyla loves Frank and would do anything for him. This was a wonderful story about friends that turn to lovers and how their dream changes together and now involves a dragon refuge. If you haven't picked up this series, I highly recommend it!! I hope there will be a book 3- not sure who it would be though- any thoughts??
Twyla and Frank have a plan. They are going to work their rounds for a few more years and then retire and start a B&B somewhere. Twyla has no room for romance. She doesn't need a man after how her husband made her feel. She has her kids and Frank and the future. All that changes when they find none other than a baby dragon on tour. Not only have they found a baby dragon, but the baby dragon has bonded with Frank. It will not leave his body. Now a dracologist is called in to learn more about this species that everyone thought was extinct. The dracologist is handsome and to Twyla's shock asks her out. And this is when things start to change with Frank. Now he is acting weird around her. He makes Twyla wonder why I man would ask her out. Then one night Frank's life is in danger. All thought leaves Twyla's head- she is thankful he is alive. And then she has the best most erotic kiss of her life with FRANK. The same Frank who she can't not have in her life. The same Frank who she can't ruin his friendship with. So she backs off- calls it a mistake. But was it? What if she really feels for him? She is starting to think he feels for her too. Like loves her and wants to be with her feels. But she is scared. What if he treats her how her husband treats her? What if they don't work? Or what if he takes away her choice and doesn't give her a chance because she has hurt him?
This book is a true slow burn. I don't think anything ended up happening between Frank and Twyla until like the 60% mark on my Kindle, but it was worth it. We get to see the quirkiness of all of the other characters. We get to see Hart and Mercy get married. We get to see the transformation and realization that Twyla loves Frank and would do anything for him. This was a wonderful story about friends that turn to lovers and how their dream changes together and now involves a dragon refuge. If you haven't picked up this series, I highly recommend it!! I hope there will be a book 3- not sure who it would be though- any thoughts??