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maddiebees's reviews
207 reviews
The Long Game by Elena Armas
emotional
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
3.5
This was such an anticipated read for me and I really wanted to love this book but it just fell a little flat for me. I love a good slow burn but this just felt slow with very little burn. I liked the disastrous meet-cute but it just felt like there was no spark between Adalyn and Cam and that made it really hard for me to root for them to get together. Despite that, I loved both characters individually Even if I wasn’t totally in love with the book, I was definitely in love with Cameron! There’s just something about grumpy football players that I can’t get enough of.
I think my biggest complaint is that we saw the slow shift in Adalyn’s perspective as she warmed up to Cameron but we never really got that from him and I think that led to a bit of a disconnect for me.
…Also, the overuse of Darling started to grate on me after about the first fifteen times. It just felt a bit forced; like, I get it. He’s british and fond of her but another pet name would have been a nice little switch up!
However, I really loved the banter between Adalyn and Cameron at the beginning of the enemies arc and the interactions at goat yoga and at the pottery thin further on! I also loved the small town setting. I think that was a big saving grace for me while I was reading. I loved the sense of community and side characters and the Green Warriors! The scenes of Cam interacting with the team reminded me of Roy Kent in season two of Ted Lasso when he’s coaching his niece’s team and I adored it.
Overall, I enjoyed the book well enough but I just wish there’d been something a little more compelling that made me want to keep turning the page.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me this ARC in exchange for my honest review!
Codename Charming by Lucy Parker
emotional
lighthearted
slow-paced
4.0
Will I ever not be a sucker for a grumpy-ish bodyguard with a huge soft spot for the sunshine-y heroine?
Absolutely not. I will eat it up every single time and this was no exception!
I feel like the term ‘romcom’ can be so overused when classifying romance novels but this book walked the line of funny and heartwarming so well. The romance between Pet and Matthias was beautifully done and there were scenes that were gripping in the best way but there were also some laugh out loud moments where I had to set the book down for a second. (Yes, I mean the parrot scene and the pay-off from it at the end.) It was balanced very well and neither genre negated the other.
I love the glimpses we get into the FMC and MMC’s pasts and the ‘why’ behind who they became. It was done well without seeming like Lucy Parker was giving the reader a roadmap; it felt very organic. Also, I loved the secondary characters and the support they provided to the plot and characters without feeling superfluous or unnecessary.
I love a slowburn but I feel like it was a bit too long; I wanted more of Pet and Matthias as an actual couple as opposed to a fake couple. Additionally, as much as I like a book with no third-act breakup, it felt like there was just something a little lacking at the end in regards to their relationship.
Overall, I enjoyed the story and the theme of finding and making your own family! I’d recommend giving it a read! ♥️
Thank you to NetGalley, Lucy Parker, and Avon Books for allowing me to review in advance copy in exchange for my honest review!
Thank you to NetGalley, Lucy Parker, and Avon Books for allowing me to review in advance copy in exchange for my honest review!
Come As You Are by Jess K. Hardy
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
This was so lovely! I was prepared for a heavy, super emotional read but it’s relatively light despite the heavier topics that it leans into (addiction, drug use, family issues, divorce)!
I loved that it strays from the normal rom-com age demographic with an FMC and MMC in their forties and fifties. I think that brings a level of maturity and experience to both Madigan and Ashley; it kind of circumvents the irritation that a younger couple without that experience can bring.
I think the side characters are super lovable and I hope they get their own stories moving forward; especially a second chance romance with Sam and Izzy!
On the other hand, it did read a bit like a Hallmark holiday romance which is not a bad thing at all but just something to keep in mind if you pick it up.
Aside from the age, it wasn’t quite as diverse as I’d hoped! That’s really my only note for improvement; there were primarily white and straight characters!
Overall, I really enjoyed the story and I’d recommend giving it a shot!
I loved that it strays from the normal rom-com age demographic with an FMC and MMC in their forties and fifties. I think that brings a level of maturity and experience to both Madigan and Ashley; it kind of circumvents the irritation that a younger couple without that experience can bring.
I think the side characters are super lovable and I hope they get their own stories moving forward; especially a second chance romance with Sam and Izzy!
On the other hand, it did read a bit like a Hallmark holiday romance which is not a bad thing at all but just something to keep in mind if you pick it up.
Aside from the age, it wasn’t quite as diverse as I’d hoped! That’s really my only note for improvement; there were primarily white and straight characters!
Overall, I really enjoyed the story and I’d recommend giving it a shot!