malpal132's reviews
300 reviews

The Worst Guy by Kate Canterbary

4.0

i did not expect to have such a good time with this. i thought the mmc was going to be an alpha-hole and that's not my preference but he wasn't! this was enemies to lovers done pretty well. i enjoyed seeing representation for someone who struggles with gastrointestinal stuff and how that affects relationships and being able to build them with people. 

The Belle and the Beard by Kate Canterbary

2.5

okay so ??? i know i didn't like this as a whole but there were glimmers of things that captured my interest. a few of their sex scenes were complex and well-written. the pacing was bizarre. their conversations felt pretty real. i was skimming by like 40%. but then again i wasn't the target audience sooo

Funny Guy by Emma Barry

funny

4.75

i enjoyed this thoroughly. it's basically impossible to sell me on a male comedian and somehow this author did that. they're usually my worst nightmare, lmao. i liked how each character stayed true to themselves in their relationship, how their fears and strengths made so much sense and clashed together and ultimately worked. i had a very good time. (to be fair, i read this a week ago and don't exactly remember the ending or what my quibbles were with it so i might be upselling but i don't think so?? it was genuinely good.)

Not That Duke by Eloisa James

funny hopeful

4.75

oh my god??? this was so much more than i was expecting. the characters are complex and flawed and their friendships are lovely and honest and messy and ???? i'm honestly floored. the humor was so period-perfect but also genuinely delightful. the love was earned. every plot point was deeply rooted and answered satisfactorily. and the sex scenes?? whew. very well-written, especially when it comes to the emotional aspect. i haven't read any of the previous books in this series but i'm absolutely going to now that i've finished this one. i think the only thing that keeps it from being a perfect five stars is maybe the pacing? near 65% i was like oh, it's wrapping up. the conflict has sort of been solved. but then it kept going and i was like OHH, we're really diving in to the repercussions of earlier actions instead of glossing them over with a happily ever after, huh? i respect it. it just didn't feel as smooth of a ride as i'd hoped. 
anyway, HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

Devil's Bride by Stephanie Laurens
Did not finish book. Stopped at 60%.

i can see why people would enjoy this book. devil and honoria are two of the most stubborn characters i've read but it kind of works because they both care deeply about something rather than that just being an arbitrary trait. my issue here was the pacing. it's tortuously slow. slow enough that the chemistry that might be between the characters sparked, burned, and turned to ashes before i really had a chance to care. stylistically, not my favorite. can't imagine finishing it. 

The Duke Goes Down by Sophie Jordan

3.0

imogen is one messy bitch and i like her for it. her past with perry was a good set up. i say this every time but i think sophie jordan really struggles with building believable relationships. it's like they're suddenly in love with not a lot of substance to that claim. 

The Duke Starts a Scandal by Sophie Jordan

3.0

i think i wanted more from both of their personalities. i liked the set-up, though. it was fun. 

The Scoundrel Falls Hard by Sophie Jordan

3.0

i love the premise of gwen being a blacksmith and her saving kellan from being hanged. it was fun. as always, i think sophie jordan fails to build up a convincing relationship and it's sort of insta-love. 

Going Nowhere Fast by Kati Wilde

3.5

i finished this a week ago so it's not fresh in my mind but from what i remember, i really liked this. it had me hooked. i'm always a sucker for the best friend's brother romance. 

Regarding the Duke by Grace Callaway
Did not finish book. Stopped at 92%.

this was so massively disappointing because the premise sounds amazing! i want to read that book! unfortunately the character work was atrocious, the intimacy made me yell and not in a good way, and it built to a crescendo that i absolutely could not continue past. the main characters literally explain their decisions and motivations ON PAPER. zero subtlety or trust that the reader has comprehension skills. also bizarrely sexless? despite them having sex all the time? there was just no chemistry, not enough character development and growth. i didn't like either of the mc's. gabby was too much of an absolute doormat and there's a period where you think maybe she's changed but she loops back around to it by the end. adam called her a bitch and she was like you have nothing to apologize for!!! i didn't realize how mean that guy was to you!!! like what the hell? adam's inner monologue didn't explore anything meaningful and it was like reading the same thing over and over again. do not recommend.