missdevo's reviews
258 reviews

First Base by Ally Wiegand

hopeful lighthearted slow-paced

3.5

If you like closed door romance and baseball, this should be a home run.
I was all in on the concept of a team's social media photographer getting involved with the bad boy star of the team. While I liked and enjoyed this book, I didn't love it. I didn't feel super invested in the love story. It was somehow both insta-lovey and a bit of a slow burn, but it was lacking the sizzle and snap of tension to really keep me pushing toward the payoff. Maybe I am just not into closed door anymore? It's a very sweet story, that also touches on some serious topics, but that felt a little too surface to get me truly emotionally invested. Overall I'd say it was enjoyable, but maybe just not my thing 100%.

Thank you to Netgalley and 8th Note Press for the ARC.

Latte Darling by S.J. Tilly

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted

4.5

Wowza! We've got a hot one here folks! 
I listened to the Audio of this one, and I recommend you do too. I do love a good age gap, and this one is sooo good. Maddie is a strong, independent woman who is tired of carrying the load all on her own. She's seen her BFF fall in love, and she's ready to find her person too. Enter Axel (through a weird set of circumstances) to show her he's more than ready to take some of the weight off her shoulders. I love a hot blue collar Daddy (when it's well written and not cringe), and Axel is one of the best I've read. He's a sweet cinnamon roll of a burly man with a filthy mouth, and really, what more could a girl ask for? This book had me blushing, giggling, kicking my feet, and biting my lip in all the ways you want from a spicy read. This was a great palate cleanser for me too, and I can see myself rereading when I need something that hits like this book. 

Roughing the Princess by Ivy Smoak

fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? No

1.5

This wasn't good. I believe the author wrote it in an all-night sprint once news about Taylor and Travis broke. I wanted to love it. I may have given it more credit than I should have because I'm from KC, and invested in everything around this concept. I can't recommend this to anyone, and I wonder if the author would agree since she quickly pulled it from publication. 

Icing It by Emma Foxx

emotional funny hopeful inspiring

5.0

 Now this is what I love. It's fun, it's super spicy but it still feels emotionally grounded and real. We've got three men to fulfill the emotional, mental, and physical needs of one woman, but it doesn't feel gratuitous. It makes sense in a way that some why choose books need me to suspend disbelief to get into. The spice is heavy and varied, which I love. It takes some of the fun away when it starts to feel redundant. This is not the first book in the Chicago Racketeers universe, but I didn't feel like I was missing anything by not having read Dani, Crew, Michael, and Nathan's story first. I do want to go back and dive into those books though because I really loved this one. It's my first Emma Foxx book too, but it won me over very quickly. I liked that it was complicated, and that it took some time to get where it needed to for everyone. It makes the payoff so much richer. If you love hockey romance, and why choose relationships, do not miss this one! 

A Secret for a Secret by Helena Hunting

4.0

The performances were great in this 3rd installment of the All In series. While Bishop and Stevie still have my heart, King and Queenie have a sweet story too. I love a good boy who likes to be filthy at the right time, so King hit the spot. Corey is the villain I’d most like to kick in the nards, so he was well written too! My only regret is not seeing he and Sissy get what’s coming to them. 

Sucker Punch by Alta Hensley

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated

3.5

If you like it hot and basically non stop, Sucker Punch is a great place to start. It's a smorgasbord of sexy times with a little plot to tie it all together.
I enjoyed the read, and how gritty the story is. Set in a world of MMA/boxing gyms and underground cage fighting, Ari runs her family gym "Smiley's" with the help of her...Frankie. Enter Bones and Lotto, a fighter and his friend/manager trying to get back in the game and overcome past mistakes. This is more of a polyamorous love story (swords cross in multiple configurations) than a why choose/3 musketeers style (all for one and one for all). I actually liked seeing all their dynamics develop together and separately. There are some D/S elements to the relationships, and some situations that I would definitely recommend checking TW/CW before diving in if you have concerns in that area.
For me this book is really about how this crew must somehow form a family (I'm almost embarrassed I typed that, but not enough to take it out). Plot feels a distant second to spice in this case, but as it seems to be the launching pad for more to follow around this universe, I don't feel as robbed by that as I usually do. There's some grace for world building, and the challenge of giving backstory and development to 4 leads instead of the usual two. 

Truth or Beard by Penny Reid

funny hopeful lighthearted

5.0

I listened to the audio book, and let me tell you- Chris Brinkley and Joy Nash are fantastic. They do the lion's share of narration for the Green Valley series. This series revolves around the Winston family. There are 6 brothers and one sister (Ashley Winston's book "Beauty and the Mustache" from the Knitting in the City series also serves as the backdoor series starter for the Winston Bros) living in Green Valley Tennessee together and meddling in each other's love lives. This book features Duane Winston (whose twin brother Beau has his story in "Beard in Mind"). I got sucked into this little Tennessee town and family so quickly that I found myself running through the entire series. It's not super spicy, but it's so entertaining that I didn't feel like I was missing anything. Highly recommend you head to Green Valley to discover the Winston family for yourself. 

Still Beating by Jennifer Hartmann

challenging dark emotional tense

5.0

This was the first darker romance I had read. This book is not for the faint of heart if you're not comfy in the dark romance world. I kept seeing it on social media as highly recommended, and I went in blind. WOW - mind blown.  That said, I really loved this book. It is devastating and hopeful, and I cried more than once. I still think about it to this day, and I read it years ago.  I even discovered the original cover is the author and her husband's hands in a photo they took themselves for the book. I love the original cover. 

A Favor for a Favor by Helena Hunting

emotional funny medium-paced

4.5

 The 2nd book in the All In series features Stevie, the sister of book one's hero, Rook. Now that Rook has brought his wife and son back home to Seattle via the NHL expansion draft, we're settling into a new team and cast of characters. Some old faves have come along for the ride (Alex & Violet Waters), but we're meeting a whole new crew of players and friends too. Among the team is Bishop Winslow who thought he was going to be the new team Captain until Alex brought along his buddy Rook and gave him the job. I like how this book explores being the sibling of a star athlete, and all that comes with that emotionally. Bishop is spicier in temperment where Rook was sweet, so I liked the resulting banter and friction (if you will) of him and Stevie. Overall I would rate this one slightly higher than book one, and the audio is fantastic. Erin Mallon and Jacob Morgan are two of my faves, and they make this story sing. 

A Lie for a Lie by Helena Hunting

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

 I enjoyed this spinoff of the "Puckedaverse". The meet cute for Rook/RJ and Lainey is fun and funny. I loved the Alaska section of the story, and only have a couple of minor quibbles with the Chicago section. The trope everyone seems to love to hate doesn't bother me much as long as it's well written. In this case, it's pretty good (only verges on cheesy a few times). Overall I enjoyed this book, but wish there was a little more tension in the relationship aside from the lost contact in order to make the payoff feel bigger. I'm looking forward to the next in the series. I listened to the audio on audible, and it was fantastically done. It's duo/chapter by chapter and not duet narration, but both Stella Bloom and Jason Clarke (a particular fave) handle the other gender voices well.