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mothmans_mum's reviews
695 reviews
Only a Bridesmaid by Haley Donnell
5.0
This was a really enjoyable book!
Hannah is a copywriter with social anxiety who is getting married to a rich businessman, mainly because that is what is expected of her by her religious parents.
Meli is an actor who is approached by a rich businessman with creepily perfect teeth to be the bridesmaid of his friendless fiancé.
When they meet, Meli instantly develops a massive crush, and Hannah starts to have feelings. Maybe that time she kissed her friend when she was in school wasn’t a fluke?
I loved both MCs and their chemistry together, especially the humour they shared. The romance was really sweet, and even though it progressed quickly, it still felt very believable.
As someone with really bad social anxiety, I really loved this representation. Not being able to talk to people or order in restaurants, and having to leave events early, was so relatable.
I thought Eric was a great antagonist. A rich man wanting a wife he feels can be easily controlled is unfortunately all too believable.
I loved the side characters!
While bonding over a shared love of Harry Potter felt a bit dated for a book published in 2024, I actually really appreciated that the MCs called out JKR, and clarified that their merch was purchased prior to her revealing she is a terrible person.
Don’t go into this book expecting spice. One of the MCs spends around half the book convinced she is straight, so there is obviously no opportunity for spice early on. Later, the two sex scenes fade to black in a way that is well-handled and feels satisfying.
Hannah is a copywriter with social anxiety who is getting married to a rich businessman, mainly because that is what is expected of her by her religious parents.
Meli is an actor who is approached by a rich businessman with creepily perfect teeth to be the bridesmaid of his friendless fiancé.
When they meet, Meli instantly develops a massive crush, and Hannah starts to have feelings. Maybe that time she kissed her friend when she was in school wasn’t a fluke?
I loved both MCs and their chemistry together, especially the humour they shared. The romance was really sweet, and even though it progressed quickly, it still felt very believable.
As someone with really bad social anxiety, I really loved this representation. Not being able to talk to people or order in restaurants, and having to leave events early, was so relatable.
I thought Eric was a great antagonist. A rich man wanting a wife he feels can be easily controlled is unfortunately all too believable.
I loved the side characters!
While bonding over a shared love of Harry Potter felt a bit dated for a book published in 2024, I actually really appreciated that the MCs called out JKR, and clarified that their merch was purchased prior to her revealing she is a terrible person.
Don’t go into this book expecting spice. One of the MCs spends around half the book convinced she is straight, so there is obviously no opportunity for spice early on. Later, the two sex scenes fade to black in a way that is well-handled and feels satisfying.
Marriage of Unconvenience by Chelsea M. Cameron
4.0
I’m giving this a lower rating than I would like, since I really enjoyed the story, but there were too many editing problems (from dialogue that took too much effort to work out who said it, to spelling and tense errors, to massive inconsistencies throughout the book) for me to give it a higher rating.
I loved that we got to see them together for so long in the end.
I loved that we got to see them together for so long in the end.
As the Sun Comes Up by Olive J. Kelley
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This is a beautiful, short sapphic romance. I found the characters, particularly Moriah, extremely relatable. They crochet! They make coffee in a French press! They bake challah! They attend temple remotely! They have intrusive thoughts about their pet being horribly crushed by furniture! Just like me!
I highly recommend this book.
I highly recommend this book.
Our Secret Summer by Harper Bliss
4.75
I’ve said before that Harper Bliss is hit and miss, and this is definitely much more of a hit. While not quite reaching the heights of A Family Affair or the Two Hearts trilogy, and while it had an odd word choice or two, it was wonderful. The character development was great, and it didn’t fall into any of the pitfalls of a lesser Bliss offering.
Raffo is an artist who, after getting dumped by her girlfriend of ten years, needs to get her artistic mojo back and paint again. Har best friend packs her off to his mother’s lake house to find inspiration in the beautiful scenery, while his mother is on a trip around Europe.
Dylan has made a very unwise investment in cryptocurrency, and is hiding out at her lake house, pretending to still be on her planned trip around Europe that she can no longer afford. She is embarrassed by her poor investment and needs a few months to build up the courage to admit the truth to her son.
When Raffo arrives and sees Dylan, she is the only beautiful scenery she needs to get her artistic mojo back and start painting again.
Bliss does a great job of making each character unique and have their own story. The obstacles the characters face to finding happiness feel real, and are given time and space to be overcome realistically and satisfactorily.
There are some great shout-outs to other Blissverse characters, as well as a wonderful and surprising cameo by two non-Blissverse characters!
I finished this book within a day, which suggests how much I liked it!
Raffo is an artist who, after getting dumped by her girlfriend of ten years, needs to get her artistic mojo back and paint again. Har best friend packs her off to his mother’s lake house to find inspiration in the beautiful scenery, while his mother is on a trip around Europe.
Dylan has made a very unwise investment in cryptocurrency, and is hiding out at her lake house, pretending to still be on her planned trip around Europe that she can no longer afford. She is embarrassed by her poor investment and needs a few months to build up the courage to admit the truth to her son.
When Raffo arrives and sees Dylan, she is the only beautiful scenery she needs to get her artistic mojo back and start painting again.
Bliss does a great job of making each character unique and have their own story. The obstacles the characters face to finding happiness feel real, and are given time and space to be overcome realistically and satisfactorily.
There are some great shout-outs to other Blissverse characters, as well as a wonderful and surprising cameo by two non-Blissverse characters!
I finished this book within a day, which suggests how much I liked it!
Paint the Moon by Katia Rose
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Natalie is an artist whose recent gallery showing was a disaster. She has come into a mysterious inheritance of a gorgeous historic home, and her two best friends want her to fulfil their shared childhood dream of opening an inn, but her confidence is gone and she doesn’t believe they can pull it off.
Brooke is an interior designer who, six years later, is still recovering from being left at the altar. She has decided she can’t base her happiness on anyone else—she has to be independent and make her own happiness. Particularly by proving herself to her boss and getting the promotion she has deserved for years.
When Brooke meets Natalie, she starts feeling a whole bunch of feelings. Which are weird, because she is definitely totally straight! And also, because Natalie is the younger sister of the man who left her at the altar!
This was a fantastic book. Everything felt real, from the details of the historic home, to Natalie’s art, to the emotions the characters feel and the journey they go on together.
I really enjoyed reading this book and definitely recommend it.
Brooke is an interior designer who, six years later, is still recovering from being left at the altar. She has decided she can’t base her happiness on anyone else—she has to be independent and make her own happiness. Particularly by proving herself to her boss and getting the promotion she has deserved for years.
When Brooke meets Natalie, she starts feeling a whole bunch of feelings. Which are weird, because she is definitely totally straight! And also, because Natalie is the younger sister of the man who left her at the altar!
This was a fantastic book. Everything felt real, from the details of the historic home, to Natalie’s art, to the emotions the characters feel and the journey they go on together.
I really enjoyed reading this book and definitely recommend it.
Witches of Fate by Zachary Jeffries
Did not finish book. Stopped at 19%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 19%.
For some reason this just didn’t click with me and I couldn’t get into it