originalbooknerd's reviews
978 reviews

The Blood of Gods and Monsters by Lucinda Dark

dark emotional funny mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

➿𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝔹𝕝𝕠𝕠𝕕 𝕠𝕗 𝔾𝕠𝕕𝕤 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕄𝕠𝕟𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕤 - 𝕄𝕠𝕣𝕥𝕒𝕝 𝔾𝕠𝕕𝕤 𝟛 - ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨➿ 

 

Author: Lucinda Dark 

 

Couple: Kiera with Kalix, Ruen & Theos Darkhaven 

 

Tropes: Academy setting, Assassin FMC, Hidden identities, Dark Romantasy, Enemies to Lovers, Slow burn, Forced Proximity, Why Choose, Multiple POVs 

 

Review: WOAH. NO. WORDS! The Blood of Gods and Monsters is the penultimate book in Kiera’s story and IT. IS. A. RIDE! Lucy packed punch after punch in this book and I cannot even begin to guess at what will come in the finale of this series! This book begins the moment where we ended book 2 and is IMMEDIATELY full of action. Kiera comes face to face with parts of her origin in this book and Lucy sure did know how to lead up to this big reveal in her true fashion of dropping it on us and running…not to say anything but Caedmon you were not my friend in this book. AT. ALL! 

 

This book was the turning point for a lot of the romantic tension between Kiera and the Darkhavens and we FINALLY get to see Daddy Ruen come out to play…handcuffs and all (wink wink). I almost died when Ruen gave into the desire he had for Kiera and adored the way he began fighting for her and his brothers instead of against her. I also LOVED how he made Kiera face her actions with him and Theos, instead of allowing her to deny and run away from the growing bond. Ruen and Theos were instrumental in this book simply because they began piecing together Kiera’s role in what would need to be done but also because they began to think of what life may look like beyond the academy and Lucy sure did well with creating the tension between them as emotions rise and Kiera blows her lid about walking away from them after all is said and done. 

 

Kiera’s story was a lot more emotional in this book and I found that Lucy brought out her softer, more vulnerable side in this book which was nice to see, even though she is NOT a SOFT FMC. The struggle she had with accepting her fate and trying to piece together Caedmon’s cryptic clues led me on a trail of theories that I could not keep guessing at and ultimately was SHOCKED by at the end. I also found that Kiera’s powers and manifestation of her family’s magic was very mysterious in the sense that we never truly get the whole picture of what she can do. Kiera ended this book trying to come to terms with hard truths she learned and accepting what must be done if she wants to survive and I am excited to she what she does. 

 

Lastly, but most definitely NOT least is KALIX! I LOVE THIS MAN. He is everything in this book and while he is the most emotionally stunted and confused MMC ever, his character and personality are a WONDERFUL fit for Kiera and I also love how his growing obsession with her and the feelings he begins to feel absolutely CONFOUND him. I think I was laughing so hard at times during his POV that I forgot that Kalix is more like his snakes than human and I would NOT have him any other way. I also loved how 90% of the heat, tension and banter in this book was with Kiera and Kalix since that man has a MOUTH on him! (And that scene with the snake restraints….Lucy girl why only one?!?) Kalix stayed out of most of the drama in this book and instead began to become more of a bodyguard and lover towards Kiera. I found this side of his character to hint at just how far gone is is for her and CANNOT wait until he learns she pans to walk away from them! 

 

The Blood of Gods and Monsters has been the best book so far in the series. Lucy was amazing with the wit, sarcasm, deceit, banter and secrets between all the characters and I am ecstatic to see what happens in book 4. Kiera and the Darkhavens have been the BEST series I have ever read by her and I hope there is more to come in this world…and maybe little Darkhavens in a future…epilogue…spinoff?? SOMETHING?? 

 

Rating: 100+, Oh. My . GAWWWWD. LUCY!!! This book will live rent free forever in my head as I wait for the conclusion and can I just say…DADDDY RUEN FOR LIFE (but Kalix is still my fav)! 

  

 

Thank you @authorlucysmoke for the eARC! 

Mine to Take by Jennifer Sucevic

emotional funny fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

🏒𝑀𝒾𝓃𝑒𝒯𝑜𝒯𝒶𝓀𝑒 - 𝒲𝑒𝓈𝓉𝑒𝓇𝓃𝒲𝒾𝓁𝒹𝒸𝒶𝓉𝓈𝐻𝑜𝒸𝓀𝑒𝓎𝟧 - 𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌🏒 

 

Author: Jennifer Sucevic 

 

Couple: Willow Thompson & Maverick McKinnon 

 

Tropes: Sports/Hockey Romance, One Night Stand, Rival plater’s Little Sister, Forced Proximity, Instant attraction, Opposites Attract, Secret relationship, hidden identity, cancer rep 

 

Review: Mine To Take is THE BOOK in the Western Wildcats Hockey series! Jennifer outdid herself with this one and can I just give her a huge round of applause! Maverick and Willow were full of angst, turmoil, self reflection and found family ALL throughout the book and I especially loved how they fit into each other’s lives perfectly! 

 

Willow is the little sister of Maverick’s rival on the ice and Jennifer captured the animosity between the hockey players wonderfully in this book. The way Maverick immediately latched onto Willow in this book was a sucker punch since he had no clue who she was. At times I adored the way he obsessed over her and wanted to show her off and at times I also hated how the appeal he first had for her was because he assumed she was a puck bunny or his rival’s girlfriend. His dichotomy of feelings and turmoil kept me entertained and swooning from page to page since he fell hard and fast for Willow but had no true clue who she was for so long. 

 

Willow’s character was the sole reason this book had ANGST. Her hidden identity and refusal to admit to her feelings for Maverick added level 1000+ angst to their romance and I was there for it! Jennifer did amazing with Willow’s character and journey from q little insecure to independent and fierce. I LOVED the way she began standing up to her brother but also was afraid to upset the family dynamic too much. One area I really enjoyed in this book was the way the girl group adopted her into the fold. The airl bonds were next level in this book and I cannot wait to see them in the next book (which I expect is Willow’s BFF??). 

 

This book was different from the rest in this series since it dealt with deeper topics. Both characters had an up close and personal history with cancer and Jennifer was able to capture the nuances and differences between how they each dealt with it well. Willow’s history of being a surviver and in remission was a huge part of her story and I felt like it shaped who she was as a whole but also is what made Maverick perfect for her. Maverick on the other hand had to got through the fear of possibly losing a loved one (his mother) and being with Willow made him face the fears and worry that brought the prior trauma back. The way they each overcame this and ended up stronger added so much to their story and also was part of why Mine To Take jumped straight to the top of this series! 

 

Willow and Maverick were HAWT. This book was spicy and full of the steam. These two perfected the art of snark and the push and pull banner in frenemies to lovers romance. I also adored how they each fell for the other in different ways. This book had a third act break up but in my opinion it was needed so the two had time to overcome the last of their fears. It also allowed for breathing room and time for Willow’s brother to move past his anger. Jennifer provided hints at the next book to come and I can just say that it is THE BOOK I have been waiting for! 

 

Rating: 100+, WOW…Willow and Maverick rocketed to the top of my favorite couples in this series and Jennifer really packed in then tension and angst in this one! 

 

Thank you Jennifer & Literally Yours PR for the eARC copy!

Bitter Rival by Emery Rose Andrews

emotional funny 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

5.0

🌸𝔹𝕚𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕣 ℝ𝕚𝕧𝕒𝕝 - 𝕊𝕦𝕥𝕥𝕠𝕟 ℝ𝕚𝕕𝕘𝕖 𝕊𝕖𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕤 𝟙 - ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨🌸 

 

Author: Emery Rose 

 

Couple: Daisy Larsson & Beckett Heyward 

 

Tropes: enemies to lovers, small town vineyard, who hurt you?, grumpy x sunshine, forced proximity, banter/steam + HEA, opposites attract, childhood crush 

 

Review: Bitter Rival kept me in a chokehold and left me hanging out too dry! Emery Rose did what she does best in this book and I can’t even be sad about it after finishing Daisy’s and Beckett’s romance. The amount of hatred, revenge plotting, deceit, secrets, lust, banter and witty sarcasm that she had between these two amazing characters hooked me from the beginning and the unraveling of their romance and ultimate HEA left me in the BIGGEST book hangover of 2024. 

 

Daisy was a fiery FMC and a little different than what Emery is known for but oh so perfect for this story! I ADORED the way she pitted herself against Beckett and immersed herself into the Vineyard and the plans to crack his cold exterior. From her endless sass and sarcasm to the sunshiny and optimistic way she looked at life, her POV captivated me. The complexity Emery gave her character layers of rawness and grit that added to her story arc and I appreciated how Emery tackled the more intense emotions that surrounded her. The turmoil she faced with her mother and her past was shocking and tragic yet so perfectly Emery Rose that the tragedy sucked me into her evolution as a character. I loved seeing how her relationship with Finn and the emotional hurt she faced throughout her life affected her choices and molded her life choices. 

 

While Daisy was the ray of sunshine and chaos in Bitter Rival, Beckett Heyward was the villain in disguise. From page 1, he did everything in his power to undermine, antagonize and unbalance Daisy. The way he acted like a schoolyard boy tugging on his crush’s pigtails was hilarious and I enjoyed how his revenge plotting slowly began to break down. Emery was able to infuse just enough tension, angst and animosity within his character to allow for the tenuous bond he had with Daisy to implode epically and Beckett may truly be one stubbornest MMCs Emery has written in a while. I loved how once he began falling he was unable to stop and enjoyed seeing his hardened exterior completely melt for Daisy ad the chaos she brought into his life. I also LOVED Grayson, Caiden and Ledger had his back but also told him how dumb he was when he allowed Daisy to walk away. The bond between them was refreshing to see and I am excited to get each of their books soon! 

 

Daisy and Beckett were both emotionally stunted yet super complex characters and I enjoyed how they both pushed and pulled against each other from their initial meet-hate. The ups and downs Emery had them go through in this book were written to give maximum impact and it is safe to say both of them were characters that will stick with me for a hot minute. While this book is one of the more emotional volatile books Emery has written in my opinion, Daisy and Beckett are actually one of the sweetest couples together once they got their stuff figured out. I thoroughly enjoyed their romance and cannot wait to see them guide their friends on the right path in the future Sutton Ridge books! 

 

Rating: 100+, Daisy and Beckett ushered in the new era of Emery Rose and brought with them pages full of angst, banter and romance she is known for! 

 

Thank you to Emery Rose for sending me this eARC!

The Hunted Heir by Holly Renee

challenging dark emotional funny fast-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

5.0

➿💞𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓗𝓾𝓷𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓗𝓮𝓲𝓻 - 𝓥𝓮𝓲𝓵𝓮𝓭 𝓚𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓭𝓸𝓶 𝓢𝓮𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓼 2 - 𝓡𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀💞➿

Author: Holly Renee

Couple: Verena & Dacre

Tropes: hidden identity, dystopian fantasy, dark romance, enemy to lovers, political & court intrigue, slow burn, forbidden romance,, forced proximity, fated mates

Review: The Hunted Heir…Holly why don’t you rip my heart out and leave it in shreds! This. Book!! It had everything I needed after the conclusion of The Veiled Kingdom. Verena continued to blow my mind with her growth and evolution as she grows into the Queen she was always born to be and Holly was phenomenal at providing us the angst, the hate and the dichotomy of her bond with Dacre.

Verena and Dacre are COMBUSTIBLE in this book. From the beginning you begin to see the shift in their characters in their respective POVs. The split we began to see in Dacre won me over and also pummeled me into the dirt since I just knew Holly was going to throw a shocking twist at the end for us…and she really did that in this book! However, the way Dacre was there for Verena in this book and the way he was openly adoring of her was level 100 swoon and I CANNOT wait to see him go feral in book 3 to save her!

The Hunted Heir was a spicy and fast-paced intense read that left me salivating for more of Daddy Dacre and his dominance. Him and Verena were full stop the couple that kept me on edge the longest from Holly…EVER! All the ups and downs they go through; first with the King, then with Dacre’s father and then with the Royal Guard and the rebellion; just added to how much these two will be a power couple at the end and I really am excited for the progression we will see in the next book! Holly put out a fantastic release and so far this series has left me on a book hangover at each stop!

 

Rating: 5/5, Daddy Dacre is back and ready to rumble in this book and I cannot wait for more of him and Verena as they rebel against the King and the rebellion!

Thank you @authorhollyrenee for this eARC!

Shadows of the Crown by Dakota Monroe

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

𝔖𝔥𝔞𝔡𝔬𝔴𝔰 𝔬𝔣 𝔱𝔥𝔢 ℭ𝔯𝔬𝔴𝔫 - 𝔖𝔥𝔞𝔡𝔬𝔴𝔰 𝔬𝔣 𝔱𝔥𝔢 ℭ𝔯𝔬𝔴𝔫 1 - ℜ𝔢𝔳𝔦𝔢𝔴

Author: Dakota Monroe

Couple: Ariella Mistaire & Prince Caspian

Tropes: he falls first, assassin FMC, Prince MMC, cinnamon roll MMC, enemies to lovers, hurt/comfort, forced proximity, dagger to the…, deadly competitions, secrets, magic, steamy, banter, jealous, touch him/her

Review: Shadows of the Crown was enthralling and a new take on a tortured heroine who gets put into deadly trials to accomplish her revenge. Dakota was a new author to me with this book and from the beginning she enthralled me with this story. The romance, the tension, the plotting, the revenge, and the evil king and his oblivious heir. All of these things were done exceptionally well while adding complexities to Ariella’s story and trials in this first book.

Ariella was the absolute favorite character for me in this book. I LOVED her from beginning to end and found that she never quite did what I expected her to do but also was able to toe the line of utterly ruthless and a closet romance really well. Dakota was able to capture her inner child’s need to be loved and adored by someone after the loss of her parents and the way she slowly allowed Caspian in her prickly and iced over heart was gut wrenching to see since I was just waiting for Caspian to do something dumb and have her push him out. I appreciated how Dakota chose to begin the deep dive into her past and powers towards the end to keep us guessing at who Ariella is and how her parents will play a role in the future books.

Now let’s talk about Caspian! I think I can safely say Caspian was the glue that held this book together. I adored his utter disregard for his safety as he pursued Ariella and found that his character was EXACTLY what this book needed since Ariella tended to stray towards a darker vibe. I also ADORED how he was head over heels for her but almost oblivious to it until closer to the end. The way he was like a puppy dog around her but then could turn into a Rottweiler when anyone harmed her or got too close was endearing to watch and Dakota was truly able to make him into what Ariella needed. His unending support and belief in her was also the cherry on top in his character arc and I cannot wait to see what he does next…and how he continues to break down her walls.

Ariella and Caspian are a VOLATILE couple. The banner and wit these two have was EPIC and I was wither swooning or sweating or laughing as Caspian played all his cards to just get a tiny bit closer to her. The whole “assassin and Crown Prince” vibes were done really well and I salivated over the forbiden-ness of their romance but also adored how they each found solace in the other. What truly did me in thought was Caspian’s acceptance about who she was and how she would never be the demure and polite royal but he fell for her anyway. I also appreciated how Dakota made Caspian the honorary keeper of Ariella’s secrets regarding her past, magic and the reason she was in the castle outside of being in the trials. The push and pull these two share in this book was explosive but Dakota only set up the final events for book 2 to have much more in store and I cannot wait!

Also on a side note...can we talk about Gavriel?? I adore that man and cannot wait to see all the steam come from his ears when Ariella and Caspian continue to grow closer!

Rating: 100+, Ariella and Caspian were a couple made in h3ll in this book and I adored Every. Minute. Of. It! Dakota blew me away with this book and you can bet I am eagerly anticipating book 2!

Thank you NerdFam & Dakota for this eARC!

Learning Curve by Max Monroe

challenging emotional funny reflective 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? Yes

5.0

💥𝙻𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝙲𝚞𝚛𝚟𝚎 - 𝙳𝚒𝚌𝚔𝚜𝚘𝚗 𝚄𝚗𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝚂𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜 𝟷 - 𝚁𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠💥 

 

Author: Max Monroe 

 

Couple: Scottie Bardeaux & Finnley Hayes 

 

Tropes: Intense first love vibes, Cheerleader virgin meets the tortured bad boy, Grumpy/Sunshine, opposites attract, He FIGHTS for her, College DRAMAAAA, ANGST & loads of tension, Secrets, Twists & turns (you will NOT see coming) 

 

Review: If I had to fall in love with a book then Learning Curve would be the one! Max Monroe kicked off her newest series of interconnected standalone featuring the second generation of her beloved billionaires and their friends in an EPIC fashion! Scottie and Finn hold a dear place in my heart after finishing this book and the story between them is one of the most emotionally invested romances I have EVER read by Max! 

 

Learning Curve has everything we love from Max and while the characters shine on their own, it was the found family vibes that she created with Finn, Scottie, Ace, Julia and Blake that sucked me in. Finn begins this book as a rough character who is so closed off he can’t even begin to understand how to open up. I loved how Max created his character story and inner turmoil to fit with his outward persona and then slowly showed us the way he began to evolve as he let in Ace and then Julia, Blake and Scottie. His complexity as a character was the dynamic part of this book and Max Monroe was able to weave the backstory of the Hayes family and the Winslow family in such a way that your heart couldn’t not break while reading. Finn’s steadfast goal of upending Ty Winslow’s life and in return all of the Winslow siblings’ lives was the epicenter of his storyline and I appreciated that as he began to open up to friends and even accept his feelings about Scottie that his goals began to alter and then change. 

 

Scottie was the sweet and innocent FMC that paired oh so well with Finn’s bad boy side. From the initial meet-cute you could see the sparks flying between them and feel the instant connection these two had within the story. I loved how Scottie was a softer FMC than what I have come to read from Max but also possessed the raw grit to go after what she wanted…even if what she wanted was Finn. Max Monroe set up this book in a way that I was captivated from the first word Scottie had in the prologue, all the way until her deception was laid bare. Her naivety and fear of Finn’s reaction lead us on a journey of intense emotional angst and pining since it led to the third act betrayal and break up but I also felt like it was needed since both of them needed to grow as MCs before settling into their HEA. 

 

Max Monroe threw a ton at us in Learning Curve and the twists and turns she kept punching us with shocked me until the end. The love between Finn and Scottie was combustible and slightly toxic at first but ultimately became soft, sweet and swoon worthy by the end. The way Finn stepped up for Scottie after her accident and then while she was healing and learning who she was again was beautiful to read and kept me in tears while also praying that Scottie would take him back and Max did not disappoint with how she brought them back together. Finn and Scottie are cemented as one of my ultimate book couples and Finn may be the book boyfriend we all secretly pine for from here on out! 

 

**SPOLIERS** 

 

Now…let’s talk about Ace Kelly! His character was the MAN in this book and I did not expect anything less for Thatcher Kelly’s son. I LOVED the way he attached himself like a glued on barnacle to Finn and broke him out of his shell. I also ADORED the pining he did over Julia and cannot wait for their book in this series. Both of them are the perfect blend go their parents from the original Billionaire series Max published and the angst and swoon will be next level for them…I already know! 

 

While Ace and Finn had a hilarious friendship, I knew I would love Ace from the moment Thatcher pulls the ultimate prank on his son in class. The chaos these two stir in next level and I applaud Max for the way she was able to suck Finn into their whirlwind of pranks, bonding and emotional support. 

 

ON another note, I cannot wait to see Lexi and Finn bond more in her book that is set to release next and hope to see more sibling teasing now that Finn is part of the pack. I am also extremely excited to see more of the Winslow family in her book and meet the rest of the Hayes kids more! So far the Dickson University series has exceeded everything I expected and I know it will only get better from here…as each of the second generation gets knocked to their knees in love! 

 

Rating: 100+, Scottie and Finn had me rolling around laughing then shaking my fist angry the next in this emotional whirlwind of a romance by Max Monroe! 

 

Thank you to Hambright PR & Max Monroe for sending me this eARC!

The Home Wrecker by Sara Cate

dark emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

💕𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕳𝖔𝖒𝖊 𝖜𝖗𝖊𝖈𝖐𝖊𝖗 – 𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕲𝖔𝖔𝖉𝖊 𝕭𝖗𝖔𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖗𝖘 2 – 𝕽𝖊𝖛𝖎𝖊𝖜💕 

 

Author: Sara Cate 

 

Couple: Briar Goode, Caleb Goode & Dean Sheridan 

 

Tropes: goody boy MMC, morally grey FMC, opposites attract, Corruption Kink, Brother’s Ex, He teaches them, Cheating, Enemies to lovers, MMF, S3x Worker, Marriage in Crisis 

 

Review: BE ready to ride on the wild side! The Home Wrecker is a deliciously taboo romance that pushers the boundaries of relationships, love and trust. Sara Cate once again gives us a book that kept me enthralled in the story and cautious to hope for too much at once! Caleb and Briar were perhaps the best characters in this book in my opinion and the ups and downs they went through to reach the HEA were heart wrenching and heart warming at the same time! 

 

Caleb is the “Good” brother and his morals, lust and s3xuality are tested in this book. I found that Sara did a terrific job with his character and all the turmoil he went through while learning to accept Dean into his marriage but also learning to love intimacy with his wife, Briar, again. This book deals with some sensitive topics and one in particular is cheating. The way Sara broached this trope and the way it affected Caleb and his trust in Briar was one of the shining areas in this book. Typically this is not an area I enjoy but I found that the way it was approached was not only palatable but essential for this story since so much of it centers around the fading marriage and the concerns they each have for reigniting their spark.

Dean and Briar were the instigators in that set everything off in this book and I was so there for it. The “lessons” and MMF, MFM spice added layers to this book that also opened up the feelings as I read. Sara was able to capture the tension that began between Briar and Caleb as well as Caleb and Dean perfectly to keep attention on the new dynamics between them. I did find that Briar angered me some at first since she was not as open as I wanted her to be, but I also found that she was a complex FMC who had a lot of hidden struggles that Sara uncovered at the best times. 

 

This book is HAWT. These three are NOT conventional at all and while Dean throws a huge wrench in the original bond, I loved the final relationship they each had the most. I found that Caleb’s and Dean’s bond ended up being more of a favorite for me than any of the others since Dean was able to understand him so wholly but also push his boundaries. This book pushed boundaries on romances I usually read but I have no regrets at all and can say that I have enjoyed these Goode brother’s thoroughly and can’t wait for book 3! 

 

Rating: 4/5, another enticingly taboo read centering around the next Goode brother and his wife! 

 

Thank you Hambright PR & Sara for the eARC copy! 

Tempting by Bella Matthews

emotional funny fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

💋𝕋𝕖𝕞𝕡𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 - ℝ𝕖𝕕 𝕃𝕚𝕡𝕤 & 𝕎𝕙𝕚𝕥𝕖 𝕃𝕚𝕖𝕤 𝟙 - ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨💋

Author: Bella Matthews

Couple: Kenzie Hayes & Nixon “Nix” Sinclair

Tropes: 
🏒Hockey romance
💋Fake relationship
🏒Best friend’s older brother & little sisters’s best friend
💋Team captain’s little sister
🏒Childhood crush
💋He falls first x harder
🏒Doctor FMC

Review: Tempting. What a book. This book shot right up to my favorite spot within Bella’s second generation books! Nixon and Kenzie rival with Beckett’s book, Overruled, which ironically happens to be Kenzie’s adoptive mother’s book. Nixon and Kenzie were EVERYTHING I love about hockey and medical romances! From start to finish I was unable to put this book down and I am only sad for them to close out the Hayes family books!

Kenzie was the FMC we had seen the least of so far in the second generation and WOAH. She was a force. I liked that while she was a go-getter and a fierce doctor, she also had a softer more vulnerable side. Bella really did a terrific job with creating all of her layers in this book and she was the one who immediately drew me into this story. Her relationship and growing feelings towards Nixon also warmed my heart because little miss oblivious was so in her head she never realized that Nixon had secretly pined for her his whole adolescent life.

Nixon Sinclair. Can we give this guy a standing ovation or what? I knew from the first mention of him back in Lindy’s book, The Keeper, that he would hold my heart in an iron fist. There really was never a point in this book where I was like, Nixon what are YOU DOING?!? Instead, he slowly but surely made me fall head over heels for him as we see him pick up Kenzie and encourage her to stand up for her dreams and reach for everything she wants. I adored the way he was her biggest cheerleader but also the dirty talking, HAWT man who rocked her world. Bella really set the bar high for MMCs in this series after setting the stage with him and I cannot wait to finally get Callan and Maddox soon.

Kenzie and Nixon have the shortest fake relationship I have read to date. And I AM HERE FOR IT! I knew right away these two were much more than “fake” and loved how they both sat in denial (Kenzie more than Nix). While Bella can do this trope well, what shined through in this book was the team captain’s little sister trope and Easton did NOT disappoint. I dare say his reaction was more over the top than Beckett’s. Nixon stood out in this regard because instead of backing down he was blatantly obvious that he was not giving up Kenzie and that they should just move on since he was there to stay…and wowweee did the heat turn up during that! Overall, Tempting is one of my favorite Bella books to date and I can only hope this is a hint at how mind blowing the read of this series will be!

Rating: 100+, make way for a new hockey god n town! Nixon Sinclair is here to steal hearts and melt panties in Bella’s newest series as he falls hard for Kenzie Hayes!

Thank you to Bella for sending me this eARC!

💋𝕋𝕖𝕞𝕡𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 - ℝ𝕖𝕕 𝕃𝕚𝕡𝕤 & 𝕎𝕙𝕚𝕥𝕖 𝕃𝕚𝕖𝕤 𝟙 - 𝔸𝕦𝕕𝕚𝕠𝕓𝕠𝕠𝕜 ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨💋

Author: Bella Matthews

Narrators: Erin Mallon, Ava Erickson & Lance Greenfield 

Couple: Kenzie Hayes & Nixon “Nix” Sinclair

Tropes:  
🏒Hockey romance
💋Fake relationship
🏒Best friend’s older brother & little sisters’s best friend
💋Team captain’s little sister
🏒Childhood crush
💋He falls first x harder
🏒Doctor FMC

Review: 𝕋𝕖𝕞𝕡𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 was a 5 star read and it broke the rating scores for me! Bella chose two narrators who took this story and ran with it and oooh what a great result it was! Erin Mallon, Ava Erickson and Lance Greenfield dominated Kenzie’s & Nixon’s romance and I cannot believe how much I fell in love with the story in 𝕋𝕖𝕞𝕡𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 all over again after listening. 

Erin is one of my frequent narrators and she really put herself into Kenzie’s story and character. The raw emotion she put into the vulnerabilities and insecurities Kenzie had allowed me to really feel and imagine the story in my head and it made it extremely hard to press pause! Lance also did phenomenal with the narration of Nixon’s voice as well. For me, Lance was everything in 𝕋𝕖𝕞𝕡𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 as a narrator since Nixon was my absolute favorite character in this book and he went above and beyond in his narration of Nixon from beginning to end. 

𝕋𝕖𝕞𝕡𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 is a audiobook that surpassed the ebook for me and I am excited to continue on with the next book in the series. This audiobook truly had everything you would want in narration and storyline and it is a standing ovation for Bella giving us such a phenomenal addition to our collection of audiobooks!

Rating: 100+; Nixon Sinclair continued to give me swoon level palpitations in the narration of his story and ooo what a way to go!

Thank you to Bella for sending me this eALC!

Racing Hearts by K.A. Knight

challenging emotional funny 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

5.0

💜𝕣ꪖᥴⅈꪀᧁ ꫝꫀꪖ𝕣𝕥ડ - ρⅈꪀꫀ ꪜꪖꪶꪶꫀꪗ ᥴꪮꪶꪶꫀᧁꫀ 𝟙 - 𝕣ꫀꪜⅈꫀ᭙💜 

 

Author: K.A. Knight 

 

Couple: Evan Shaw & Alek Anders 

 

Tropes: MM romance, LGBTQ+, found family, street racers, college romance, dark romance, mystery/thriller, Grumpy x Sunshine 

 

Review: Racing Hearts left me in an emotional mess. Katie once again delivers an emotional journey in her first MM romance. Evan and Alek are two tortured heroes who refuse to bend to the other but also find a home in one another. This book showcased many difficult topics but shined a light on the fragility of “coming out of the closet”. Evan and Alek will hold a place in my top reads by Katie for a while after the rollercoaster they took me on! 

 

Alek and Evan are total opposites who I would have never matched together but also somehow work perfectly together. Alek is the typical grumpy, broody, quiet mechanic who moonlights as an illegal street racer and Evan is the artsy, flirty player who is perfectly comfortable in his skin. Katie provided the BEST meet-hate for them and I enjoyed all the tension and angst Alek goes through on his journey to accept who he is. Evan’s support of Alek finding himself was one of my favorite parts in this book since it was the backbone to their romance. I also appreciated how Katie did not make Evan a pushover and instead allowed him to be pushed only so far until he decided to step up for himself. 

 

While this is a romance book, the subplots provide much of the action within the story. Alice, Alek’s sister, was a vital character in this book and I adored the levity she brought to both MCs. I also loved how she stood up for both of them at different times but also pushed them together. Her meddlesome nature was something that always made me smile and at the end of the day I LOVED how she protected her brother from further heartache when Evan broke it off. While Alice was my favorite, all of the secondary characters (Lally, Bones, Noah, Tommy, Sky, & Mackie) provide a strong sense of found family and support for both Evan and Alek through the whole book while also giving hints at things to *hopefully* come! 

 

Another big area in this book was the mystery surrounding the sta!ker and the secret society Evan is a part of. The way Katie drive the suspense factor from these two subplots elevated the story so much that I could not believe all the twists and turns Alek, Evan and the crew go through. The shocking turn of events that play out at the end when the perpetrator is revealed is classic Katie and perfect for anyone who loves a good suspense plot that pushes the MCs together! This book was a great first dip into Pine Valley and I cannot wait to see who is next! 

 

Rating: 5/5, Racing Hearts is the next emotional rollercoaster romance Katie takes us on and I never want to get off! 

 

 

Thank you to Katie for sending me this eARC!

The Player's Club by Fallon Greer

emotional funny fast-paced

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

4.0

🥅𝕋𝕙𝕖 ℙ𝕝𝕒𝕪𝕖𝕣’𝕤 ℂ𝕝𝕦𝕓 - 𝔸𝔹𝕒𝕕𝔹𝕠𝕪𝕤 ℂ𝕝𝕦𝕓ℕ𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝 - ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨🥅 

 

Author: Fallon Greer 

 

Couple: Elodie Andrews & Cole “Mac” Mackenzie 

 

Tropes: Journalist FMC, hockey romance, friends to lovers, BDSM x s3x club, reformed player, sports romance, Dom/Sub 

 

Review: The Player’s Club satisfied my need for a new hockey romance! Fallon Greer provides your next book boyfriend in this book in the form of Cole Mackenzie and WOW is he HAWT! From page 1, I was sucked into the way she crafted this story of a “rag” columnist FMC who goes undercover to get access to her target who is no other than the infamous Mac Mackenzie! Elodie and Mac were full of laughs, found family and tragic deceit as this book unfolds which leaves us wrung out and wanting more. 

 

Elodie and Mac have an intense attraction from the meet cute and I found the unorthodox meet cute to fit into their story arcs perfectly. Fallon introduces the underground club Mac is a member of in a way that intrigues you and also sucks you in. This is not your usual hockey romance and Mac is not the typical player. I found the themes of BDSM and Dom/Sub to fit the MCs, especially Mac, wonderfully and enjoyed the evolution of their relationship. Fallon also tackles the themes of discrimination and abuse well as we delve into Mac’s past and learn what his first dip into the Dom/Sub life was like. 

 

Elodie was a shock to me. I found the way Fallon drove her backstory to be shocking in the best of ways since I expected her to be more deceitful. I loved how she became immersed in Mac’s life and ultimately refused to write her article. However, I found myself wishing she had told Mac her career sooner in the book since the fallout was epic when he learns about what she does. Fallon weaves the emotional turmoil Elodie goes through in this book in a way that keeps you on edge but unable to hate her since she becomes Mac’s biggest supporter and advisary. 

 

This book was a great read and hits all the bases for a sports romance and friends to lovers read. From the initial meet cute to the end these two melted my heart and I loved how they showed up to support each other in this book. Fallon did a wonderful job with making two unique characters showcase their faults in their swoon worthy romance and well deserved HEA! 

 

Rating: 4/5, A spicy and lustful hockey romance with your next hockey book boyfriend! 

 

Thank you to Grey’s Promo & Greer for sending me this eARC!