Take a photo of a barcode or cover
originalbooknerd's Reviews (993)
emotional
funny
fast-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
โฐ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ฑ๐ - ๐พ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐พ๐๐๐๐ 0.5 - ๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐โฐ
Author: LJ Shen
Couple: Melody Greene & Jaime Followhill
Tropes: student x teacher, possessive obsessive alphahole, reverse age gap, high school romance (MMC 18+), football romance, billionaire romance, forbidden and taboo
Review: DEFYโฆwow, LJ did it again! This is the prequel to the Sinners of Saint series and we begin with Jaime Followhill and his UTLIMATE fantasy. Jaimeโs book is short, HAWT and INTENSE like all good LJ books and also provides us with all the angst perfect for people who love forbidden romances. DEFY was a whirlwind romance that sucked me in from page one and these two just kept getting better!
Melody is the goody two shoes teacher that never strays to far from the wrong side of the line. I loved how she was so GOOD and had to wrestle with herself for giving into her feelings. Her POV is heartbreaking yet beautiful since we really begin to see her open up as Jaime wins her over. LJ did really well with the forbidden student x teacher trope and Melodyโs character was unique and also perfect for how possessive Jaime is!
Jaime is THE one in this book. He was so gone for Melody that his emotions bled through the pages. I adored seeing all the OG sinners in their high school ages and enjoyed seeing their starting points. I also LOVED how Jaime was an ALPHAhole orโฆa HOTHOLE! The way he gave everything to Melody and was being torn up at the same time since he did not want her to get hurt was emotional angst at its finest and it was so easy to binge his book for this and this alone! Ultimately, Jaime is the OG Sinner whose romance is perfectly taboo and delicious to read!
Rating: 4/5, A HAWT, spicy romance between a high school senior and his favorite teacher and their taboo love affair!
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
๐๐ผ๐ป ๐ด๐๐ ๐ฒ๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐ - ๐ฏ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฏ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฎ๐๐๐พ๐๐ ๐ค - ๐
๐๐๐พ๐๐ ๐
Author: Helena Hunting
Couple: Peggy Aurora Hammerstein & Hollis Hendrix
Tropes: hockey romance, dadโs best friend, age gap (12 years), she falls first x he falls harder, forced proximity, forbidden romance, she cat sits for him
Review: If You Want Me is ANGST. Helena packed this book to the brim with all of the angst and turmoil you could imagine. From the beginning Peggy is the character who sucked me into the book and kept me feeling all the emotions as I continued to read. Helena was able to capture the forbidden aspect of their romance to a T and I enjoyed every page!
Peggy is the daughter of Hollisโ best friend and from the beginning this romance is the ULTIMATE forbidden fantasy. I adored Peggy and appreciated how her story had so much included in it from lusting after Hollis to gaining confidence to learning to color outside the lines. Helena was able to capture her wild spirit and silently confident nature really well and did it in a way that made you want to hold Peggy up above the rest or give her a big hug.
Hollis was an enigma. I found his POV the hardest to read since he was at a time in his life and career where he was having to make big decisions. The utter despair he went through when he was injured playing to the elation when he finally gave into his growing feelings to Peggy left me in a pendulum swing. I found that while he was so much older than Peggy he was the saddest bit more immature but also a lot more fearful due to prior heartbreak. However, I absolutely adored how he encouraged Peggy to achieve her goals and constantly pushed her to gain confidence.
Peggy and Hollis are a sweet and spicy romance that is a TON different than Rex and Tristan but also the perfect balance before we get Dallas and Hemi next! The romance was perfection for the two and I loved how they each leaned on the other during tough timesโฆ.and I LOVED how Hollis went man to man to admit his feelings to Peggyโs father! This book was a good read and was packed full of awkward moments and laughs that have me dying for book 3 and more of these characters!
Rating: 4/5, Peggy and Hollis are the ultimate forbidden romance and Helena once again destroyed my heart with this book and emotional rollercoaster they went through to achieve their HEA!
Thank you Helena & Good Girls PR for the eARC copy!
๐๐ผ๐ป ๐ด๐๐ ๐ฒ๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐ - ๐ฏ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฏ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฎ๐๐๐พ๐๐ ๐ค - ๐๐๐น๐พ๐๐ท๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐พ๐๐๐
Author: Helena Hunting
Narrators: Stella Bloom & Zachary Webber
Couple: Peggy Aurora Hammerstein & Hollis Hendrix
Tropes: hockey romance, dadโs best friend, age gap (12 years), she falls first x he falls harder, forced proximity, forbidden romance, she cat sits for him
Review: If You Want Me was a book I enjoyed listening to more than reading and it had everything to do with Stella Bloom! Stella and Zachary captured the voices of Peggy and Hollis in a way that made reading it a little lackluster since it took away the voices that brought all the angst to life. Helena killed it with picking narrators and I can say that this audio was addicting and hard to pause.
Stella Bloom was top notch in this book and sounded like Peggyโs voice in my head. From the begging the voice she had was able to emote the angst, tension, lust and wit Peggyโs POV had in spades. The way she also matched with Zachary Webber just brought this whole book to life. Zachary was also really strong in this audiobook and was just gruff enough for Hollis but also provided the emotional range needed for Hollisโ POV. Helena did good with these two and I am excited to see what comes with Dallas and Hemi!
Rating: 4/5, Peggy and Hollis come to life in your ears in this audiobook and once again Helena chose narrators perfect for the characters!
Thank you Helena & Good Girls PR for the eALC copy!
Author: Helena Hunting
Couple: Peggy Aurora Hammerstein & Hollis Hendrix
Tropes: hockey romance, dadโs best friend, age gap (12 years), she falls first x he falls harder, forced proximity, forbidden romance, she cat sits for him
Review: If You Want Me is ANGST. Helena packed this book to the brim with all of the angst and turmoil you could imagine. From the beginning Peggy is the character who sucked me into the book and kept me feeling all the emotions as I continued to read. Helena was able to capture the forbidden aspect of their romance to a T and I enjoyed every page!
Peggy is the daughter of Hollisโ best friend and from the beginning this romance is the ULTIMATE forbidden fantasy. I adored Peggy and appreciated how her story had so much included in it from lusting after Hollis to gaining confidence to learning to color outside the lines. Helena was able to capture her wild spirit and silently confident nature really well and did it in a way that made you want to hold Peggy up above the rest or give her a big hug.
Hollis was an enigma. I found his POV the hardest to read since he was at a time in his life and career where he was having to make big decisions. The utter despair he went through when he was injured playing to the elation when he finally gave into his growing feelings to Peggy left me in a pendulum swing. I found that while he was so much older than Peggy he was the saddest bit more immature but also a lot more fearful due to prior heartbreak. However, I absolutely adored how he encouraged Peggy to achieve her goals and constantly pushed her to gain confidence.
Peggy and Hollis are a sweet and spicy romance that is a TON different than Rex and Tristan but also the perfect balance before we get Dallas and Hemi next! The romance was perfection for the two and I loved how they each leaned on the other during tough timesโฆ.and I LOVED how Hollis went man to man to admit his feelings to Peggyโs father! This book was a good read and was packed full of awkward moments and laughs that have me dying for book 3 and more of these characters!
Rating: 4/5, Peggy and Hollis are the ultimate forbidden romance and Helena once again destroyed my heart with this book and emotional rollercoaster they went through to achieve their HEA!
Thank you Helena & Good Girls PR for the eARC copy!
๐๐ผ๐ป ๐ด๐๐ ๐ฒ๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐ - ๐ฏ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฏ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฎ๐๐๐พ๐๐ ๐ค - ๐๐๐น๐พ๐๐ท๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐พ๐๐๐
Author: Helena Hunting
Narrators: Stella Bloom & Zachary Webber
Couple: Peggy Aurora Hammerstein & Hollis Hendrix
Tropes: hockey romance, dadโs best friend, age gap (12 years), she falls first x he falls harder, forced proximity, forbidden romance, she cat sits for him
Review: If You Want Me was a book I enjoyed listening to more than reading and it had everything to do with Stella Bloom! Stella and Zachary captured the voices of Peggy and Hollis in a way that made reading it a little lackluster since it took away the voices that brought all the angst to life. Helena killed it with picking narrators and I can say that this audio was addicting and hard to pause.
Stella Bloom was top notch in this book and sounded like Peggyโs voice in my head. From the begging the voice she had was able to emote the angst, tension, lust and wit Peggyโs POV had in spades. The way she also matched with Zachary Webber just brought this whole book to life. Zachary was also really strong in this audiobook and was just gruff enough for Hollis but also provided the emotional range needed for Hollisโ POV. Helena did good with these two and I am excited to see what comes with Dallas and Hemi!
Rating: 4/5, Peggy and Hollis come to life in your ears in this audiobook and once again Helena chose narrators perfect for the characters!
Thank you Helena & Good Girls PR for the eALC copy!
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
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
๐ฉต๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ ๐น๐๐๐ ๐๐ป ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐๐ - ๐ป๐๐ถ๐๐๐๐๐๐พ๐๐๐ ๐ง - ๐
๐๐๐พ๐๐๐ฉต
Author: Katherine Jay
Couple: Lainey Bennett & Thomas Kelly
Tropes: Age-gap, Forbidden Love, Brotherโs best friend, Football player & ballerina, Healing/Trauma/Mental illness, Childhood Friends to Lovers
Review: A Sky Full of Stars is responsible for 90% of the tears I have shed while reading this year. Katherine really brought her best in this book and I could not believe the way I loved Laineyโs character in this book. From the beginning her story and character sucked me in and refused to let go and all I have to say is that she deserved her HEA at the end.
Lainey and Thomas have the most emotional romance in this series in my opinion and there were times I had to pause while reading to get a grip. The two of them are a perfect catastrophe waiting to happen and the crush Lainey has on Thomas adds fuel to the fire at first while we learn bits and pieces of their intertwined past. They way Katherine hooked us in the prologue drove me to read and see what the event that led them there was and I could not believe the inner resilience Lainey had throughout this book. The way she dealt with mental health struggles also added a layer of rawness to her story and Katherine did a wonderful job in this area of her story.
Thomas was a bit of a shock to me in this book. I found him to be a lot more soft and sweet than I expected and loved how he ADORED Lainey. The way he supports her and is utterly obsessed with her melted my heart and the explosion of them left me happy and sated for a bit. This book did the forbidden romance well and the two of them pushed and pulled at the right times but also fit in ways that showed how well they fit with one another. Katherine did a good job with creating the tension between them as they realize they are in too deep with their feelings and I always love a good explosion of brothers and parents finding out, which did not upset in this book.
A Sky Full of Stars is an emotional journey that is guaranteed to make you grab for the tissues but also clutch your heart in relief. Katherine poured her soul into this story and it shows all the way through. This book closed out the Heartstrings series with a bang and I am sad that this chapter is closing but cannot wait for what is to come!
Rating: 4.5/5, an emotional, angst filled sports romance to round out this heartfelt series by Katherine!
Thank you to Katherine for sending me this eARC!
emotional
funny
lighthearted
slow-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
๐ซถ๐ป๐ต๐๐พ๐น๐๐๐๐ถ๐พ๐น ๐ฐ๐๐น๐๐๐ธ๐๐๐๐ - ๐๐๐๐๐๐น ๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐ต๐๐พ๐น๐๐๐๐ถ๐พ๐น ๐๐๐๐พ๐๐ ๐ค - ๐
๐๐๐พ๐๐๐ซถ๐ป
Author: Meghan Quinn
Couple: Everly Plum & Hardy Hopper
Tropes: secret pining, friends to lovers, wedding vibes, billionaire romance, found family, she falls first x he falls harder, workplace romance
Review: Meghan Quinn does it again with Bridesmaid Undercover! This book had me in STITCHES while reading and was impossible to put down until I finished! Hardy and Everly ensnared me right off the bat with the absolute obliviousness Hardy had in regard to Everly's fangirl crush. I adored how Everly pined so long for him since it made her agreement with him to rekindle his love with his ex that much more awkward.
Hardy was a HOOT in this book and that man held this book together in my opinion. From the get go he was over the top, in your face and hilariously awkward in his plans to send Everly 'undercover' to learn information about Maple, the ex-girlfriend, and I enjoyed how Meghan cranked up the awkward levels to extraordinary heights (the warehouse scene with Brody!!). While the initial focus Hardy had was to rekindle his feelings with Maple, his friendship and bond with Everly was TO DIE for! The way they grew close and had so many inside jokes, moments and attraction melted my heart and I was so happy when he realized his feelings!
While Hardy was my man in this book, Everly had some epicness of her own. Meghan really did it up with her obsessive crush, her need to help Hardy and her refusal to move past the love she had for him. I enjoyed how Everly evolved in this book but found her emotional angst to be what drew me into her character (and the rants she had with her sister). The ups and downs she goes through while ironically enough befriending Maple kept me entertained but still rooting for her to force Hardy to realize his feelings.
Hardy and Everly maybe one of my favorite Meghan Quinn couples to date and this book blended all the best things from her other series! Like give her a round of applause for giving JP Crane a new bird to obsess over (enter Flamingos!) instead of pigeons! The email blasts from him provided extra laughs at the best times! This romance was a bit slower burn but definitely did not hold the heat with the innuendos and angst! Hardy and Everly were a bucket of fun to read and I can't wait for more of the Almond Bay and Almond Bay Bridesmaids to come!
Rating: 100+, a laugh out loud romance that puts a spin on trying to get back with an old flame to only fall for the girl in front of you the whole time! This book is guaranteed to make you fall in love with Hardy and Everly as they bumble through their ironically hilarious romance!
Thank you to Hambright PR & Meghanโs team for sending me this eARC!
๐ซถ๐ป๐ต๐๐พ๐น๐๐๐๐ถ๐พ๐น ๐ฐ๐๐น๐๐๐ธ๐๐๐๐ - ๐๐๐๐๐๐น ๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐ต๐๐พ๐น๐๐๐๐ถ๐พ๐น ๐๐๐๐พ๐๐ ๐ค - ๐๐๐น๐พ๐๐ท๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐พ๐๐๐ซถ๐ป
Author: Meghan Quinn
Narrator: Samantha Brentmoor & Jason Clarke
Couple: Everly Plum & Hardy Hopper
Tropes: secret pining, friends to lovers, wedding vibes, billionaire romance, found family, she falls first x he falls harder, workplace romance
Review: Bridesmaid Undercover was another amazing read by Meghan Quinn but the audiobook was where it was at! Samantha Brentmoor and Jason Clarke fit Everly and Hardy like peanut butter and jelly. I found myself laughing, crying, and clutching my chest, with tears streaming down my face as I listened to this book and in my opinion if the book doesnโt make you react this way then you havenโt read or listened to it right. From the prologue Jason cemented himself as the POV that kept my attention and I found the way he encapsulated Hardy to bring his POV to life. I loved how he made the voices, emoted all the THINGS and included the utter confusion in Hardyโs character as he goes from Everlyโs boss to confidant to best friend to the utter fool who loves her!
Samantha Brentmoor was also a bright star in this book and she performed at level 100. The way she was able to meld with Jasonโs voice and elevate him as well as bring Everly to life while telling the story kept me hanging on to her words while also trying to retain my laughter. I found her voice to be the one who held more humor since Everlyโs character was just so hilarious in this book but also have to commend her for the way she was able to sound awkward and almost shy at times as Everlyโs character navigates her epic pining and long-standing crush on Hardy.
Bridesmaid Undercover was a phenomenal audiobook and I loved every minute of Jason and Samantha bringing this story to life. Meghan blew it out of the water in this book and the only thing that would make it better is if JP Craneโs voice had its own whinny but gruff voice about saving the pigeons!
Rating: 5/5, Bridesmaid Undercover is an audiobook made to make you spit your drink out while rolling on the floor laughing and Meghan did the job with these two narrators!
Thank you to Hambright PR, Good Girls PR & Meghanโs team for sending me this eALC!
Author: Meghan Quinn
Couple: Everly Plum & Hardy Hopper
Tropes: secret pining, friends to lovers, wedding vibes, billionaire romance, found family, she falls first x he falls harder, workplace romance
Review: Meghan Quinn does it again with Bridesmaid Undercover! This book had me in STITCHES while reading and was impossible to put down until I finished! Hardy and Everly ensnared me right off the bat with the absolute obliviousness Hardy had in regard to Everly's fangirl crush. I adored how Everly pined so long for him since it made her agreement with him to rekindle his love with his ex that much more awkward.
Hardy was a HOOT in this book and that man held this book together in my opinion. From the get go he was over the top, in your face and hilariously awkward in his plans to send Everly 'undercover' to learn information about Maple, the ex-girlfriend, and I enjoyed how Meghan cranked up the awkward levels to extraordinary heights (the warehouse scene with Brody!!). While the initial focus Hardy had was to rekindle his feelings with Maple, his friendship and bond with Everly was TO DIE for! The way they grew close and had so many inside jokes, moments and attraction melted my heart and I was so happy when he realized his feelings!
While Hardy was my man in this book, Everly had some epicness of her own. Meghan really did it up with her obsessive crush, her need to help Hardy and her refusal to move past the love she had for him. I enjoyed how Everly evolved in this book but found her emotional angst to be what drew me into her character (and the rants she had with her sister). The ups and downs she goes through while ironically enough befriending Maple kept me entertained but still rooting for her to force Hardy to realize his feelings.
Hardy and Everly maybe one of my favorite Meghan Quinn couples to date and this book blended all the best things from her other series! Like give her a round of applause for giving JP Crane a new bird to obsess over (enter Flamingos!) instead of pigeons! The email blasts from him provided extra laughs at the best times! This romance was a bit slower burn but definitely did not hold the heat with the innuendos and angst! Hardy and Everly were a bucket of fun to read and I can't wait for more of the Almond Bay and Almond Bay Bridesmaids to come!
Rating: 100+, a laugh out loud romance that puts a spin on trying to get back with an old flame to only fall for the girl in front of you the whole time! This book is guaranteed to make you fall in love with Hardy and Everly as they bumble through their ironically hilarious romance!
Thank you to Hambright PR & Meghanโs team for sending me this eARC!
๐ซถ๐ป๐ต๐๐พ๐น๐๐๐๐ถ๐พ๐น ๐ฐ๐๐น๐๐๐ธ๐๐๐๐ - ๐๐๐๐๐๐น ๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐ต๐๐พ๐น๐๐๐๐ถ๐พ๐น ๐๐๐๐พ๐๐ ๐ค - ๐๐๐น๐พ๐๐ท๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐พ๐๐๐ซถ๐ป
Author: Meghan Quinn
Narrator: Samantha Brentmoor & Jason Clarke
Couple: Everly Plum & Hardy Hopper
Tropes: secret pining, friends to lovers, wedding vibes, billionaire romance, found family, she falls first x he falls harder, workplace romance
Review: Bridesmaid Undercover was another amazing read by Meghan Quinn but the audiobook was where it was at! Samantha Brentmoor and Jason Clarke fit Everly and Hardy like peanut butter and jelly. I found myself laughing, crying, and clutching my chest, with tears streaming down my face as I listened to this book and in my opinion if the book doesnโt make you react this way then you havenโt read or listened to it right. From the prologue Jason cemented himself as the POV that kept my attention and I found the way he encapsulated Hardy to bring his POV to life. I loved how he made the voices, emoted all the THINGS and included the utter confusion in Hardyโs character as he goes from Everlyโs boss to confidant to best friend to the utter fool who loves her!
Samantha Brentmoor was also a bright star in this book and she performed at level 100. The way she was able to meld with Jasonโs voice and elevate him as well as bring Everly to life while telling the story kept me hanging on to her words while also trying to retain my laughter. I found her voice to be the one who held more humor since Everlyโs character was just so hilarious in this book but also have to commend her for the way she was able to sound awkward and almost shy at times as Everlyโs character navigates her epic pining and long-standing crush on Hardy.
Bridesmaid Undercover was a phenomenal audiobook and I loved every minute of Jason and Samantha bringing this story to life. Meghan blew it out of the water in this book and the only thing that would make it better is if JP Craneโs voice had its own whinny but gruff voice about saving the pigeons!
Rating: 5/5, Bridesmaid Undercover is an audiobook made to make you spit your drink out while rolling on the floor laughing and Meghan did the job with these two narrators!
Thank you to Hambright PR, Good Girls PR & Meghanโs team for sending me this eALC!
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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
๐๐๐๐ ๐น๐ ๐ช๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ ๐พ๐ ๐๐ - ๐๐ ๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ โ๐ ๐๐๐๐ช ๐ - โ๐๐ง๐๐๐จ๐
Author: Lauren Blakely
Couple: Josie & Wesley
Tropes: Sports/Hockey Romance, One Night Stand, Teammateโs Little Sister, Forced Proximity, Roommates to Lovers, Opposites Attract
Review: The Boyfriend Goal was a hockey romance fit to satisfy your hockey craving! Josie and Wes were hilarious together and Lauren was phenomenal at creating the angst, tension and banter between them. Wesley Bryant is a 10/10 book boyfriend in this book and I think I adored him from meet-cute and then only fell harder as I read each page!
Wes and Josie are the favored โCaptainโs Little Sisterโ trope and โForced proximity x roommatesโ trope and oh what a ride these two forbidden romance tropes were with them! I loved how Lauren played up the secret relationship and one night stand these two embarked on but the way Wes stood up for Josie and pushed her to achieve her goals was where this book hit the feels hard. The care and adoration he had for Josie was swoon worthy to read and I loved how Lauren created all the layers to his character - especially the way he admitted his vulnerabilities and faults to her!
Josie on the other hand was a character. I loved her quirkiness and awkwardness throughout the book and found that The shy, book nerd, librarian vibes she gave off. The way Lauren grew her character and developed her story allowed for me to see how Josie grew into herself after meeting Wesley. I appreciated that her backstory was more complex and that this book did not just center around the forbidden aspect of Wesley being on her older brotherโs hockey team. I also found her relationship with Christian, her brother, to be unique since they were not the closest of siblings but both were fiercely independent.
Josie and Wes were adorable to read. I enjoyed their banter and how witty and sarcastic it was as well as how sweet and sassy Josie was towards Wes. Lauren was able to ratchet up the heat but also develop a wonderful bond between the two MCs that made this book hard to put down. This book was a fun read and is the perfect way to set off the series Love and Hockey!
Rating: 5/5, Wes and Josie were a spicy yet sweet romance full of found family, nerdy jokes and witty romance!
Thank you Lauren & Good Girls PR for the eARC copy!
๐๐๐๐ ๐น๐ ๐ช๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ ๐พ๐ ๐๐ - ๐๐ ๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ โ๐ ๐๐๐๐ช ๐ - ๐ธ๐ฆ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐ โ๐๐ง๐๐๐จ๐
Author: Lauren Blakely
Couple: Josie & Wesley
Narrators: Erin Mallon & Connor Crais
Tropes: Sports/Hockey Romance, One Night Stand, Teammateโs Little Sister, Forced Proximity, Roommates to Lovers, Opposites Attract
Review: AHHH! Connor Crais brings the ULTIMATE book boyfriend to life in this book and Lauren Blakely once again gives us an audiobook hard to press pause on! Connor and Erin dominated The Boyfriend Goalโs audiobook and these two were able to capture the emotion wonderfully in this book! From the get-go you can hear and feel the tension and angst between the narrators and it only gets better as the book goes on!
Connor was hands down the narrator I loved in this book. This was mainly due to how Wesley was the character in the book I adored the most and who was just utterly SWOON-WORTHY! The way he and Erin worked together in this book really brought it to life and I could just envision all the forbidden vibes and angst between Josie and Wes. Overall, this is an audiobook I would recommend if you enjoy hockey romance!
Rating: 4/5, Erin and Connor deliver another great audiobook that is hard to pause as Josie and Wes find their HEA together!
Thank you Lauren & Good Girls PR for the eALC copy!
Author: Lauren Blakely
Couple: Josie & Wesley
Tropes: Sports/Hockey Romance, One Night Stand, Teammateโs Little Sister, Forced Proximity, Roommates to Lovers, Opposites Attract
Review: The Boyfriend Goal was a hockey romance fit to satisfy your hockey craving! Josie and Wes were hilarious together and Lauren was phenomenal at creating the angst, tension and banter between them. Wesley Bryant is a 10/10 book boyfriend in this book and I think I adored him from meet-cute and then only fell harder as I read each page!
Wes and Josie are the favored โCaptainโs Little Sisterโ trope and โForced proximity x roommatesโ trope and oh what a ride these two forbidden romance tropes were with them! I loved how Lauren played up the secret relationship and one night stand these two embarked on but the way Wes stood up for Josie and pushed her to achieve her goals was where this book hit the feels hard. The care and adoration he had for Josie was swoon worthy to read and I loved how Lauren created all the layers to his character - especially the way he admitted his vulnerabilities and faults to her!
Josie on the other hand was a character. I loved her quirkiness and awkwardness throughout the book and found that The shy, book nerd, librarian vibes she gave off. The way Lauren grew her character and developed her story allowed for me to see how Josie grew into herself after meeting Wesley. I appreciated that her backstory was more complex and that this book did not just center around the forbidden aspect of Wesley being on her older brotherโs hockey team. I also found her relationship with Christian, her brother, to be unique since they were not the closest of siblings but both were fiercely independent.
Josie and Wes were adorable to read. I enjoyed their banter and how witty and sarcastic it was as well as how sweet and sassy Josie was towards Wes. Lauren was able to ratchet up the heat but also develop a wonderful bond between the two MCs that made this book hard to put down. This book was a fun read and is the perfect way to set off the series Love and Hockey!
Rating: 5/5, Wes and Josie were a spicy yet sweet romance full of found family, nerdy jokes and witty romance!
Thank you Lauren & Good Girls PR for the eARC copy!
๐๐๐๐ ๐น๐ ๐ช๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ ๐พ๐ ๐๐ - ๐๐ ๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ โ๐ ๐๐๐๐ช ๐ - ๐ธ๐ฆ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐ โ๐๐ง๐๐๐จ๐
Author: Lauren Blakely
Couple: Josie & Wesley
Narrators: Erin Mallon & Connor Crais
Tropes: Sports/Hockey Romance, One Night Stand, Teammateโs Little Sister, Forced Proximity, Roommates to Lovers, Opposites Attract
Review: AHHH! Connor Crais brings the ULTIMATE book boyfriend to life in this book and Lauren Blakely once again gives us an audiobook hard to press pause on! Connor and Erin dominated The Boyfriend Goalโs audiobook and these two were able to capture the emotion wonderfully in this book! From the get-go you can hear and feel the tension and angst between the narrators and it only gets better as the book goes on!
Connor was hands down the narrator I loved in this book. This was mainly due to how Wesley was the character in the book I adored the most and who was just utterly SWOON-WORTHY! The way he and Erin worked together in this book really brought it to life and I could just envision all the forbidden vibes and angst between Josie and Wes. Overall, this is an audiobook I would recommend if you enjoy hockey romance!
Rating: 4/5, Erin and Connor deliver another great audiobook that is hard to pause as Josie and Wes find their HEA together!
Thank you Lauren & Good Girls PR for the eALC copy!
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
โฟ๐๐๐ ๐น๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐พ๐ ๐๐ค ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ค๐ฅ๐๐ฃ๐ค - ๐๐ ๐ฃ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐พ๐ ๐๐ค ๐ - โ๐๐ง๐๐๐จโฟ
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 Kieraโs 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 runningโฆnot 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 playโฆhandcuffs 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 Kieraโs 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.
Kieraโs 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 Caedmonโs 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 Kieraโs powers and manifestation of her familyโs 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 restraintsโฆ.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 worldโฆand maybe little Darkhavens in a futureโฆepilogueโฆspinoff?? 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 sayโฆDADDDY RUEN FOR LIFE (but Kalix is still my fav)!
Thank you @authorlucysmoke for the eARC!
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
๐๐๐พ๐๐๐ฏ๐๐ฏ๐ถ๐๐ - ๐ฒ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ฒ๐พ๐๐น๐ธ๐ถ๐๐๐ป๐๐ธ๐๐๐๐ง - ๐
๐๐๐พ๐๐๐
Author: Jennifer Sucevic
Couple: Willow Thompson & Maverick McKinnon
Tropes: Sports/Hockey Romance, One Night Stand, Rival platerโs 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 otherโs lives perfectly!
Willow is the little sister of Maverickโs 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 rivalโs 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.
Willowโs 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 Willowโs 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 Willowโs 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. Willowโs 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 Willowโs 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+, WOWโฆWillow 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!
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
๐ธ๐น๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ฃ โ๐๐ง๐๐ - ๐๐ฆ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ ๐ โ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ค ๐ - โ๐๐ง๐๐๐จ๐ธ
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 canโt even be sad about it after finishing Daisyโs and Beckettโs 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 crushโs 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!
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
โฟ๐๐ฃ๐ฑ๐ฎ ๐๐พ๐ท๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐๐ฎ๐ฒ๐ป - ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ฒ๐ต๐ฎ๐ญ ๐๐ฒ๐ท๐ฐ๐ญ๐ธ๐ถ ๐ข๐ฎ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ผ 2 - ๐ก๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐โฟ
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 HeirโฆHolly why donโt 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 usโฆand 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 HollyโฆEVER! All the ups and downs they go through; first with the King, then with Dacreโs 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!
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
๐๐ฅ๐๐ก๐ฌ๐ด๐ฐ ๐ฌ๐ฃ ๐ฑ๐ฅ๐ข โญ๐ฏ๐ฌ๐ด๐ซ - ๐๐ฅ๐๐ก๐ฌ๐ด๐ฐ ๐ฌ๐ฃ ๐ฑ๐ฅ๐ข โญ๐ฏ๐ฌ๐ด๐ซ 1 - โ๐ข๐ณ๐ฆ๐ข๐ด
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 theโฆ, 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 Ariellaโs 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 childโs 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 letโs 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 nextโฆand 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 โassassin and Crown Princeโ 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 Caspianโs 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 Ariellaโs 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!
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!