originalbooknerd's reviews
978 reviews

If You Give a Billionaire a Bride by Ann Einerson

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

4.0

𝐼𝒻𝒴𝑜𝓊𝒢𝒾𝓋𝑒𝒜𝐵𝒾𝓁𝓁𝒾𝑜𝓃𝒶𝒾𝓇𝑒𝒜𝐵𝓇𝒾𝒹𝑒 - 𝒜𝓈𝓅𝑒𝓃𝒢𝓇𝑜𝓋𝑒𝟤 - 𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌 

 

Author: Ann Einerson 

 

Couple: Everly Townstead & Cash Stafford 

 

Tropes: Marriage of Convenience, Brother’s Best Friend, Billionaire Romance, Banter & Spice, Lots of “My Wife”, No Third Act Breakup, He Falls First, There’s Only One Bed 

 

Review: Laugh out loud funny! If You Give A Billionaire A Bride is my first read by Ann and it has cemented her as one of my favorite romcom authors for contemporary romance! Everly and Cash were two peas in a pod and I enjoyed their story of found family, love and friendship. The “marriage of convenience” and “brother’s best friend” are two of my favorite tropes and she did them up well in this book! 

 

Cash is the reformed playboy with a tragic past. HIs story was both heart warming and gut wrenching since it was obvious to everyone but him that he was hiding himself after his accident as a teen. I appreciated that Cash was not your usual playboy billionaire and instead had a heart of gold and the attitude of a golden retriever. The way Ann was able to include his view of himself while also opening him up after his marriage to Everly was my favorite part of this story and who doesn’t love to have a hot male cheerleader to inspire confidence in everything? 

 

Everly on the other hand was the glue in this book in my opinion. Her growing feelings for Cash and the tenuous truths she shared with her twin and Cash’s best friend provided enough drama in this book for me but also just enough comedic relief when things got tense. I adored the way Every was coming out of her shell around Cash and her family, especially how she aspired to be a boss lady in the family business. Her romance with Cash left me full of the feels and completely swooning over Cash every time her said “my wife” or inspired her to achieve her dreams. 

 

This book was more of a medium burn and the two of them had the TENSION in spades! Cash and Everly were a hilarious couple who brought out the strengths in each other and tempered the weaknesses. The way they evolved their relationship, feelings and spice provided for a great romcom and I cannot wait to see them in future books as the rest of the Stafford’s fall in love! 

 

Rating: 4/5, a laugh out loud fake marriage turned real love romcom between two people who crushed on each other as teens! 

 

 

Thank you to Wordsmith PR and Ann for sending me this eARC!

When the Stars Fall by Emery Rose

challenging emotional slow-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? It's complicated

4.0

𝒲𝒽𝑒𝓃 𝒮𝓉𝒶𝓇𝓈 𝐹𝒶𝓁𝓁 - 𝐿𝑜𝓈𝓉 𝒮𝓉𝒶𝓇𝓈 1 - 𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌 

 

Author: Emery Rose 

 

Couple: Lila & Jude McAllister 

 

Tropes: childhood best friends, first love, single mother, military romance, small town, large family vibes, second chance 

 

Review: If you need a book to rip your heat out then look no further. When Stars Fall is an EMOTIONAL rollercoaster of a book and the way Emery chronicles the journey of all these characters was astounding. Jude and Lila do not have an easy love and they are not ones who break easily. I adored the way these two came together but found their struggles to be the part that sucked me in the most. 

 

Lila was a girl who had her heart broken by her childhood sweetheart and never quite recovered. I found her story with Brody and their son to be a favorite part in the book for me. I know it is an unpopular opinion but the bonds that those three had really held something in this book. I understood how Lila and Brody were not the villains like Jude wanted to believe and I truly thought they both deserved better than Jude. However, the way Lila and Jude’s commitment to one another was expanded upon was a layer to this book that brought out the heart and soul with the first McAllister son. Lila was a HUGE part in the healing Jude does and even though she was not the fiery FMC most expected, I found her softer side and quieter character to be what was needed in this book. 

 

Jude is an alphahole. He was as a kid and even more as an adult. The way Emery was able to create his war harden heart and PTSD is what made me enjoy his POV. The ups and downs he experiences after returning from service was gut wrenching and was in my opinion the dark star in this book. Jude’s character fit the title, When The Stars Fall, and I was astounded with the rawness Emery was able to grasp within his story. HIs hurt over Brody and Lila and then over all the changes in the McAllister family was a huge point of contention in his book and I wish he had gotten more push back from his family with how he initially treated the two. 

 

Lila and Jude tore my heart out. This story is full of emotion and turmoil that is not mainly one MCs fault or the other. Emery truly captured the pining and longing both MCs had and I was happy with how they moved past hardships. This book did not give us much on Brody’s story and I found the heartache he experienced to be a piece I really wanted. I cannot wait for more McAllister men and to see where is all goes from here! 

 

Rating: 4/5, Lila and Jude are a couple full of ups and downs with a heartwarming HEA at the end!

Wilder Love by Emery Rose

challenging dark emotional medium-paced

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

5.0

🌊𝒲𝒾𝓁𝒹𝑒𝓇 𝐿𝑜𝓋𝑒 - 𝐿𝑜𝓋𝑒 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒞𝒽𝒶𝑜𝓈 𝟣 - 𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌🌊 

 

“𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘨𝘰𝘢𝘭 𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦. 𝘊𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘺 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴.” 

 

“𝘐 𝘢𝘭𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦,” 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘧𝘵𝘭𝘺. “𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘯𝘰𝘸, 𝘮𝘺 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘺 𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴.” 

 

Author: Emery Rose 

 

Couple: Remington St. Clair & Shane Wilder 

 

Tropes: age-gap, second chance, one that got away, surfer boy vibes, small beach town, angsty and emotional, man obsessed, cheating and self-destructive FMC, trauma bond 

 

Review: NO. WORDS. Wilder Love 

Emery Rose left me in shreds halfway in and Remy and Shane only held on tighter and tighter to my heart as this book went on! There is truly no words worthy to express how raw and gritty this book was. Remy and Shane held me in a chokehold for 98% of this book and I feel like the breath they gave me at the end was just enough to LOVE the HEA Emery led us to! 

 

Remington St. Clair. WOW this girl had goals. Her story WRECKED me from page one and only destroyed me as I read further in. The meet cute and instant bond she shared with Shane shattered my perceptions of the young woman she was trying so hard to be and Emery was really able to grasp the idealism and restlessness she was born with. Remy's story begins while she is 15/16 and chronicles a 6-7 year span as her life takes a turn she would not have been able to predict. Her journey broke my heart multiple times and the broken paths she ventured on while trying to both find herself and mature as a young woman in the world was gripping. The tumultuous relationship she had with Shane before she ups and left also was a huge factor in her story and I wanted to hate her and hug her for what she did to destroy the man who was beginning to fall for the young spitfire. 

 

“𝘕𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘨𝘰 𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦. 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘭𝘭 𝘥𝘰 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵, 𝘙𝘦𝘮𝘺.” 

 

Shane Wilder was my guy in this book. He was a rock that acted as a beacon of hope for Remy and his group of friends. The tragedy in his story hit me A LOT harder than Remy’s and the way his sins came back to bit him in the butt just made me fall for him more. The carefree surfer we meet initially is NOT the man we get for most of this book and I found the 180 change he did in part two to be reflective of all the hurt Remy put him through as well as the destructive path he set off on while enraptured with her. Shane’s story was heart-wrenching from the beginning since we see the break-up with him and Remy coming from miles away. Her deception about her age was his first big obstacle in this book and then the storm she blows him into when they reconnect was the final gust that toppled the shaky trust they began to share upon reconnecting. 

 

Wilder Love was a romance that left me feeling Every. Little. Thing. From the instant lust and kismet connection Remy and Shane share to the explosive destruction they both cause to one another, these two were not a soft and kind romance. Shane and Remy were twin flames that burned too brightly at first and then were able to temper their flames to work through each other’s demons, pasts, trauma and lies. While I am not a fan of cheating in a book, the way Emery tackled that was not a dealbreaker for me. I felt for Remy and the choice she made when she lit a match to her young crush and love for Shane and understood why she believed it was the only way to free him of her. What did me in was the way Emery was able to grow both of their characters as this book progressed. This book is one I will always recommend to anyone wanting a uber emotional and angsty romance! 

 

Rating: BLEW MY MIND! This book cannot be rated in my opinion, Shane and Remy were a beautiful explosion waiting to happen and oh what a journey these two took me on!

Wicked Waters by Becca Steele

dark emotional mysterious slow-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

4.0

💙𝔚𝔦𝔠𝔨𝔢𝔡 𝔚𝔞𝔱𝔢𝔯𝔰 - 𝔊𝔬𝔡𝔰 𝔬𝔣 ℌ𝔞𝔱𝔥𝔢𝔯𝔩𝔢𝔶 ℌ𝔞𝔩𝔩 2- ℜ𝔢𝔳𝔦𝔢𝔴💙 

 

Author: Becca Steele 

 

Couple: Quinn & Roman Cavendish 

 

Tropes: bully romance, dark romance, mythology themes, Poseidon  reimagined, prep school romance, enemy to lovers, second chance, forced proximity 

 

Review: Deceitful. Deceptive. Mysterious. Intriguing. Wicked Waters is the second book in the Gods of Hatherley Hall series and the GODS are BACK as we meet another SWOON inducing Cavendish man! Becca once again took us on a journey of mystery, secrets and cunning as we navigate the choppy waters of Quinn and Roman’s romance. 

 

Roman Cavendish was eerily similar to the previous Cavendish men and I loved everything about his character and evolution. The way Becca blended his darkness and survival instinct with the Greek God Poseidon left me feeling the dark whimsical themes his POV had and I enjoyed all the references to stormy waters and gray skies. The ups and downs he went through in this book were NEXT level and I found the relentless drive he had to be the part I enjoyed the most. The slow acceptance Roman has with his Cavendish family was also long awaited and I enjoyed seeing Caiden again in this book and the sibling like bond they started to share. 

 

Quinn…oooh girl be ready! She was NOT the wallflower I initially thought she would be. The way she went head to head with Roman was phenomenal! While I really hated how she disregarded Roman at first, I quickly grew fond of her and the struggle she went through with her parents and friends. Becca was able to create the perfect blend of “dark mythology themes” and “rich girl x wrong side of the tracks boy” in her character arc and the growth she had was uber emotional. The one area I was a little upset with was how she refused to divulge her reason for ghosting Roman until the end and how it led to so much heartache and bu!!ying themes. Her refusal to forgive him after the boat scene was a huge point of contention in the book and I felt like it was justified but also wished she had let him explain. 

 

Roman and Quinn are two souls who would find one another in any story written between them and Becca truly brought them to life in Wicked Waters. The tension, chemistry and heat they had was explosive yet sweet in all the right ways and I liked the slower burn they shared. The twists and turns they go through also kept me on edge and I felt like I never guessed who was behind all their struggles until the very end! This book is a terrific book and sets up the couple in book 3 wonderfully with plenty of foreshadowing that has me salivating for Tristan’s book and the Zeus vibes he gives off!! 

 

Rating: 4/5, Quinn and Roman are a dark and twisted prep school romance with a HUGE twist at the end you’ll never see coming! 

 

 

Thank you toWordsmith PR & Becca for sending me this ARC! 

Carving Graves by Brandy Hynes

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious 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

💋𝕮𝖆𝖗𝖛𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝕲𝖗𝖆𝖛𝖊𝖘 - 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔎𝔒ℜ𝔗 𝔖𝔢𝔯𝔦𝔢𝔰 2 - ℜ𝔢𝔳𝔦𝔢𝔴💋 

 

Author: Brandy Hynes 

 

Couple: Celeste Carver & :Sam Graves 

 

Tropes: enemy to lovers, man obsessed, forced proximity, dark romance, mafia romance, possessive alphahole, fierce FMC, forbidden romance 

 

Review: WOW. I am absolutely speechless after finding Carving Graves. Brandy bled her heart into this book and it is so obvious from the first page that it is almost impossible to put down. Celeste and Liam’s romance was one that I had been craving since Burning Ivy and man did their story NOT disappoint. 

 

When I started this book I wasn’t sure which direction Brandy would take Celeste’s character in and I have to say that the hidden intelligence and cunning was exactly right! The inner working of her mind and the way it affected her character BLEW my mind. I loved seeing her come to life on the page from all of Liam’s pushing and poking. Brandy was able to really elevate her story arc by including her struggles with her family and the loss of her brother. I found the quiet manipulations her parents put on her to be the biggest irritation for me since I just wanted her to fall into Liam. Celeste was the character that held the ups and downs in this book which allowed us to really get a look into who she was and how she was perfect for Liam…even when he was dead set on hating her. 

 

Liam’s whole character was my HOME in this book. I LOVED the utter devotion he gave to Celeste once he put their differences behind him. Brandy really excelled with writing a guy in tune with his emotions and the way she had Liam go full throttle after what he wanted, Celeste, and not stop until she was his did me IN. Even though Liam was so smitten to Celeste, Brandy still provided enough tension with him not believing he was worthy of her and with his worry about his lifestyle within KORT. I found that his method of bringing Celeste into the fold was PERFECT for them and enjoyed how he had zero doubt in her as opposed to the “Loyalty Test” in Burning Ivy. 

 

This book gave me the HEA for Liam that I was so desperate for after his near death in book 1. The theme of both MCs needing to “choose” the other hit hard and Brandy was able to capture ALL the emotions in this book as Celeste and Liam navigate growing feelings and the strengthening of their bond. Liam and Celeste were much more tension-filled in lust and heat from the get-go and the chemistry they had was INSANE. I loved how they shared explosive chemistry but also had an excellent found family that provided levity and kinship among them. The KORT men are one of the better found family groups I have read and the inside jokes, banter, sarcasm and wit had me laughing so much in this book that it was sad to say bye. I am excited for Ty’s book to come since he has been such a pillar to Ivy and Celeste so far and cannot wait for his woman to knock him to his knees! 

 

Rating: 100+, LIAM GRAVES…the man, the myth, the ABSOLUTE legend! This book…WOW, Brandy blew me away with this one and I can’t wait to get more Liam and Celeste in the next books! 


💋𝕮𝖆𝖗𝖛𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝕲𝖗𝖆𝖛𝖊𝖘 - 𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕶𝕺𝕽𝕿 𝕾𝖊𝖗𝖎𝖊𝖘 2 - 𝕬𝖚𝖉𝖎𝖔𝖇𝖔𝖔𝖐 𝕽𝖊𝖛𝖎𝖊𝖜💋 

 

Author: Brandy Hynes 

 

Narrators: Angelina Rocca & Aiden Snow 

 

Couple: Celeste Carver &  Liam Graves 

 

Tropes: enemy to lovers, man obsessed, forced proximity, dark romance, mafia romance, possessive alphahole, fierce FMC, forbidden romance 

 

Review: WOW. Angelina and Aiden DESTROYED this audiobook! Brandy Hynes knew what she was doing when she chose her narrators and these two and the way they made me fall in love with Celeste and Liam all over again was EPIC. Angelina Brentmoor is one of my favorite narrators and it was perfect getting to listen to her bring one sassy and fiery FMC to life in Carving Graves. The way her voice brought all of the anger, angst and emotion into Celeste’s character was the shining light while listening and I enjoyed how her voice fit Celeste to a T. 

 

Aiden Snow on the other hand is a growly, gruff narrator that sounded exactly like what Liam did in my head and only proved how much Liam’s character stuck with me after my initial read. HE was able to build the tension within his POV narration and also express every emotion that made Liam the MAN he was to this book. They way Aiden was also able to build up voice chemistry and build off Angelina’s character added to this book and made it almost impossible to pause. 

 

Overall, Carving Graves was a great audiobook that will be listened to again and again and left me hanging for the next KORT book thats coming SOON! 

 

Rating: 10/10, Angelina and Aiden enthralled me inside Celeste’s and Liam’s romance and there is no word for how phenomenal this audiobook was! 

 

Thank you to Wordsmith Publicity PR and Brandy for sending me this eALC!

Burning Ivy by Brandy Hynes

challenging dark emotional mysterious fast-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

4.0

💋𝔅𝔲𝔯𝔫𝔦𝔫𝔤 ℑ𝔳𝔶 - 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔎𝔒ℜ𝔗 𝔖𝔢𝔯𝔦𝔢𝔰 1 - ℜ𝔢𝔳𝔦𝔢𝔴💋 

 

Author: Brandy Hynes 

 

Couple: Ivanna Kingston & Gavin Wells 

 

Tropes: enemy to lovers, marriage of convenience, instant lust, forced proximity, dark romance, mafia romance, roommate romance, one bed, obsessive alphahole, fierce FMC, forbidden romance 

 

Review: Pulse pounding. Angst ridden. Forbidden and deceitful. Burning Ivy is a great first book for Brandy and I enjoyed the romance between Ivy and Wells. The forced proximity and marriage of convenience tropes were masterfully done and the fiery tension between these two was entertaining to read! 

 

Ivy’s character was rough at first for me but I soon became a huge fan of hers. Brandy was able to create the perfect blend of resilience, innocence and cunning within Ivy’s character and seeing the evolution she went through in this book sucked me in as she grew closer to Wells, Gage, Liam and Ty. The utter disregard she gave to Wells’ rules also made me fall in love with her more since she never gave in to his whims. The way Brandy was able to unravel the ties they all shared with Ivy and the true identity Ivy had to KORT was a little obvious but still surprised me with the events that led up to it. 

 

Wells was not the dark mafia boss we have come to expect. While his demons and darkness are a huge part of his character, I found the way his world brightened with Ivy in it to be what drew me in to his story. I LOVED the bafflement he had with the growing obsession he had with his wife and enjoyed how Brandy depicted his frustration with Ivy not following his demands. The push and pull Wells has with his goals and plans with KORT kept surprising me since I never predicted what that man was thinking and I wanted to shake him for his choices and actions that led to the third act break up. 

 

Ivy and Wells have an explosive romance that is riddled with tension, angst and desire. I enjoyed seeing the two fight their feelings and desires and Brandy crafted the explosion of their heat perfectly. While HAWT, this book centered around the bonds the five of them had and the found family they found within each other. I loved how the main themes were the bonds between them all and found the way Ivy seamlessly fit into the group to be the cherry on top. This book was a great first dip into the universe and I cannot wait for more to come! 

 

Rating: 4/5, Burning Ivy was a whirlwind of angst, hatred, lust and forbidden desires that lit the KORT universe on fire! 

Playbook by Rebecca Jenshak

emotional funny 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

4.0

💌𝒫𝓁𝒶𝓎𝒷𝑜𝑜𝓀 - 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝐻𝑜𝓁𝓁𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝐵𝓇𝑜𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇𝓈 2 - 𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌💌 

 

Author: Rebecca Jenshak 

 

Couple: London & Brogan Six 

 

Tropes: fake dating, frenemy to lovers, football romance, reformed player, bad boy x good girl, forced proximity, sports romance, she gets his fan mail, he falls first x harder 

 

Review: Playbook continues the story of the Holland Brothers and this time Brogan is front and center! Rebecca gave us a laugh out loud romcom with the NFL’s newest playboy and oh how hard he fell! Brogan and London may be one of the most heart warming couples I have read by Rebecca outside of her hockey books and both of their stories resonated so much with me that I had to pause at times to regroup. 

 

Brogan’s story hit hard. We first meet him in the Campus Wallflower series and then in Burnout and nothing could have prepared me for what his story would actually be. My favorite part of his story was the slow acceptance he had of his found family and realizing that they would never leave him. The way his past is unraveled provided maximum tears and I appreciated how his past was not brushed over but instead given a main part.  HIs relationship with London provided just enough of a “safe feeling” that it allowed him to slowly open up to someone who would not take advantage of him and it was beautiful to read. 

 

London was my lady in this book. Her getting his fantail had me IN STITCHES. I adored everything about her and enjoyed how irritated and hot-headed she got when finally confronting him for the “girlfriend mail.” Her gradual acceptance of who Brogan was provided us with a ton of comedic relief as she asked friends, roommates and siblings if his actions were ok for a fake boyfriend and I  found myself wanting her to confront him about what they “were” a lot sooner. I loved how London was unapologetically herself and appreciated how Rebecca did not shy away from giving us an independent and bossy FMC! Her friendship with Alex (roommate) also added to who she was since we got to see the sibling-like bond they shared (and I hope his book comes eventually!) 

 

London and Brogan were Fake dating ROYALTY and I can’t wait to see these two cameo in book 3. The romance between them was more heartwarming than intense but was perfect for healing and finding your way. The way these two stand up for one another in this book was the epicenter for me and I liked how Rebecca made a point to include scenes where we see either the Hollands, Brogan’s teammates or London’s sister come to bat for them! This book was a great continuation of the Hollands and I am excited to get the next book! 

 

Rating: 4/5,  Brogan Six is the GOAT! I enjoyed his story of finding himself and opening his heart to love! 

 

Thank you to Rebecca for sending me this ARC!

Cruel Crypts by Becca Steele

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

4.5

❣️ℭ𝔯𝔲𝔢𝔩 ℭ𝔯𝔶𝔭𝔱𝔰 - 𝔊𝔬𝔡𝔰 𝔬𝔣 ℌ𝔞𝔱𝔥𝔢𝔯𝔩𝔢𝔶 ℌ𝔞𝔩𝔩 1 - ℜ𝔢𝔳𝔦𝔢𝔴❣️ 

 

Author: Becca Steele 

 

Couple: Elena & Knox Ashcroft 

 

Tropes: bully romance, dark romance, mythology themes, Hades x Persephone reimagined, prep school romance, enemy to lovers, Cinderella vibes, forced proximity 

 

Review: Cruel Crypts was a dark and delicious tale of two people who refuse to bend the knee to their other. Becca expands upon the world of the Four and Allscroft. Elena was a more down to earth character on the surface who had some darker secrets and goals in this book compared to her other high school FMCs. Her story was one of vengeance, growth and acceptance that blew the expected social standards of Hatherley Hall apart! 

 

Becca blended the themes from two iconic tales (Hades/Persephone and Cinderella) in this book and I enjoyed seeing the twists and turns Elena and Knox take to get their HEA. Elena’s past was a huge turning point in this story and I found the ways she pushed against the norm to be the biggest twist to the old tales. The way Knox seemed to suck her into his dark underworld was addicting and I appreciated how Becca put her own  spin to the iconic Prince Charming character. That being said Knox and Elena were a volatile pairing and neither of them were ready for the emotions the other triggered in them…which I found refreshing but also hilarious. 

 

The way they each pushed buttons and boundaries made put me on edge for the final explosion they would have. Becca was able to craft their enemy to lover vibes exceptionally well and I loved how neither let the other get away with secrets and hiding. The suspense surrounding the true reason Elena and her mother came to be employees of the Ashcroft’s was the turn I never expected in this book and my heart hurt when Elena bore the brunt of her mother’s actions. Becca was once again able to dupe me in her storylines and plotting but I appreciated the shocking event that led to Knox chasing Elena across town after she attempted to run and hide. 

 

This book kicks off a deliciously deceitful world within the Allscroft universe and I was ecstatic to see some old faces briefly in this book. I cannot wait to get the last two Gods of Hatherley Hall books and hope we see more of the Four in the remaining books! 

 

Rating: 4.5/5, Elena and Knox put a modern twist to the age-old Hades x Persephone romance with forbidden Cinderella vibes while also fitting in perfectly to Becca’s dark romance world! 

 

 

Thank you toWordsmith PR & Becca for sending me this ARC!

Word to the Wise by Eva Simmons

challenging emotional 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

🖤𝒲𝑜𝓇𝒹 𝒯𝑜 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒲𝒾𝓈𝑒 - 𝒯𝓌𝒾𝓈𝓉𝑒𝒹 𝑅𝑜𝓈𝑒𝓈 𝐵𝑜𝑜𝓀 𝟦 - 𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌🖤 

 

Author: Eva Simmons 

 

Couple: Reed Jackson & Mason Zane 

 

Tropes: broken MCs, dark romance, mafia x MC x corrupt billionaires, roommate romance, trauma rep, forced proximity, instant attraction, friends to lovers 

 

Review: Word To The Wise is the culmination of the Twisted Roses series and I loved seeing the final member find his HEA. Mason and Reed have a heart-wrenching romance that is full of personal growth, trauma and found family. I enjoyed the way Eva delivered this last book and will forever have Mason as a grade A book boyfriend! 

 

Reed was a FMC who intrigued me after meeting her in her brother’s book and her story was not one I could have ever prepared for. It was so heartbreaking and raw that it was almost impossible to put the book down while reading. The way Eva was able to write about the trauma and emotional/physical wounds Reed suffers from made it seem real in the best and worst ways. I appreciated the way she did not shy away from the topics and made them the cornerstone of Reed’s character to allow us to see her growth as the book went on. I also loved how Reed’s journey was one of healing and found love. Seeing her flourish in this book was perhaps my favorite part! 

 

Mason Zane was the MAN. While Jude and Fel will always have a special place as m favorite in this series, Mason was really the good guy of the four. I found that I rooted for him to get the girl from the beginning and it only grew as his past was revealed. I adored the way he was always there to push Reed to take risks but was the first one to hold her when she needed it. The bond and friendship he had with her was so beautiful that I never wanted this book to end. Eva truly outdid herself with Mason’s character and I loved that the sweet-bad boy was the last one to find love! 

 

This book was a mix of darker themes and there are aspects that make it the darkest of the four in the series. Reed’s past in one full of darkness and Mason’s is not super different. The way they were different sides of the same coin made me appreciate their differences but also loved how they could anticipate the others actions. Eva was able to give us just enough push and pull but also pack the romance full of banter and trust which was just as important. I enjoyed seeing the cameos from the other couples and cannot wait to meet Jamison Steel in her next series! 

 

Rating: 5/5, AW-mazing. Hands down the most heartwarming and tragically beautiful story in this series! 

 

Thank you to Eva for sending me this ARC!

Saint by Eva Simmons

dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

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

5.0

🖤𝔖𝔞𝔦𝔫𝔱 - 𝔇𝔞𝔯𝔨𝔖𝔱𝔞𝔫𝔡𝔞𝔩𝔬𝔫𝔢 - ℜ𝔢𝔳𝔦𝔢𝔴🖤 

 

Author: Eva Simmons 

 

Couple: Violet & Saint 

 

Tropes: dark romance, sta!ker romance, forced proximity, trauma bond, taboo, secret society x cult, college, suspense/thriller 

 

Review: UNHINGED. Twisted. Dark and deceitful. Saint is Eva Simmon’s masterpiece! This book was by FAR my favorite read by Eva so far and I adored Violet’s story and loved her inner fire and resilience. The character arcs in this book were raw and edged with thorns but the end result was everything I wanted. 

 

A huge part in this book was Violet’s acceptance of her inner darkness and the fallout that it havocs on her life. I found that her story was more raw in this book since she experiences the most upheaval, growth and revelations. The way Eva was able to grow her from the shy girl we see at the beginning to the strong young woman at the end who stands next to Saint without regret kept me engrossed in this book! I found the push and pull Violet has with her morals in regards to Saint to add a layer of vulnerability to her POV and it also brought me to tears at times. 

 

Eva mastered Saint’s character. Hands down he is this book. While Violet plays an important role, I found Saint’s character to be the backbone and teeth to this romance. The mystery surrounding his identity was what caught my intrigue first and I loved seeing Saint tug at Violet’s emotions, morals and true self. Once Eva revealed who Saint truly is, his character truly begins to unfold and his personality and experiences showed the true depravity this secret society was all about. 

 

Saint and Violet are not a sweet romance and they are not soft. This book was full of triggers and dark topics but also had a true bond between the MCs. Eva twists an angsty yet forbidden tale of desire and lust in this book that turns into a true love match between Violet and Saint in the best ways. I was never prepared for the surprises Eva threw at us and found that the ending left me with many questions about the secondary characters who I hope we get books about in the future! 

 

Rating: 5/5, Kole is my next book boyfriend obsession and I could not get enough of this HAWT romance! 

 

Thank you to Eva for sending me this ARC!