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originalbooknerd's Reviews (993)
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
๐ฅ๐ป๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฒ๐๐๐๐ - ๐ณ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ข ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ท - ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฅ
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 canโt 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 couldnโt not break while reading. Finnโs steadfast goal of upending Ty Winslowโs life and in return all of the Winslow siblingsโ 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 Finnโs 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 wantedโฆeven 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 Finnโs 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**
Nowโฆletโs talk about Ace Kelly! His character was the MAN in this book and I did not expect anything less for Thatcher Kellyโs 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 themโฆI 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 hereโฆas 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!
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
๐๐ฟ๐๐ ๐ณ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ โ ๐ฟ๐๐ ๐ฒ๐๐๐๐ ๐ญ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ 2 โ ๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐๐
Author: Sara Cate
Couple: Briar Goode, Caleb Goode & Dean Sheridan
Tropes: goody boy MMC, morally grey FMC, opposites attract, Corruption Kink, Brotherโs 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 โGoodโ 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 โlessonsโ 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 Calebโs and Deanโs 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 brotherโs thoroughly and canโt 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!
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
๐๐๐๐๐ก๐ฅ๐๐๐ - โ๐๐ ๐๐๐ก๐ค & ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐๐ค ๐ - โ๐๐ง๐๐๐จ๐
Author: Bella Matthews
Couple: Kenzie Hayes & Nixon โNixโ Sinclair
Tropes:
๐Hockey romance
๐Fake relationship
๐Best friendโs older brother & little sistersโs best friend
๐Team captainโs little sister
๐Childhood crush
๐He falls first x harder
๐Doctor FMC
Review: Tempting. What a book. This book shot right up to my favorite spot within Bellaโs second generation books! Nixon and Kenzie rival with Beckettโs book, Overruled, which ironically happens to be Kenzieโs adoptive motherโs 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 Lindyโs 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 โfakeโ 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 captainโs little sister trope and Easton did NOT disappoint. I dare say his reaction was more over the top than Beckettโs. 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 stayโฆand 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 Bellaโs newest series as he falls hard for Kenzie Hayes!
Thank you to Bella for sending me this eARC!
๐๐๐๐๐ก๐ฅ๐๐๐ - โ๐๐ ๐๐๐ก๐ค & ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐๐ค ๐ - ๐ธ๐ฆ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐ โ๐๐ง๐๐๐จ๐
Author: Bella Matthews
Narrators: Erin Mallon, Ava Erickson & Lance Greenfield
Couple: Kenzie Hayes & Nixon โNixโ Sinclair
Tropes:
๐Hockey romance
๐Fake relationship
๐Best friendโs older brother & little sistersโs best friend
๐Team captainโs little sister
๐Childhood crush
๐He falls first x harder
๐Doctor FMC
Review: ๐๐๐๐ก๐ฅ๐๐๐ 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 Kenzieโs & Nixonโs romance and I cannot believe how much I fell in love with the story in ๐๐๐๐ก๐ฅ๐๐๐ all over again after listening.
Erin is one of my frequent narrators and she really put herself into Kenzieโs 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 Nixonโs voice as well. For me, Lance was everything in ๐๐๐๐ก๐ฅ๐๐๐ 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.
๐๐๐๐ก๐ฅ๐๐๐ 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!
Author: Bella Matthews
Couple: Kenzie Hayes & Nixon โNixโ Sinclair
Tropes:
๐Hockey romance
๐Fake relationship
๐Best friendโs older brother & little sistersโs best friend
๐Team captainโs little sister
๐Childhood crush
๐He falls first x harder
๐Doctor FMC
Review: Tempting. What a book. This book shot right up to my favorite spot within Bellaโs second generation books! Nixon and Kenzie rival with Beckettโs book, Overruled, which ironically happens to be Kenzieโs adoptive motherโs 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 Lindyโs 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 โfakeโ 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 captainโs little sister trope and Easton did NOT disappoint. I dare say his reaction was more over the top than Beckettโs. 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 stayโฆand 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 Bellaโs newest series as he falls hard for Kenzie Hayes!
Thank you to Bella for sending me this eARC!
๐๐๐๐๐ก๐ฅ๐๐๐ - โ๐๐ ๐๐๐ก๐ค & ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐๐ค ๐ - ๐ธ๐ฆ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐ โ๐๐ง๐๐๐จ๐
Author: Bella Matthews
Narrators: Erin Mallon, Ava Erickson & Lance Greenfield
Couple: Kenzie Hayes & Nixon โNixโ Sinclair
Tropes:
๐Hockey romance
๐Fake relationship
๐Best friendโs older brother & little sistersโs best friend
๐Team captainโs little sister
๐Childhood crush
๐He falls first x harder
๐Doctor FMC
Review: ๐๐๐๐ก๐ฅ๐๐๐ 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 Kenzieโs & Nixonโs romance and I cannot believe how much I fell in love with the story in ๐๐๐๐ก๐ฅ๐๐๐ all over again after listening.
Erin is one of my frequent narrators and she really put herself into Kenzieโs 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 Nixonโs voice as well. For me, Lance was everything in ๐๐๐๐ก๐ฅ๐๐๐ 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.
๐๐๐๐ก๐ฅ๐๐๐ 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!
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
๐๐ฃ๊ชแฅดโ
๊ชแง ๊ซ๊ซ๊ช๐ฃ๐ฅเชก - ฯโ
๊ช๊ซ ๊ช๊ช๊ชถ๊ชถ๊ซ๊ช แฅด๊ชฎ๊ชถ๊ชถ๊ซแง๊ซ ๐ - ๐ฃ๊ซ๊ชโ
๊ซแญ๐
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 โcoming out of the closetโ. 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. Evanโs 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, Alekโs 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!
emotional
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
๐ฅ
๐๐๐ โ๐๐๐ช๐๐ฃโ๐ค โ๐๐ฆ๐ - ๐ธ๐น๐๐๐น๐ ๐ช๐ค โ๐๐ฆ๐โ๐ ๐ง๐๐ - โ๐๐ง๐๐๐จ๐ฅ
Author: Fallon Greer
Couple: Elodie Andrews & Cole โMacโ Mackenzie
Tropes: Journalist FMC, hockey romance, friends to lovers, BDSM x s3x club, reformed player, sports romance, Dom/Sub
Review: The Playerโs 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 โragโ 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 Macโs 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 Macโs 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 Macโs 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 Greyโs Promo & Greer for sending me this eARC!
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
๐ผ๐ป๐ด๐๐๐ข๐พ๐๐๐๐ต๐พ๐๐๐พ๐๐๐ถ๐พ๐๐๐๐ต๐๐พ๐น๐ - ๐๐๐
๐๐๐ข๐๐๐๐๐ค - ๐
๐๐๐พ๐๐
Author: Ann Einerson
Couple: Everly Townstead & Cash Stafford
Tropes: Marriage of Convenience, Brotherโs Best Friend, Billionaire Romance, Banter & Spice, Lots of โMy Wifeโ, No Third Act Breakup, He Falls First, Thereโs 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 โmarriage of convenienceโ and โbrotherโs best friendโ 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 doesnโt 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 Cashโs 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 โmy wifeโ 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 Staffordโs 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!
challenging
emotional
slow-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:
Complicated
๐ฒ๐ฝ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐๐ ๐น๐ถ๐๐ - ๐ฟ๐๐๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐๐ 1 - ๐
๐๐๐พ๐๐
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 Judeโs 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. Judeโs 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 Brodyโs 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!
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
๐๐ฒ๐พ๐๐น๐๐ ๐ฟ๐๐๐ - ๐ฟ๐๐๐ ๐ถ๐๐น ๐๐ฝ๐ถ๐๐ ๐ฃ - ๐
๐๐๐พ๐๐๐
โ๐๐ฉ๐ข๐ตโ๐ด ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ณ ๐ฏ๐ฆ๐ธ ๐จ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ ๐ช๐ฏ ๐ญ๐ช๐ง๐ฆ. ๐๐ณ๐ฆ๐ข๐ต๐ฆ ๐ด๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฆ ๐ฉ๐ข๐ฑ๐ฑ๐บ ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ช๐ฆ๐ด.โ
โ๐ ๐ข๐ญ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฅ๐บ ๐ฉ๐ข๐ท๐ฆ,โ ๐ด๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ด๐ข๐ช๐ฅ ๐ด๐ฐ๐ง๐ต๐ญ๐บ. โ๐ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ณ๐ด ๐ง๐ณ๐ฐ๐ฎ ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ธ, ๐ฎ๐บ ๐ด๐ต๐ฐ๐ณ๐ช๐ฆ๐ด ๐ธ๐ช๐ญ๐ญ ๐ข๐ญ๐ญ ๐ฉ๐ข๐ท๐ฆ ๐ฉ๐ข๐ฑ๐ฑ๐บ ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ฅ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ๐ด.โ
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.
โ๐๐ฐ ๐ฎ๐ข๐ต๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ ๐ธ๐ฉ๐ข๐ต ๐ฉ๐ข๐ฑ๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ด ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ฎ๐ฆ, ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ ๐จ๐ฐ ๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ธ๐ช๐ต๐ฉ ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ณ ๐ญ๐ช๐ง๐ฆ. ๐๐ณ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ช๐ด๐ฆ ๐ฎ๐ฆ ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถโ๐ญ๐ญ ๐ฅ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ญ๐ญ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ๐ด ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ ๐ฅ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ข๐ฃ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ต, ๐๐ฆ๐ฎ๐บ.โ
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 Remyโs 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. Shaneโs 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 otherโs 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!
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-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
๐๐๐ฆ๐ ๐จ๐ข๐ก ๐๐๐ฑ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฐ - ๐๐ฌ๐ก๐ฐ ๐ฌ๐ฃ โ๐๐ฑ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฉ๐ข๐ถ โ๐๐ฉ๐ฉ 2- โ๐ข๐ณ๐ฆ๐ข๐ด๐
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 Romanโs 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.
Quinnโฆoooh 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 โdark mythology themesโ and โrich girl x wrong side of the tracks boyโ 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 Tristanโs 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 youโll never see coming!
Thank you toWordsmith PR & Becca for sending me this ARC!
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
๐๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฒ๐๐๐๐๐ - ๐๐ฅ๐ข ๐๐โ๐ ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฐ 2 - โ๐ข๐ณ๐ฆ๐ข๐ด๐
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 Liamโs romance was one that I had been craving since Burning Ivy and man did their story NOT disappoint.
When I started this book I wasnโt sure which direction Brandy would take Celesteโs 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 Liamโs 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 Liamโฆeven when he was dead set on hating her.
Liamโs 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 โLoyalty Testโ 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 โchooseโ 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 Tyโs 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 GRAVESโฆthe man, the myth, the ABSOLUTE legend! This bookโฆWOW, Brandy blew me away with this one and I canโt wait to get more Liam and Celeste in the next books!
๐๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฒ๐๐๐๐๐ - ๐ฟ๐๐ ๐ถ๐บ๐ฝ๐ฟ ๐พ๐๐๐๐๐ 2 - ๐ฌ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐๐
๐๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฒ๐๐๐๐๐ - ๐ฟ๐๐ ๐ถ๐บ๐ฝ๐ฟ ๐พ๐๐๐๐๐ 2 - ๐ฌ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐๐
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 Celesteโs 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 Liamโs 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 Angelinaโs 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 Celesteโs and Liamโs 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!