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plot_and_pleasure_jp87's Reviews (93)
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
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
this heartwarming and captivating romance, we meet Kai Rhodes, a star MLB pitcher whose life takes an unexpected turn when a former fling shows up with a six-month-old son he never knew he had. Facing sudden single fatherhood, Kai is prepared to retire from his career to raise his son, Max—a decision driven by his determination to avoid the mistakes of his own father.
His manager, Monty, a single dad himself, hires one more nanny for the struggling father-son duo: his own daughter, Miller Montgomery. Kai is instantly wary, recognizing her as the tattooed, beer-guzzling "wild woman" he met in an elevator. But despite his reservations, Kai’s son Max is immediately drawn to her.
Kai quickly realizes that his hesitation is born from a fear of letting another woman into his and Max's lives, only for her to leave. He relents and hires Miller, only to discover that his new nanny is a world-renowned pastry chef and a James Beard Award recipient. Miller, who prides herself on her independence, has taken the nannying job to decompress before a major magazine feature.
What begins as a professional arrangement quickly evolves. The attraction between Kai and Miller is undeniable, but Miller has one rule: a firm expiration date on their time together. Though Kai initially resists, afraid of wanting more than she can give, he eventually decides he’d rather have a short time with her than none at all.
As they navigate their complex pasts and future ambitions, they discover a connection that defies Miller's rules. She never expected to fall so deeply in love with not just one, but two boys, and with their inevitable end date looming, they have to navigate how to let go.
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
This book is an emotional, heartwarming, and at times hilarious journey of second chances. Michelle became a mom at 17 and has spent the last 15 years putting her daughter, Eve, first. With a part-time father in the picture, Michelle has carried the full weight of parenting and forgotten what it means to live for herself.
Enter Dane—the new teacher in town—who shakes up Michelle’s carefully controlled world after a chance encounter on a girls’ night out. What begins with an awkward, unforgettable first meeting quickly blossoms into undeniable chemistry and genuine connection. Dane proves himself to be patient, charming, and all-in, even when Michelle throws up walls to protect her heart and her daughter.
But just as things start heating up, Michelle learns Dane isn’t just the new guy in town—he’s also Eve’s history teacher and soccer coach. Suddenly, the lines between personal happiness and parental responsibility blur, and Michelle must decide if she’s willing to risk her heart for the chance at real love.
This story delivers everything I love in a romance: witty banter, swoon-worthy chemistry, heartfelt family dynamics, and characters you can’t help but root for. Michelle is relatable, strong, and vulnerable all at once, while Dane sets the bar sky-high for book boyfriends.
If you enjoy small-town romance with depth, humor, and a dash of real-life messiness, this book is an absolute must-read.
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Whew! Just when I think I can’t possibly love the next Rose Hill couple more, Elsie says, “Hold my beer!”
Bash, a grumpy, divorced wildfire pilot, has his world flipped upside down after meeting an adult son he only recently knew he had. On his way home, he spots Gwen, a radiant, curvy blonde with striking blue-almost lavender eyes, and assumes she’s just a fleeting airport distraction. But when flights are canceled and Gwen slides into his orbit—showing him when life gives you limes, you make margaritas; the sparks fly between sunshine and grump.
What begins as unexpected chemistry turns into something deeper. Gwen, a free-spirited yoga instructor who’s overcome years of body-shaming, matches Bash’s intensity with warmth and confidence. Bash, still reeling from the revelation of his son, can’t help but admire—and fiercely protect—her. He takes Gwen’s number and the two both seem giddy about seeing each other again.
Months later, fate delivers a gut punch, when Bash walks into his son’s birthday party only to discover Gwen is his girlfriend. Miscommunication, ghosted texts, and one wrong phone number unravel their budding romance before it can even begin.
But Rose Hill doesn’t let love slip away so easily. Through family drama, and a father figure named Clyde’s scheming via his kidney transplant recovery, forced proximity, and even a natural disaster, Bash and Gwen are pushed to face their feelings. The question becomes—are they star-crossed, or simply destined?
Elsie delivers another swoony, heartfelt knockout with equal parts tension, tenderness, witty banter, lots of spice and small-town charm.
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
After chasing her dream of becoming a writer, Autumn finds herself back in her hometown of Cozy Creek, working once again at the little coffee shop where she spent her teen years. Nursing the heartbreak of a six-year relationship that ended with the man she once believed was her forever, Autumn has lost her faith in love—and even her writing suffers, as she can no longer bring herself to write about romance. For her, love only survives in dreams.
Enter Alexander, heir to a billion-dollar resort empire, who escapes to Cozy Creek in the aftermath of his very public breakup. Though his fiancée betrayed him with his best friend, Alexander has somehow been cast as the villain in their story. For him, Cozy Creek holds bittersweet memories—his mother built Cozy Manor so they could spend precious time together before she lost her battle with cancer. It’s a place of love, loss, and everything in between.
One September morning, Alexander walks into Autumn’s coffee shop and orders her specialty drink. Their first encounter is anything but ordinary—he swears they’ve met before, but Autumn insists they haven’t. She recognizes him instantly, though: Alexander is her Mr. Dreamy from the visions that haunt her nights. Yet instead of admitting the spark between them, Alexander masks it with a teasing insult about her coffee. They both know he’s lying.
Meanwhile, Alexander’s sister Harper—a successful New York fashion designer and part-time psychic—has already predicted her brother would meet his match. And when she hears about Autumn, she knows destiny has finally intervened.
But Alexander is stubborn, scarred by betrayal, and determined never to fall in love again. So he makes Autumn an offer: friendship. That friendship quickly grows into something deeper, until they strike a deal that changes everything—“fake dating” to get their exes off their backs and appease their meddling families. The only problem? The chemistry between them is anything but fake.
As their bond intensifies, Alexander and Autumn must decide whether to risk their fragile hearts for the real thing. Are they moving too fast, or are they finally right where they’re meant to be? Can they face their ghosts, heal their scars, and give themselves fully to one another?
This heartfelt romance blends small-town charm, second chances, and just a touch of destiny into a love story that feels both magical and real.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
sad
tense
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
Tellie really needs to start including water, Tylenol, and Kleenex with every book she writes, because once again I was left a dehydrated, blubbering mess. And yet—I’ll always come back for more.
Cromwell Dean is a star EDM DJ in England, known for drowning himself in booze, women, and silence. At one of his summer gigs, his carefully constructed walls begin to crack when he notices a girl in a purple dress, standing perfectly still in the chaos of the crowd, her eyes closed as if she’s searching for something deeper. After the show, they cross paths on the beach, where Bonnie delivers a brutal truth: Cromwell’s music has no soul. He brushes her off with a sharp jab at her beloved classical music, only to wake up wrapped in her blanket after passing out. It’s a small act of kindness that lingers.
When Cromwell reluctantly accepts a scholarship to a prestigious music program in South Carolina—the same one his late mother once attended—he plans to coast through with as little effort as possible. His new roommate Easton, the life of every party, drags him to a local hotspot called The Barn before classes even begin. But when Easton gets out of control, Cromwell is shocked to discover that the twin sister called in to rescue him is none other than Bonnie—the same girl who saw through him that night on the beach.
Fate isn’t done with them. Both Bonnie and Cromwell are paired together by the legendary Professor Lewis for a year-long project: to compose a symphony. Forced into close collaboration, Cromwell is both infuriated and intrigued by Bonnie, who refuses to let him hide behind his icy exterior. She knows the boy he used to be—the one before tragedy, before silence, before walls. But the weight Bonnie carries herself makes their partnership even more fragile, and soon she’s forced to request an exception to Lewis’s strict “no partner changes” rule.
Only when Cromwell realizes that his own bitterness has pushed away the one person capable of seeing his truth does he begin to fight—not just for the music, but for Bonnie. But is he already too late? With ghosts from the past and battles neither of them can fully escape, Cromwell and Bonnie must decide if their symphony will be one of healing… or heartbreak.
This book is an emotional roller coaster! But it is most definitely worth the ride.
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Roxy, a fierce and independent bar owner, has never expected much from her father—except pain, neglect, and betrayal. So when he sells her to the infamous Vipers to settle his debt, she isn’t surprised. But what no one anticipates is how Roxy will turn her captivity into a battle of wills she refuses to lose.
The Vipers aren’t just men—they’re legends of the underworld. Ryder, the strategist and steady hand, serves as both leader and protector. Enzo, the gambler with charm sharp enough to cut glass, manipulates his way through every deal. Garrett, the enforcer, carries both fists and scars from a brutal past as a professional fighter. And then there’s Diesel—the unhinged, sadistic killer who thrives on chaos. Together, they rule the city with an iron grip.
But the moment they cross paths with Roxy, the game changes. She won’t cower, she won’t break, and she certainly won’t be controlled. Her fiery defiance shakes their empire to its core, and the Vipers quickly realize that what was meant to be a simple “transaction” is far more dangerous. As Roxy battles her growing, conflicted feelings for the men who stole her freedom, the Vipers wrestle with their own vulnerabilities—especially when a rival family rises up to challenge their dominance.
This book was absolutely addictive. I devoured every page, captivated by Roxy’s unshakable strength and the raw humanity hidden beneath the Vipers’ brutal exteriors. Watching the most ruthless men falter, soften, and fight for more than power was both thrilling and unexpectedly tender. While the “why choose” reverse harem dynamic may not appeal to everyone, this story’s intensity, complexity, and unforgettable characters could easily win over even the skeptics.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
funny
informative
mysterious
tense
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
dark
emotional
funny
tense
slow-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
It’s giving Dexter meets ….
If you have a weak stomach, and can’t handle gore this is not for you. I’ll start by saying it is incredibly written, there is depth to the characters, and a captivating plot. The book wastes no time throwing you right into the darkness. However, there is lots of humor and witty banter, with just the right amount of spice. While some might call this a “dark romance,” I will say that there is nothing dark about Sloan and Rowan feel about each other. The settings and plot can be heavy and dark, but the romance and spice are anything but.
If you have a weak stomach, and can’t handle gore this is not for you. I’ll start by saying it is incredibly written, there is depth to the characters, and a captivating plot. The book wastes no time throwing you right into the darkness. However, there is lots of humor and witty banter, with just the right amount of spice. While some might call this a “dark romance,” I will say that there is nothing dark about Sloan and Rowan feel about each other. The settings and plot can be heavy and dark, but the romance and spice are anything but.