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ratetheromance's Reviews (659)
I have read the other books in this series by Jiffy Kate set in New Orleans and, sadly, this has been my least favorite of the bunch. For some reason I just couldn't connect with these characters and their chemistry seemed to be nonexistent.
Yes, there is a steamy sex scene, but leading up to that scene there is almost no sexual tension between these two. I never got the feeling that they were driven wild by each other with every heated glance or minor physical contact.
About 3/4 of the way through the book they are geographically separated by a certain event in the story and what follows is a few chapters dedicated to just casual conversations between the two. I was definitely missing the heat!
I like Jiffy Kate books so I will definitely keep reading other titles, but this one fell flat for me.
Yes, there is a steamy sex scene, but leading up to that scene there is almost no sexual tension between these two. I never got the feeling that they were driven wild by each other with every heated glance or minor physical contact.
About 3/4 of the way through the book they are geographically separated by a certain event in the story and what follows is a few chapters dedicated to just casual conversations between the two. I was definitely missing the heat!
I like Jiffy Kate books so I will definitely keep reading other titles, but this one fell flat for me.
This book was hard work.
That's the review summary.
Now, to expound.
As an American reading Brit Lit you get to know a lot of the British slang. You acquire awareness of the terms "proper chuffed", "early days", and "CV" instead of resume. But, holy hell, THIS book went balls-to-the-wall with Brit-isms. I have never encountered more British slang, pop culture references, and vocab in a book. It feels excessive, but maybe I'm just unaware that people really talk almost exclusively in Brit-speak...?
This book has a good foundational story. Two strangers meet at an outdoor party and they have an instant spark. Where do they go from there?
But, along the way in this seemingly simple plot line you get parental abandonment, psychiatric break-downs, family secrets, battered women, bitter divorces, online bullying, mean girls, stalking, vandalism, and on and on and on.
I also found myself increasingly pissed off at these characters. If you are a fan of healthy boundaries then this is NOT the book for you. Everyone just repeatedly lets horrid and sometimes dangerous behavior continue in the name of pleasing their family members/not hurting anyone's feelings.
The love story in this book is SO SWEET! And I truly loved that the main characters worked through a gazillion problems to stay together. But this book is very slowly paced and was a bit frustrating for me.
RATING:⭐️⭐️⭐️
STEAM LEVEL: Rated R
TRIGGERS: parental abandonment, psychiatric break-downs, family secrets, battered women, bitter divorces, online bullying, mean girls, stalking, vandalism
Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
That's the review summary.
Now, to expound.
As an American reading Brit Lit you get to know a lot of the British slang. You acquire awareness of the terms "proper chuffed", "early days", and "CV" instead of resume. But, holy hell, THIS book went balls-to-the-wall with Brit-isms. I have never encountered more British slang, pop culture references, and vocab in a book. It feels excessive, but maybe I'm just unaware that people really talk almost exclusively in Brit-speak...?
This book has a good foundational story. Two strangers meet at an outdoor party and they have an instant spark. Where do they go from there?
But, along the way in this seemingly simple plot line you get parental abandonment, psychiatric break-downs, family secrets, battered women, bitter divorces, online bullying, mean girls, stalking, vandalism, and on and on and on.
I also found myself increasingly pissed off at these characters. If you are a fan of healthy boundaries then this is NOT the book for you. Everyone just repeatedly lets horrid and sometimes dangerous behavior continue in the name of pleasing their family members/not hurting anyone's feelings.
The love story in this book is SO SWEET! And I truly loved that the main characters worked through a gazillion problems to stay together. But this book is very slowly paced and was a bit frustrating for me.
RATING:⭐️⭐️⭐️
STEAM LEVEL: Rated R
TRIGGERS: parental abandonment, psychiatric break-downs, family secrets, battered women, bitter divorces, online bullying, mean girls, stalking, vandalism
Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
DNF 35%
This book is meant to be a standalone within a series, but references the previous books (which I have not read) so often it's confusing. Besides that the plot spins all over the place and there is simply TOO MUCH going on for the reader to stay engaged. Sadly, this one was not for me.
Thank you to netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book is meant to be a standalone within a series, but references the previous books (which I have not read) so often it's confusing. Besides that the plot spins all over the place and there is simply TOO MUCH going on for the reader to stay engaged. Sadly, this one was not for me.
Thank you to netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I need to tell you something about myself before I officially start this book review. I never ever cry during fictional media. My practical brain gets in the way every time. I cry like a baby during documentaries or those videos of babies getting tiny little eyeglasses and smiling when they see their parents clearly for the first time. But fictional movies, books, and tv? Never.
This little tidbit about how I am a dead-inside-robot is important because I cried while reading the entire last four chapters of this book. That's how good it is.
This book has been my favorite of the Bromance Bookclub Series. It has everything I need. I snort-laughed, I swooned, I sighed, I thought about my own life and how forgiving I am (NOT VERY, sadly), I steamed up my Kindle during the super hot sex scenes, and—as you know—I cried.
This story has the least excerpts of reading the romance book within the book, but I actually like how reluctant Noah was to join the book club.
My least favorite part of this series is The Russian character. In the previous two books he has felt like a novelty only (and a sometimes badly stereotyped novelty), but in this book I actually liked him. He served a purpose and really contributed to the story.
Noah is a cinnamon roll Hero (all sweet and gooey in the inside) and I loved him so much. Alexa was such a complex character who we saw stand up fir what is right, but also allowing herself and her needs to be trampled sometimes. This made her flawed and real and relatable. She is a great heroine.
And, sheesh, are these two ever HOT. The steamy scenes in this book are amazingly good and panty-melting in the best way.
RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
STEAM LEVEL: Rated R
TRIGGERS: Fatal cancer, parent abandonment, armed services death, death of parent, possible cheating, kidney failure
This little tidbit about how I am a dead-inside-robot is important because I cried while reading the entire last four chapters of this book. That's how good it is.
This book has been my favorite of the Bromance Bookclub Series. It has everything I need. I snort-laughed, I swooned, I sighed, I thought about my own life and how forgiving I am (NOT VERY, sadly), I steamed up my Kindle during the super hot sex scenes, and—as you know—I cried.
This story has the least excerpts of reading the romance book within the book, but I actually like how reluctant Noah was to join the book club.
My least favorite part of this series is The Russian character. In the previous two books he has felt like a novelty only (and a sometimes badly stereotyped novelty), but in this book I actually liked him. He served a purpose and really contributed to the story.
Noah is a cinnamon roll Hero (all sweet and gooey in the inside) and I loved him so much. Alexa was such a complex character who we saw stand up fir what is right, but also allowing herself and her needs to be trampled sometimes. This made her flawed and real and relatable. She is a great heroine.
And, sheesh, are these two ever HOT. The steamy scenes in this book are amazingly good and panty-melting in the best way.
RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
STEAM LEVEL: Rated R
TRIGGERS: Fatal cancer, parent abandonment, armed services death, death of parent, possible cheating, kidney failure
2nd Chance at....SNORT LAUGHING AT 2 A.M!
My poor husband. He works so hard. He shovels snow like white knight in these frigid Utah Winters. And then I wake him up TWICE in the middle of the night because I am laughing so hard I can't breathe.
I blame Sarah Hogel.
I am not huge a "2nd Chance at Love" fan. I started in reading this book after so many rave reviews. The first few chapters had me unsure. These characters are so unkind to each other...could I come to like them? And then I got to Chapter 10. That's when I went from "I'm not sure about this..." to laughing, snorting, sighing, swooning, and sweating.
If you start this book and you are unsure I demand (yeah, you read that right..DEMAND) that you keep reading through at least Chapter 10. #smutdictator
This book is so well-written that you go from kind of despising these people to understanding their reasons for acting the way they do to loving each of them deeply to cheering for them with your whole heart.
I. LOVED. IT.
Naomi is so perfectly real and flawed and lovable. She can be the hilariously petty bitch we each have in us. She is my new favorite. Similarly, Nicholas is complex. He seems so snobby and dickish at the beginning of this book and by the end you can't imagine a swoonier book boyfriend.
This book is such a fantastic read because, besides being laugh-out-loud funny and epically swoony, it really does make you think about relationships and how we nurture them. What we communicate with our words and actions. How our life experiences shape our romantic lives. It's just SO GOOD.
RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
STEAM LEVEL: Rated PG-13
My poor husband. He works so hard. He shovels snow like white knight in these frigid Utah Winters. And then I wake him up TWICE in the middle of the night because I am laughing so hard I can't breathe.
I blame Sarah Hogel.
I am not huge a "2nd Chance at Love" fan. I started in reading this book after so many rave reviews. The first few chapters had me unsure. These characters are so unkind to each other...could I come to like them? And then I got to Chapter 10. That's when I went from "I'm not sure about this..." to laughing, snorting, sighing, swooning, and sweating.
If you start this book and you are unsure I demand (yeah, you read that right..DEMAND) that you keep reading through at least Chapter 10. #smutdictator
This book is so well-written that you go from kind of despising these people to understanding their reasons for acting the way they do to loving each of them deeply to cheering for them with your whole heart.
I. LOVED. IT.
Naomi is so perfectly real and flawed and lovable. She can be the hilariously petty bitch we each have in us. She is my new favorite. Similarly, Nicholas is complex. He seems so snobby and dickish at the beginning of this book and by the end you can't imagine a swoonier book boyfriend.
This book is such a fantastic read because, besides being laugh-out-loud funny and epically swoony, it really does make you think about relationships and how we nurture them. What we communicate with our words and actions. How our life experiences shape our romantic lives. It's just SO GOOD.
RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
STEAM LEVEL: Rated PG-13
This is such a sweet romance! Jiffy Kate books are always good and this one was great!
Ross is newly divorced and his life is falling apart. I loved seeing a leading man heartbroken and hurt after a divorce. I feel like we always get that from females in romances. Casey is such a badass. She gets Ross' life together and she is warm, funny, and strong. Such a fantastic female lead.
These two have to really work to overcome the obstacles in their relationship and reading their story is sweet and satisfying!
The steamy scenes are HOT and the romance is swoony. You'll love this book!
RATING:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
STEAM LEVEL: Rated R
TRIGGERS: side character's unplanned pregnancy leading to adoption, cheating by spouse leading to divorce
Ross is newly divorced and his life is falling apart. I loved seeing a leading man heartbroken and hurt after a divorce. I feel like we always get that from females in romances. Casey is such a badass. She gets Ross' life together and she is warm, funny, and strong. Such a fantastic female lead.
These two have to really work to overcome the obstacles in their relationship and reading their story is sweet and satisfying!
The steamy scenes are HOT and the romance is swoony. You'll love this book!
RATING:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
STEAM LEVEL: Rated R
TRIGGERS: side character's unplanned pregnancy leading to adoption, cheating by spouse leading to divorce
A lot of romances stick to a pretty set series of formulas. And every romance reader has their favorites: firemen, enemies to lovers, small town, etc. The first noteworthy thing about THE SUBWAY GIRL is that it is totally fresh and new! You haven't read this story a bunch of times before. It's a breath of fresh air in a genre of well-worn (but also well-loved) tropes.
I loved this story and these characters. Angie is a driven, smart, and real female lead with complexity, but also charm. And Ryan is sugary sweet and utterly swoony!
And the HEAT between Ryan and Angie burned up the pages of this book. Their friendship and their hot romance struck the perfect balance for me.
This is a great read with complex and endearing characters and a unique story that results in a must-read for romance readers!
I was given an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I loved this story and these characters. Angie is a driven, smart, and real female lead with complexity, but also charm. And Ryan is sugary sweet and utterly swoony!
And the HEAT between Ryan and Angie burned up the pages of this book. Their friendship and their hot romance struck the perfect balance for me.
This is a great read with complex and endearing characters and a unique story that results in a must-read for romance readers!
I was given an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I don't usually like novellas because I am always left wishing there was more to the story. But MARREID & BRIGHT managed to not feel like a rushed, quickie, romance. In fact, we get a decent way through this novella before these two "seal the deal" and I loved that!
Bianca is a very successful pop star on the rise. She heads home for the holidays and is bombarded by press and tabloid photographers. She even suspects her airport Rideo (LYFT/Uber) driver might be following her. It isn't until she confronts him, that she realizes how hot he is and sparks begin to fly!
There were a handful of times when a piece of the story wasn't explained thoroughly and I was left wondering "Wait, did I miss the part where they explained _____?". I think that is partly due to the rushed nature of novellas and partly due to a few oversights in the writing.
This is a great read with a super-sweet Nice Guy. The steamy scenes are epically steamy. And you will fall in love with this couple's HEA.
Bianca is a very successful pop star on the rise. She heads home for the holidays and is bombarded by press and tabloid photographers. She even suspects her airport Rideo (LYFT/Uber) driver might be following her. It isn't until she confronts him, that she realizes how hot he is and sparks begin to fly!
There were a handful of times when a piece of the story wasn't explained thoroughly and I was left wondering "Wait, did I miss the part where they explained _____?". I think that is partly due to the rushed nature of novellas and partly due to a few oversights in the writing.
This is a great read with a super-sweet Nice Guy. The steamy scenes are epically steamy. And you will fall in love with this couple's HEA.
I loved The Kiss Quotient, but THE BRIDE TEST just didn't do it for me.
I think my issue was the characters seemed defined by only one thing. There was no complexity to either of them. Esme is a hard worker who wants to marry Khai. And Khai is just his Autism. Nothing else.
I think there is a very hard-to-nail balance when writing characters who are Neuro-Diverse, like Khai is. The author has to make their Autism a central part of who they are, but not the ONLY factor in who they are. In this case I don't think the author met that challenge.
There is a lot of crying and struggle and shame and miscommunication in this book, but not enough sweetness, joy, and heart to balance that out.
I think my issue was the characters seemed defined by only one thing. There was no complexity to either of them. Esme is a hard worker who wants to marry Khai. And Khai is just his Autism. Nothing else.
I think there is a very hard-to-nail balance when writing characters who are Neuro-Diverse, like Khai is. The author has to make their Autism a central part of who they are, but not the ONLY factor in who they are. In this case I don't think the author met that challenge.
There is a lot of crying and struggle and shame and miscommunication in this book, but not enough sweetness, joy, and heart to balance that out.
Based on the cover of this book I was worried that it would be to wholesome for me. I was in the mood for some serious steam and this looks like a cute and quirky love story. I AM AN IDIOT. Holy hell, this book is steeeeeaaammmmy! Threat-Level-Midnight-Panties-On-Fire hot!
I love a super-smart heroine and Stella is a freaking genius. Her character is on the Autism Spectrum and the insights into her thinking process was a true benefit to this book (the author herself has Aspergers). It made so much sense that Stella would turn to a "professional" for help in overcoming her awkwardness in relationships and in her sexuality. I loved that there was a good reason for her decision which kept the idea of a male escort from feeling like a gimmick. Instead it felt genuine and sincere and plausible.
And Michael is sooooo sexxxy (those 3 x's in sexxxy make it legit)! I loved his fierce love for his family and his patient understanding of Stella. He is both ravishingly steamy and incredibly kind. You can not read this story withiut foaming at the mouth for these two to get their happy ending.
I solid five stars from me and I can't wait to read THE BRIDE TEST!
I love a super-smart heroine and Stella is a freaking genius. Her character is on the Autism Spectrum and the insights into her thinking process was a true benefit to this book (the author herself has Aspergers). It made so much sense that Stella would turn to a "professional" for help in overcoming her awkwardness in relationships and in her sexuality. I loved that there was a good reason for her decision which kept the idea of a male escort from feeling like a gimmick. Instead it felt genuine and sincere and plausible.
And Michael is sooooo sexxxy (those 3 x's in sexxxy make it legit)! I loved his fierce love for his family and his patient understanding of Stella. He is both ravishingly steamy and incredibly kind. You can not read this story withiut foaming at the mouth for these two to get their happy ending.
I solid five stars from me and I can't wait to read THE BRIDE TEST!