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ratetheromance's Reviews (659)
It was hard for me to imagine loving a book that was based around a potentially arranged marriage, but ACCIDENTALLY ENGAGED is amazing.
Reena is a 32 year old single woman whose parents are constantly trying to direct her life, her career, and her relationships. When Reena meets her new hot neighbor, Nadim, she is intrigued...until she realizes he is the man her father has planned for her to marry. Suddenly Nadim is the enemy that she can't stand, but needs help from to make her dreams a reality...as long as she can remind him daily that she will NOT be marrying him.
Reena and Nadim are so absolutely swoony! I just adored each of them. Reena with her sometimes cranky attitude and Nadim's good-natured charm. Reena is a self-taught baker and the food descriptions in this book will have you drooling! I had to stop reading a few times in order to make and consume some sourdough toast with fresh butter.
I loved that this book tackled really difficult family relationships. Farah Heron managed to incorporate cultural complexities within those family relationships with universal complexities that every reader has likely experienced. And those relationships improve as family secrets come out and as the members of Reena's family try and change the patterns they have fallen into. The author has managed to keep these changes authentic and true. I especially appreciated the story including Mental Illness and Therapy for more than one character.
The steam is this book is hot even without going into descriptive detail of the sexual encounters. This book is a PG-13 read and still feels incredibly steamy.
I loved this look into a culture different than my own, into family relationships, family secrets, beginning to heal, and learning to let go of the expectations that are forced onto us. All of this happens while a beautiful love story is unfolding that will have you swooning and cheering for a happily ever after. This is such a great book!
RATING:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
STEAM LEVEL: Rated PG-13
TRIGGERS: Strained family relationships, pressure to marry, emotionally distant parent, child sent to boarding school, clinical depression
FEELS-O-METER: 2/5 *Some drama, but still a light read*
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
BUY IT HERE: https://amzn.to/3kXLkkc (aff.)
INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | YEAR OF SMUT CHALLENGE
Reena is a 32 year old single woman whose parents are constantly trying to direct her life, her career, and her relationships. When Reena meets her new hot neighbor, Nadim, she is intrigued...until she realizes he is the man her father has planned for her to marry. Suddenly Nadim is the enemy that she can't stand, but needs help from to make her dreams a reality...as long as she can remind him daily that she will NOT be marrying him.
Reena and Nadim are so absolutely swoony! I just adored each of them. Reena with her sometimes cranky attitude and Nadim's good-natured charm. Reena is a self-taught baker and the food descriptions in this book will have you drooling! I had to stop reading a few times in order to make and consume some sourdough toast with fresh butter.
I loved that this book tackled really difficult family relationships. Farah Heron managed to incorporate cultural complexities within those family relationships with universal complexities that every reader has likely experienced. And those relationships improve as family secrets come out and as the members of Reena's family try and change the patterns they have fallen into. The author has managed to keep these changes authentic and true. I especially appreciated the story including Mental Illness and Therapy for more than one character.
The steam is this book is hot even without going into descriptive detail of the sexual encounters. This book is a PG-13 read and still feels incredibly steamy.
I loved this look into a culture different than my own, into family relationships, family secrets, beginning to heal, and learning to let go of the expectations that are forced onto us. All of this happens while a beautiful love story is unfolding that will have you swooning and cheering for a happily ever after. This is such a great book!
RATING:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
STEAM LEVEL: Rated PG-13
TRIGGERS: Strained family relationships, pressure to marry, emotionally distant parent, child sent to boarding school, clinical depression
FEELS-O-METER: 2/5 *Some drama, but still a light read*
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
BUY IT HERE: https://amzn.to/3kXLkkc (aff.)
INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | YEAR OF SMUT CHALLENGE
This book ripped my heart from my chest, shredded it into tiny pieces, and put it back again. And I LOVED EVERY MOMENT OF IT.
Just stop what you're doing and READ. THIS. BOOK. There is not enough caps locks in the world for my feelings.
*deep breath*
DEAR EMMIE BLUE is a story so heart-breakingly perfect and so wonderfully sweet that you'll still be thinking about it long after you read the last words. This book is just BEAUTIFUL.
The writing is superb.
The characters are flawed and real and wonderful.
The conflict in this book is genuine and truthful.
The love story amid the sadness is so worth it.
Besides making you feel, DEAR EMMIE BLUE makes you think about your own life. Your family. Your friendships. Your trauma. Your healing.
This book is everything.
RATING:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
STEAM LEVEL: Rated PG-13
TRIGGERS: Teen sexual assault, parent abandonment, fatal cancer
FEELS-O-METER: 5/5 *Put your therapist on speed dial*
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
BUY IT HERE: https://amzn.to/3ek9xQ7 (aff.)
INSTAGRAM | YEAR OF SMUT CHALLENGE
Just stop what you're doing and READ. THIS. BOOK. There is not enough caps locks in the world for my feelings.
*deep breath*
DEAR EMMIE BLUE is a story so heart-breakingly perfect and so wonderfully sweet that you'll still be thinking about it long after you read the last words. This book is just BEAUTIFUL.
The writing is superb.
The characters are flawed and real and wonderful.
The conflict in this book is genuine and truthful.
The love story amid the sadness is so worth it.
Besides making you feel, DEAR EMMIE BLUE makes you think about your own life. Your family. Your friendships. Your trauma. Your healing.
This book is everything.
RATING:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
STEAM LEVEL: Rated PG-13
TRIGGERS: Teen sexual assault, parent abandonment, fatal cancer
FEELS-O-METER: 5/5 *Put your therapist on speed dial*
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
BUY IT HERE: https://amzn.to/3ek9xQ7 (aff.)
INSTAGRAM | YEAR OF SMUT CHALLENGE
This was my first read by this author and I liked it a lot! Marlee catches her boyfriend of 10 years cheating and dumps him, only to realize she has been so wrapped up in supporting him and his career for the last ten years that she has to start over again and find herself.
Marlee was a great female lead character. She is funny and smart and very relatable. I snort-laughed so many times at her snappy come-backs and total comfort in her own skin, quirks and all. She is a curvy-ish girl compared to the other Football Wives (she's a size 8, so by no means is she a plus-size heroine), but I liked how relatable her mild discomfort with her body was. Because, the truth is, OFTEN women who are a size 8 in a world where their peers are smaller feel that self-consciousness too. It's not just women who are classified as Plus Size.
The male lead, Gavin, is a less complex character and seems "too good to be true" for the entirety of the book. He is just endlessly sweet, supportive, and wonderful. I wanted a bit more to his character. These two have great chemistry and I loved their interactions.
I took a star off because the "bad guys" in this book (the other football wives) are written very one dimensionally. I wish we had gotten a sense for anything about them other than just being bitchy and catty. Also, the nonstop hashtag inserts in the book got on my nerves a bit. They made me feel like Marlee was a bit immature.
Overall I really liked this book and will definitely be reading the next in the series!
Marlee was a great female lead character. She is funny and smart and very relatable. I snort-laughed so many times at her snappy come-backs and total comfort in her own skin, quirks and all. She is a curvy-ish girl compared to the other Football Wives (she's a size 8, so by no means is she a plus-size heroine), but I liked how relatable her mild discomfort with her body was. Because, the truth is, OFTEN women who are a size 8 in a world where their peers are smaller feel that self-consciousness too. It's not just women who are classified as Plus Size.
The male lead, Gavin, is a less complex character and seems "too good to be true" for the entirety of the book. He is just endlessly sweet, supportive, and wonderful. I wanted a bit more to his character. These two have great chemistry and I loved their interactions.
I took a star off because the "bad guys" in this book (the other football wives) are written very one dimensionally. I wish we had gotten a sense for anything about them other than just being bitchy and catty. Also, the nonstop hashtag inserts in the book got on my nerves a bit. They made me feel like Marlee was a bit immature.
Overall I really liked this book and will definitely be reading the next in the series!
JUST LIKE IN THE MOVIES was a decent read for me, but fell short where the characters were concerned.
Jake was the only character I felt was written with complexity. He is a great leading man. But Ruby (and all of the supporting characters) felt very one-dimensional.
Ruby is sweet.
Her best friend is feisty.
Her stand-in dad is a cliche of all things gay man in media.
Jake's mother is overly dramatic.
There are no other sides to these characters.
It was a shame because I LOVED the only other book by this author I have read, but JUST LIKE IN THE MOVIES just wasn't for me.
RATING:⭐️⭐️⭐️
STEAM LEVEL: Rated R
TRIGGERS:
FEELS-O-METER: 2/5 *has a bit of drama, but still a light read*
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Jake was the only character I felt was written with complexity. He is a great leading man. But Ruby (and all of the supporting characters) felt very one-dimensional.
Ruby is sweet.
Her best friend is feisty.
Her stand-in dad is a cliche of all things gay man in media.
Jake's mother is overly dramatic.
There are no other sides to these characters.
It was a shame because I LOVED the only other book by this author I have read, but JUST LIKE IN THE MOVIES just wasn't for me.
RATING:⭐️⭐️⭐️
STEAM LEVEL: Rated R
TRIGGERS:
FEELS-O-METER: 2/5 *has a bit of drama, but still a light read*
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is my first book by Kristen Callihan and it had a decent story, but it felt oddly old-fashioned.
All of the plot points felt like a contemporary romance, but the actual writing and how the 20-somethings spoke was very dated. It just felt "off" to me, as if the author was 60+ years old and not a young author.
Also, the pacing was extremely slow. The story was just barely engaging enough that I didn't DNF this one.
Sadly, this book just didn't work for me.
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
RATING: ⭐️⭐️1/2
STEAM LEVEL: Rated R
TRIGGERS: childhood physical abuse, cheating ex, multiple concussions, brain injury, childhood bullying, fatal car accident
All of the plot points felt like a contemporary romance, but the actual writing and how the 20-somethings spoke was very dated. It just felt "off" to me, as if the author was 60+ years old and not a young author.
Also, the pacing was extremely slow. The story was just barely engaging enough that I didn't DNF this one.
Sadly, this book just didn't work for me.
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
RATING: ⭐️⭐️1/2
STEAM LEVEL: Rated R
TRIGGERS: childhood physical abuse, cheating ex, multiple concussions, brain injury, childhood bullying, fatal car accident
I am a SUCKER for a man with an Irish accent. This book definitely gave it to me! Calvin is epically swoony and I love that he is a busker at the beginning of this book. I think buskers are so often looked down upon by society, assumed to be lazy or unwilling to get a "regular job".
Holland was a great female lead with a complex personality which is both brave and sometimes hesitant.
The chemistry and steam between these two is hot! This book is a slow burn that definitely pays off! I can't comment on the accuracy of the immigration process, but others have told me it isn't super accurate. That doesn't bother me as far as reading enjoyment goes.
RATING:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
STEAM LEVEL: Rated R
FEELS-O-METER: 3/5
Holland was a great female lead with a complex personality which is both brave and sometimes hesitant.
The chemistry and steam between these two is hot! This book is a slow burn that definitely pays off! I can't comment on the accuracy of the immigration process, but others have told me it isn't super accurate. That doesn't bother me as far as reading enjoyment goes.
RATING:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
STEAM LEVEL: Rated R
FEELS-O-METER: 3/5
Oh, how I love the Buchanan Love Curse! And I also love Karla Sorensen. So this book was at the top of my TBR the moment it was published.
Magnolia is just the kind of heroine I love. She is super smart, driven, a tiny bit neurotic, knows herself and knows what she wants and the changes she needs to make. She is so strong, but also repeatedly shows her softness. She is kind and fair and loving.
And Grady is a great hero. I am a sucker for a Sunshine Hero who always has a smile on his face. Grady is the ultimate Nice Guy. And when he first meets Magnolia, his clumsiness is so hilarious! I loved all of his embarrassing trips and falls and his total lack of having his $h*t together!
These two have a very slow burn romance, but I absolutely loved the sweet friendship that grew between them during that slow burn.
Karla Sorensen also did a superb job at writing a female POC lead. This book touches on some great topics surrounding race, what accompanies being in a mixed-race couple, and shows Grady learning things about what Magnolia's life is like as a Black female that had simply not occurred to him before. Sorensen handles all of these topics with the perfect balance of shedding light on these character's different experiences, without ever being overly preachy. I loved the tone this book had with this highly sensitive topic.
I am a reader who particularly likes a conflict beyond a couple being afraid to take a leap or worrying about what others might think. That's not to say this book didn't have a very valid and hard-to-overcome conflict, but I wished for just a bit more. Of course, that's a personal reader preference.
STEAL MY MAGNOLIA did have a great steamy scene, even without being highly descriptive. I love me some descriptive sex, but this book did an excellent job of feeling steamy while still remaining fairly PG-13. I was worried it might be too tame for my tastes, but it ended up being darn hot.
RATING:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
STEAM LEVEL: Rated PG-13
TRIGGERS: mention of racism
FEELS-O-METER: 2/5: covered a few deeper topics, but still a light read.
BUY IT HERE: https://amzn.to/3qCLY7O (aff.)
Magnolia is just the kind of heroine I love. She is super smart, driven, a tiny bit neurotic, knows herself and knows what she wants and the changes she needs to make. She is so strong, but also repeatedly shows her softness. She is kind and fair and loving.
And Grady is a great hero. I am a sucker for a Sunshine Hero who always has a smile on his face. Grady is the ultimate Nice Guy. And when he first meets Magnolia, his clumsiness is so hilarious! I loved all of his embarrassing trips and falls and his total lack of having his $h*t together!
These two have a very slow burn romance, but I absolutely loved the sweet friendship that grew between them during that slow burn.
Karla Sorensen also did a superb job at writing a female POC lead. This book touches on some great topics surrounding race, what accompanies being in a mixed-race couple, and shows Grady learning things about what Magnolia's life is like as a Black female that had simply not occurred to him before. Sorensen handles all of these topics with the perfect balance of shedding light on these character's different experiences, without ever being overly preachy. I loved the tone this book had with this highly sensitive topic.
I am a reader who particularly likes a conflict beyond a couple being afraid to take a leap or worrying about what others might think. That's not to say this book didn't have a very valid and hard-to-overcome conflict, but I wished for just a bit more. Of course, that's a personal reader preference.
STEAL MY MAGNOLIA did have a great steamy scene, even without being highly descriptive. I love me some descriptive sex, but this book did an excellent job of feeling steamy while still remaining fairly PG-13. I was worried it might be too tame for my tastes, but it ended up being darn hot.
RATING:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
STEAM LEVEL: Rated PG-13
TRIGGERS: mention of racism
FEELS-O-METER: 2/5: covered a few deeper topics, but still a light read.
BUY IT HERE: https://amzn.to/3qCLY7O (aff.)
First, I seriously loved reading a book with these diverse lead characters! Anthony is a Latin Rock/Pop Star who is the lead singer in a hugely popular band with his brother. Darya is an ER Doctor who is trying to be the perfect Iranian daughter for her mom and sister. I loved the glimpses we got into each of these character's cultures, from food to family dynamics and everything in between. I love when romances give the reader those moments that make the world seem smaller.
SET TO MUSIC had a lot of great moments and was a sweet love story, but it didn't feel like the romantic leads had enough interaction in the story in order to make me believe they were falling in love. They had friendly interactions and decent physical chemistry, but I wish there was more connection. I just didn't feel it as much as I wished I would have.
The author did an excellent job of writing about grief and the emotional process of hospice care. I just wish the romance in this book had resonated with me a bit more.
Overall, a decent read, but not a great read for me.
RATING:⭐️⭐️⭐️
STEAM LEVEL: Rated R
TRIGGERS: Domestic abuse, childhood physical abuse, parent abandonment, parent death, fatal cancer, hospice, heart arrhythmia
FEELS-O-METER: 4/5 *tackles some seriously heavy topics.
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
SET TO MUSIC had a lot of great moments and was a sweet love story, but it didn't feel like the romantic leads had enough interaction in the story in order to make me believe they were falling in love. They had friendly interactions and decent physical chemistry, but I wish there was more connection. I just didn't feel it as much as I wished I would have.
The author did an excellent job of writing about grief and the emotional process of hospice care. I just wish the romance in this book had resonated with me a bit more.
Overall, a decent read, but not a great read for me.
RATING:⭐️⭐️⭐️
STEAM LEVEL: Rated R
TRIGGERS: Domestic abuse, childhood physical abuse, parent abandonment, parent death, fatal cancer, hospice, heart arrhythmia
FEELS-O-METER: 4/5 *tackles some seriously heavy topics.
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Oh, my HEART! Prepare for ALL THE GUSHING about this book.
I read the first book in this series, Love In The City, and I really liked it (I rated it 4 stars). So I was excited to read the next book, YOU KNOW IT'S LOVE, by Jen Morris. And, people, I looooovvvve this book!!!
Kat was a totally relatable female lead. We see her struggle to trust again after a series of betrayals and I loved that even as the reader wants to shake some sense into her, we also know exactly where she is coming from. You can picture yourself making the same decisions she does because her character is so well written. And Kat trying to take a meditation class is 100% ME. I snort-laughed at her internal monologue.
Myles is now in my top five favorite Book Boyfriends. He is written with the perfect blend of masculinity and sweetness. He practices yoga and meditation, but is tattooed, protective, and freaking hot. The author has found the perfect balance of man's man and sensitive soul.
Both of these characters are so wonderfully written and so perfectly complex and human that you couldn't help but adore them both.
As with all of my favorite romances, this book has meaningful friendships. Not "perfect" friendships where no one ever disagrees with each other, REAL friendships with ups and downs and mistakes and apologies.
Now, let's talk about the next-level writing of the steamy scenes in this book. These scenes MEAN something. They tell an important part of the story. Without them the story would suffer. Now, I love reading a good shag no matter what and the steamy scenes in this book are melt-yo-Kindle HOT. But Jen Morris writes these scenes with intent and purpose. That is GREAT WRITING.
Besides all that good stuff I already mentioned, this story is sweet, smart, hilariously funny, swoony, and genuinely fun. Read this book immediately. That's an order. You can thank me later.
RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
STEAM LEVEL: Rated R
TRIGGERS: Parent abandonment, cheating, sexual assault
Thank you to the author for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I read the first book in this series, Love In The City, and I really liked it (I rated it 4 stars). So I was excited to read the next book, YOU KNOW IT'S LOVE, by Jen Morris. And, people, I looooovvvve this book!!!
Kat was a totally relatable female lead. We see her struggle to trust again after a series of betrayals and I loved that even as the reader wants to shake some sense into her, we also know exactly where she is coming from. You can picture yourself making the same decisions she does because her character is so well written. And Kat trying to take a meditation class is 100% ME. I snort-laughed at her internal monologue.
Myles is now in my top five favorite Book Boyfriends. He is written with the perfect blend of masculinity and sweetness. He practices yoga and meditation, but is tattooed, protective, and freaking hot. The author has found the perfect balance of man's man and sensitive soul.
Both of these characters are so wonderfully written and so perfectly complex and human that you couldn't help but adore them both.
As with all of my favorite romances, this book has meaningful friendships. Not "perfect" friendships where no one ever disagrees with each other, REAL friendships with ups and downs and mistakes and apologies.
Now, let's talk about the next-level writing of the steamy scenes in this book. These scenes MEAN something. They tell an important part of the story. Without them the story would suffer. Now, I love reading a good shag no matter what and the steamy scenes in this book are melt-yo-Kindle HOT. But Jen Morris writes these scenes with intent and purpose. That is GREAT WRITING.
Besides all that good stuff I already mentioned, this story is sweet, smart, hilariously funny, swoony, and genuinely fun. Read this book immediately. That's an order. You can thank me later.
RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
STEAM LEVEL: Rated R
TRIGGERS: Parent abandonment, cheating, sexual assault
Thank you to the author for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
