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ratetheromance's Reviews (659)
Damn. Amy Daws and these Harris Brothers books really rip your heart out! I can always count on this series to be highly emotional, have complex characters, be steaming hot, and center around family.
REPLAY ticks all these boxes!
Tilly is such a great female lead. She is smart and strong-willed, and working her ass off to make the future she wants after she decides to change her life. I loved her realness and the constant struggle she had between being strong and self-sufficient and being vulnerable.
Santino is very swoony and sweet. He is loyal and patient. He is always trying to help everyone else, even while suffering himself with a secret he has hidden from everyone.
Watching Tilly and Santino come together, in spite of their individual difficult pasts, and their shared experience together five years previous, is a heartbreaking and joy-filled read. Amy Daws ALWAYS writes the complexities of life and relationships with truth and acceptance for how flawed we can each be. And I love this series because it continues to be written with authenticity and compassion.
This is intended to be a standalone romance within the series, but I have to say that there were A LOT of characters being reintroduced and explored. If you haven't read the books in the series leading up to this one I think you would find it to be far too many characters to keep track of. I highly suggest you read the entire series in order. I should also mention that this is the first book that has felt that way in this series. The other books in this series all do well as standalones.
If you are ready for an emotional journey of love, family, friendship and growth (and some seriously HOT steamy scenes) you MUST READ this book!
TRIGGERS: teen pregnancy, sexual assault, substance addiction/recovery, parent abandonment, miscarriage
REPLAY ticks all these boxes!
Tilly is such a great female lead. She is smart and strong-willed, and working her ass off to make the future she wants after she decides to change her life. I loved her realness and the constant struggle she had between being strong and self-sufficient and being vulnerable.
Santino is very swoony and sweet. He is loyal and patient. He is always trying to help everyone else, even while suffering himself with a secret he has hidden from everyone.
Watching Tilly and Santino come together, in spite of their individual difficult pasts, and their shared experience together five years previous, is a heartbreaking and joy-filled read. Amy Daws ALWAYS writes the complexities of life and relationships with truth and acceptance for how flawed we can each be. And I love this series because it continues to be written with authenticity and compassion.
This is intended to be a standalone romance within the series, but I have to say that there were A LOT of characters being reintroduced and explored. If you haven't read the books in the series leading up to this one I think you would find it to be far too many characters to keep track of. I highly suggest you read the entire series in order. I should also mention that this is the first book that has felt that way in this series. The other books in this series all do well as standalones.
If you are ready for an emotional journey of love, family, friendship and growth (and some seriously HOT steamy scenes) you MUST READ this book!
TRIGGERS: teen pregnancy, sexual assault, substance addiction/recovery, parent abandonment, miscarriage
I LOVED Sarah Hogle's first book, Made For Each Other, so I was so excited for TWICE SHY!
Maybell has just inherited an old house from her great aunt and that gives her the courage to quit her thankless job and start fresh! But when she arrives she discovers that there is a co-owner and that's when the sparks start to fly!
I love a good Enemies-to-Lovers romance and Sarah Hogle always writes amazingly cutting and hilarious hate-banter! Maybell and Wesley are hilarious together and their sunshine + grumpy dynamic is perfect!
In this story we get to see Maybell really grow and change. She is so lovable and so relatable! I loved her and her sunshiny personality laced with snark. Wesley is grumpy and quiet and SO FREAKING SWEET that you will find yourself in a puddle of swoony goo by the end of this book. And talk about sweet moments! There is a date in this book that will make your Grinch heart grow three sizes!
There is a character in this book that struggles with severe social anxiety and the portrayal of those fears and how difficult it is to navigate life with them was handled PERFECTLY in TWICE SHY. Most of the time when I read Anxiety in a romantic lead character it is written in a way that seems as though the author doesn't know firsthand about that particular disorder. Most often I find this means the characters are simply MORE afraid of a scenario which MANY people would feel afraid at. Airline flights, performing in public, being stuck in an elevator, etc. But the true pain of living with (or having a loved one who lives with) an Anxiety Disorder is the randomness and seemingly minor situations that can completely panic a person. This is what Sarah Hogle does so well in TWICE SHY. A lot of people are afraid of flying, but not many people find it impossible to sit at a table in a restaurant because they won't be able to leave if they need to or they have a full-blown panic attack if their seat isn't facing the restaurant's front door.
The first third of this book had sort of odd pacing and story-telling to me. It felt a bit scattered. Not so much that I ever considered DNF, but it took a while to find it's footing. I just wish this book had more smut! My pervy little heart needed some wickedly hot sex and this book is firmly in the PG-13 category. There is one (quite vague) descriptive sex scene. Sad trombone from the perv in the corner (me!).
I loved this book a lot and highly recommend it, especially if you want to see a more realistic representation of Anxiety Disorders than you generally see in Contemporary Romance.
TRIGGERS: Parent abandonment, unstable childhood, Social Anxiety Disorder, catfishing
Maybell has just inherited an old house from her great aunt and that gives her the courage to quit her thankless job and start fresh! But when she arrives she discovers that there is a co-owner and that's when the sparks start to fly!
I love a good Enemies-to-Lovers romance and Sarah Hogle always writes amazingly cutting and hilarious hate-banter! Maybell and Wesley are hilarious together and their sunshine + grumpy dynamic is perfect!
In this story we get to see Maybell really grow and change. She is so lovable and so relatable! I loved her and her sunshiny personality laced with snark. Wesley is grumpy and quiet and SO FREAKING SWEET that you will find yourself in a puddle of swoony goo by the end of this book. And talk about sweet moments! There is a date in this book that will make your Grinch heart grow three sizes!
There is a character in this book that struggles with severe social anxiety and the portrayal of those fears and how difficult it is to navigate life with them was handled PERFECTLY in TWICE SHY. Most of the time when I read Anxiety in a romantic lead character it is written in a way that seems as though the author doesn't know firsthand about that particular disorder. Most often I find this means the characters are simply MORE afraid of a scenario which MANY people would feel afraid at. Airline flights, performing in public, being stuck in an elevator, etc. But the true pain of living with (or having a loved one who lives with) an Anxiety Disorder is the randomness and seemingly minor situations that can completely panic a person. This is what Sarah Hogle does so well in TWICE SHY. A lot of people are afraid of flying, but not many people find it impossible to sit at a table in a restaurant because they won't be able to leave if they need to or they have a full-blown panic attack if their seat isn't facing the restaurant's front door.
The first third of this book had sort of odd pacing and story-telling to me. It felt a bit scattered. Not so much that I ever considered DNF, but it took a while to find it's footing. I just wish this book had more smut! My pervy little heart needed some wickedly hot sex and this book is firmly in the PG-13 category. There is one (quite vague) descriptive sex scene. Sad trombone from the perv in the corner (me!).
I loved this book a lot and highly recommend it, especially if you want to see a more realistic representation of Anxiety Disorders than you generally see in Contemporary Romance.
TRIGGERS: Parent abandonment, unstable childhood, Social Anxiety Disorder, catfishing
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I know you are going to HATE ME for this, but...(deep breath)...I kind of hated this book.
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Everything about this book: the writing, the pop culture references, the language, the cutesy side characters, the political stuff, the frantic pacing, the romance...it all felt like a bored teen was standing on a street corner, twirling a huge sign that says ZEITGEIST on it, and waving it in the reader's face. None of it felt genuine to me.
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I felt like the that a male could reach the age of 21, having previously made out with a guy friend and also "fooled around" with said guy friend, and never once question his own sexuality seems fairly implausible. Listen, every heterosexual human I know, has at one time or another (especially in their teen years) thought to themselves, "I might be gay. What if I'm gay?" and that was without a late-night hand job from a high school friend of the same gender.
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Also, every single person in these men's lives is 100% supportive except the actual Queen of England? That's just not realistic and it was also a missed opportunity to share what it's REALLY like for a 20-something to come out. There is ALWAYS rejection. At least some. It's what makes coming out so incredibly brave. I work extensively with LGBTQ+ youth and their families, I have two LGBTQ+ kids, and I am a queer woman (who is in a hetero-normative marriage). I *WISH* this book was reality. I wish this many people would support and respect their LGBTQ+ loved one. But it's not reality.
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This book just did nothing for me. It felt forced and contrived. Also, the Oxford comma deserves our respect. Put it in your book title or we can't be friends.
I know you are going to HATE ME for this, but...(deep breath)...I kind of hated this book.
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Everything about this book: the writing, the pop culture references, the language, the cutesy side characters, the political stuff, the frantic pacing, the romance...it all felt like a bored teen was standing on a street corner, twirling a huge sign that says ZEITGEIST on it, and waving it in the reader's face. None of it felt genuine to me.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I felt like the that a male could reach the age of 21, having previously made out with a guy friend and also "fooled around" with said guy friend, and never once question his own sexuality seems fairly implausible. Listen, every heterosexual human I know, has at one time or another (especially in their teen years) thought to themselves, "I might be gay. What if I'm gay?" and that was without a late-night hand job from a high school friend of the same gender.
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Also, every single person in these men's lives is 100% supportive except the actual Queen of England? That's just not realistic and it was also a missed opportunity to share what it's REALLY like for a 20-something to come out. There is ALWAYS rejection. At least some. It's what makes coming out so incredibly brave. I work extensively with LGBTQ+ youth and their families, I have two LGBTQ+ kids, and I am a queer woman (who is in a hetero-normative marriage). I *WISH* this book was reality. I wish this many people would support and respect their LGBTQ+ loved one. But it's not reality.
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This book just did nothing for me. It felt forced and contrived. Also, the Oxford comma deserves our respect. Put it in your book title or we can't be friends.
I hoped to enjoy this book, but I didn't. There are quite a few problematic parts in this story. Sexual harassment in the workplace goes both ways. The power dynamic of the female lead being very sexually inappropriate with her male intern while at work was a real problem for me. Equality in the workplace is about EVERYONE being safe and respected. Both male and female. Flipping the script here with a woman in power doesn't make it acceptable and certainty makes it hard to read in a romantic context.
Marriage on Madison Avenue is a fun and sweet read about lifelong friends who pretend to be engaged and then find out their true feelings.
I loved the friendship part of the story between Clarke and Audrey. They had genuine dialog and a truly sweet friendship dynamic. The change that occurs in their relationship seems genuine and not overly rushed, which I liked.
The female friendships in this book were also refreshing and well-written. Another bonus to a good love story.
I did feel the middle portion of this book was overly drawn out and long while the ending (including the fleshing out of some important scenes) were rushed and less detailed.
Overall, a great read with a sweet story and a happy ending.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest feedback.
I loved the friendship part of the story between Clarke and Audrey. They had genuine dialog and a truly sweet friendship dynamic. The change that occurs in their relationship seems genuine and not overly rushed, which I liked.
The female friendships in this book were also refreshing and well-written. Another bonus to a good love story.
I did feel the middle portion of this book was overly drawn out and long while the ending (including the fleshing out of some important scenes) were rushed and less detailed.
Overall, a great read with a sweet story and a happy ending.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest feedback.
This book was just an okay read for me. I think maybe I just don't connect with this author. I really liked Am as a female lead. She is smart, kind, and loving. Ale was harder for me to like as the male lead. He just came off as totally self-absorbed to me.
I really appreciate how seamlessly this author incorporates culture, language, and traditions into her books. She is able to weave a lot of Spanish dialog into thus story without non-Spanish speakers (like myself) feeling lost.
The author really dives into complex family relationships with realism. That's an area where this author really succeeds!
The love story in this book was just a bit lacking for me. There is plenty of chemistry and shared history, but not a lot of relationship-building moments as the story unfolds.
This was a decent read, just not a great read for my taste.
I really appreciate how seamlessly this author incorporates culture, language, and traditions into her books. She is able to weave a lot of Spanish dialog into thus story without non-Spanish speakers (like myself) feeling lost.
The author really dives into complex family relationships with realism. That's an area where this author really succeeds!
The love story in this book was just a bit lacking for me. There is plenty of chemistry and shared history, but not a lot of relationship-building moments as the story unfolds.
This was a decent read, just not a great read for my taste.
This book was a pretty good read with a fun trope of the Marriage Pact! Hannah and Will were best friends in college, but lost touch over the last few years until he shows up to remind her of their marriage pact. These two have great chemistry and sweet friendship moments from the past that I loved reading about.
WHEN WE'RE THIRTY has great female friendships, sweet moments, and a lot of good exploration of the navigating of complex family relationships. There is a lot to love about this story.
This book did seem to thoroughly (and sometimes too thoroughly) explore unimportant moments in their story as they navigate their marriage of convenience while totally skipping over what should be really key moments. It was confusing. We get a lot of drawn out story as they interact with their respective friends and families, but totally skip over the first time these two have to share a bed after getting married AND skip over the first time they get cross the physical intimacy barrier (by showering together). And even though it wasn't sex, it should have been a huge moment. It's not that I was disappointed that the sexy parts like this were skipped (although, you KNOW I love smut) it's the EMOTIONAL aspect of those moments that should have been explored and were completely cut out. This happens repeatedly in the book.
WHEN WE'RE THIRTY had some really great parts and I think a lot of readers would enjoy it, but I felt it needed some heavy editing of the unimportant moments AND some expanding on the very important moments.
WHEN WE'RE THIRTY has great female friendships, sweet moments, and a lot of good exploration of the navigating of complex family relationships. There is a lot to love about this story.
This book did seem to thoroughly (and sometimes too thoroughly) explore unimportant moments in their story as they navigate their marriage of convenience while totally skipping over what should be really key moments. It was confusing. We get a lot of drawn out story as they interact with their respective friends and families, but totally skip over the first time these two have to share a bed after getting married AND skip over the first time they get cross the physical intimacy barrier (by showering together). And even though it wasn't sex, it should have been a huge moment. It's not that I was disappointed that the sexy parts like this were skipped (although, you KNOW I love smut) it's the EMOTIONAL aspect of those moments that should have been explored and were completely cut out. This happens repeatedly in the book.
WHEN WE'RE THIRTY had some really great parts and I think a lot of readers would enjoy it, but I felt it needed some heavy editing of the unimportant moments AND some expanding on the very important moments.
When I read a book with a female lead who unapologetically hates the outdoors and camping it feels like coming home. Especially when the male lead is outdoorsy for his job. Meanwhile, I pretended to obsessively love watching soccer just to spend time with a hot guy in college. Listen, he married me so joke's on him. Sucker.
COULD HAVE BEEN US is a super swoony read with an epic love story. Stella is funny, hard working, and so compassionate. And Jack balances her with a practical side that I also related too. These two have HISTORY and it makes their love story that much sweeter.
This book has some seriously emotional themes so you should get ready to feel ALL THE FEELS. Those more serious topics are handled expertly by the author. There are often no easy roads or clear answers to many complex life situations and COULD HAVE BEEN US perfectly explores characters doing what they think is right while having no idea if it will work out in the end. I love that.
I would recommend reading this series in order. The first book was excellent. This is the second book and it is marketed as being a standalone within the series, but I could tell a new reader might be a little lost.
If you love a second chance romance with all the feels you will love this book!
TRIGGERS: teen pregnancy, adoption, alcohol addiction, drug addiction, childhood in foster care, death of parent, cancer.
I received a gifted copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.
COULD HAVE BEEN US is a super swoony read with an epic love story. Stella is funny, hard working, and so compassionate. And Jack balances her with a practical side that I also related too. These two have HISTORY and it makes their love story that much sweeter.
This book has some seriously emotional themes so you should get ready to feel ALL THE FEELS. Those more serious topics are handled expertly by the author. There are often no easy roads or clear answers to many complex life situations and COULD HAVE BEEN US perfectly explores characters doing what they think is right while having no idea if it will work out in the end. I love that.
I would recommend reading this series in order. The first book was excellent. This is the second book and it is marketed as being a standalone within the series, but I could tell a new reader might be a little lost.
If you love a second chance romance with all the feels you will love this book!
TRIGGERS: teen pregnancy, adoption, alcohol addiction, drug addiction, childhood in foster care, death of parent, cancer.
I received a gifted copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.
