reads_esther's reviews
54 reviews

See You Next Winter by Holly June Smith

emotional hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

The perfect holiday romance. 

Let's Call a Truce by Amy Buchanan

challenging emotional funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Feeling very mixed about this book. Because on one hand, it was a really excellent workplace rivals/enemies-to-lovers between single parents and it was really good. Juliana and Ben had explosive chemistry from the jump. From their initial meet-disaster, through two years of tension and bickering, to that first kiss, I was giddy for the way their relationship would pan out. 

Juliana is leaning how to single parent after the loss of her husband. There’s layer of grief here that I think were navigated quite well, in regards to both Juliana and her daughters. And despite grief and trauma, I really loved that when Juliana was an asshole, her friends told her that. There was no entertaining bad behaviour for the sake of friendship. 

But the entire third act was so incredibly messy to me and I couldn’t quite understand why we were entertaining this.

Ben’s ex-wife, who divorced him and signed away all her parental rights, comes back to make a weird power play and ruin everyone’s lives again? She absolutely destroyed everyone’s lives and there was not nearly enough resolution involved in the aftermath.

I think that the situation was drawn out far too long and should have been resolved differently. I also wish that we had been let in to the conversation that Ben and Juliana would have had with their children to tell them about their relationship. 

Let’s Call a Truce is a romance between messy people and while I was so invested in everyone’s lives, I can’t help but think that everyone in this story deserved better than what they got. I truly loved Juliana and Ben and their girls, but their HEA was simply not enough for me. Maybe if we had had Ben’s POV for a couple of the more pivotal moments, it would have felt more closed and final, but I have so many questions. 

The narrator for this audiobook did a phenomenal job. She truly brought the characters to life. 

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for both advanced e-book and audiobook.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Grief, and Death of parent

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Abandonment

The Marriage Hex by Sarah Blue

adventurous challenging emotional lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Absolutely loved this. Fated Mates. Second Chance. I was crying too many times. Just perfect.

Built to Last by Erin Hahn

emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Heated by Naima Simone

emotional lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

 I truly believe that Naima Simone can do no wrong, and while I did enjoy this book because of that, it was not my favourite Naima book. I struggled with the lying regarding Zora's job. And I think Cyrus was horrible to her when it came to light. I wish there had been a better conflict resolution between these two. 

Nocturnal: A Dark Academia Monster Romance by Clio Evans

dark emotional tense

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book is fucked up in every single wonderful way possible. Clio wrote an absolute masterpiece here.

A Love Most Fatal by Kath Richards

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

An absolutley brilliant debut mafia romance from Kath Richards. Vanessa and Nate are going to make readers absolutley feral. I LOVED every second of this book.

Falling For Temptation by M.J. Hendrix

1.5

BOO. HISS. no. She’s 17. He’s 21. and that was hidden until 85%. Also the MMC was written in a way that he would not do or act or say 98% of the things he does. So like?????

The Shots You Take by Rachel Reid

5.0

Pain in the Axe by Daphne Elliot

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Crying on the beach over Chloe and Gus. 

These two ex’s are the hottest, softest, and most delightful second chance romance that I have ever read. I loved them so much.