regina_04's reviews
346 reviews

Dom by S.J. Tilly

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-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? No

4.25

This series keeps getting better and better. The outline of this story felt very similar to king so I wasn’t exactly excited for it since I thought it was gonna be the same thing but this ended up being so different. I absolutely loved Valentine and her depth and how emotional she was. She’s definitely my favorite fmc of the series so far. I also loved how her past was shown throughout the book and how it brought everything together. I liked dom and thought he was different from the other two men in this series. He wasn’t my favorite but I enjoyed how he cared for and loved valentine and how he constantly showed her that love. I liked the setting and how it differed from the first two books as well as the progression of the story. It went so quickly that this book didn’t feel anywhere close to 500 pages. The found family in this one was also so good because now there’s established characters and couples which I really enjoyed. 

King by S.J. Tilly

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

I really liked this. I didn’t have high expectations going in which might have made me like this more but I really enjoyed the couple and the storyline and the setting. I loved how their romance started and how even though king had a dark side he was always soft and obsessed with Savannah. I loved Savannah as a character since she had a uniqueness to her as well as a creative artistic side that I really liked. I liked the marriage plot and how that helped push their romance along and I liked kings family and the side characters. My only main issue was that the timeline for this book was a bit all over the place and made it feel a little Stockholm syndromey. But overall I had a great time this was such a good on the lighter side dark read and I truly loved the characters. 

Seven Days in June by Tia Williams

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

This story is heartbreakingly beautiful. I absolutely love the idea of this story and thought it was executed pretty well. I really enjoyed the first half of this story and thought it was gonna be 5 stars. I loved Eva as a character and loved how her personality was showcased and how she grew from her past and how she moved forward. I liked Shane but not as much as Eva and I didn’t enjoy his story in the present as much as Eva’s. I really liked the setting and the structure of the book and how it was broken down day by day. However with it being broken down like that it felt like the story was pretty slow paced and never really got moving. I also wanted Audre to have a more prominent storyline and be a bigger part of it because I thought she added a lot and I really liked her as a character. I absolutely loved the chronic illness rep and loved the way her illness was portrayed. As someone who has migraines I felt so seen in eve and her struggles. This was such a well written story and I had a good time reading it. 

Mother Hater by Daphne Elliot

emotional 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

3.75

This was definitely my favorite of the series. I always love when one of the main characters is closed off to love until someone comes along and changes their mind. The build up to Delia’s story was done really well and Enzo was exactly the man I thought she would fall for. I liked the set up to their relationship and him being the contractor who slowly falls in love with her. I liked how the kids tied into the story and what they added to it and the setting of the brownstone. I also loved Beckett meddling throughout the entire book and the way this story was wrapped up and how it wrapped up the whole series was done really well. Ultimately I had a good time with this series it was unlike anything I had ever read and it had a great overarching plot. 

Bright Lights and Summer Nights by Kat Singleton

emotional hopeful lighthearted relaxing fast-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

4.0

This was by far my favorite of the series. I absolutely loved the Hamptons setting and the summer vibes and it was so fun to read out in the sun. I read this in a day because it was just a fast easy read. I really liked Emma and her individual story that she went on but I wish it was highlighted a bit more. I really liked Preston as well and liked the sports element but I wish there was more of his traits showcased. I loved the fake dating element of it and how that transitioned into them becoming a couple. I also kind of enjoyed the third act break up because it made sense for their characters and what they were going through. Overall I had a great time with this it was so fun and spicy and a great summer read. 

The Sweet Spot by Bella Matthews

lighthearted fast-paced

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

3.0

I wasn’t really in the right headspace to read this but it managed to keep my attention which was nice. I enjoyed getting to see Brynn’s story after seeing her as a side character throughout the series and I did enjoy her. I found the plot a little lacking and it felt like there were some events and circumstances thrown in there just to add something but they didn’t make a ton of sense. The marriage element also felt a little out of left field but I did really like the daughter and what she brought to the book. Overall this was a cute fun palette cleanser of a read and it’s nice to have those once in a while but now that the series is over I’ll probably never think about it again. 

Hideaway by Penelope Douglas
Did not finish book. Stopped at 37%.

I've read 200 pages and just cannot get into it. Kai isn't my favorite and Banks's development is taking forever. And I'm waiting for something to happen and it's just not. So I think I'm going to kill switch and then I'll go back later. 

Love Unwritten by Lauren Asher

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted 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

5.0

This is perfection. I was pretty sure that love redesigned couldn’t be topped but Lauren Asher found a way because I love this book so incredibly much. This story follows so much more than a romance between Ellie and Rafa. It covers self loathing which turns into self love, communication and trust, letting people in, vulnerability, and relationships between friends and as a nanny and a step parent. I thought all of those topics as well as the darker themes like depression and self harm were handled extremely well and they all made sense with the characters which meant that they added a lot to the story. I loved the pacing and progression of Ellie and rafas relationship even if it was more of a slow burn because it fit for them. I loved the music element and how it brought Nico and Ellie closer together. I also thought the way Nico was depicted was incredibly realistic and that made me love him. I loved the tropical setting and the small details like the flowers, the song lyrics, and animals. I loved the side characters and how the next book was set up which I cannot wait for. I loved absolutely everything about this book and the way I resonated with it and the emotions it brought out in me and to me it cannot be described as anything other than perfection. 

Mother Pucker by Swati M.H.

lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.0

I’m basically out of describing words for this series because every book is structured the same way and has the exact same tone. With that being said I did enjoy this one but it’s also my least favorite of the series. I liked Rowan and seeing his character growth and how much he loved Shayla. However I did not really like Shayla. I thought she had so much stuff she needed to work through before she got in a relationship and she just didn’t. I found her slightly annoying at times and found her over-protectiveness annoying as well. If she would’ve gone to therapy or tried to work through her past and her trauma I think I would’ve really liked her but it was clear she has trauma and just did nothing about it. But overall I enjoyed the sports element and the physical therapist element and it was a cute fun book. 

Mother Maker by Jenni Bara

lighthearted slow-paced

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

3.5

I thought I was gonna enjoy this one more than the first and while I had a good time I didn’t love it as much. I really liked both of the main characters and Liam but the romance took so long to get going that by the time they got together I lost some interest. I really liked the accidental pregnancy element and thought that was done well. The way it was written out felt like it fit Dylan so well and I really enjoyed that. I liked the sports element and loved Becketts mingling to set this relationship up. I also liked seeing Liam and Courtney’s relationship develop. However like I said this book was really slow paced in terms of the romance because they were literally together for maybe the last 25%. And because the romance took so long when they got together it felt kind of sudden and random. All that being said I had a good time and am excited to pick up the next one.