renae_reads_romance's reviews
873 reviews

Only With Me by Brooke Montgomery

emotional funny sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ Steam Rating:🌶️🌶️🌶️

Please check the trigger warnings before reading as this does deal with some heavy and sensitive topics. 

What happens when the girl you’ve been anonymously messaging turns out to be your ex girlfriend’s little sister?

God I loved this one! I don’t know what Brooke puts in her books but I gobble them up in no time!

This was everything I was hoping it would be! Spicy, taboo/forbidden and so fun! It does touch on some heavy themes so please know it’s all sunshine and rainbows but I love that about Brooks’s books, she doesn’t shy away from the hard stuff and it makes the characters more relatable and loveable. 

Harlow was this sweet and innocent character and I loved her interactions with Waylon, I mean all the sexual questions she would ask him had me laughing out loud at his reactions 🤣

I loved that it started as anonymous texting, that was so fun! But I did want to smack Waylon when he wouldn’t reveal himself 😫 but loved the whole experience so them getting to know each other without anyone preconceived ideas. 

Now I won’t say much more about the texting situation as it does change throughout the book but just know it is amazing! And Waylon has one dirty mouth on him 🥵

I also love how Brooke weaves her suspense in, I’m always shocked when it happens but the moments after were beautiful and had me tearing up. 

So if you love cowboys, age gaps and a  forbidden/taboo, slow burn romance, look no further! 

And I need the next book ASAP!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt

Moderate: Chronic illness, Drug use, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Violence, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail

Finding Hayes by Laura Pavlov

funny lighthearted medium-paced

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

5.0

Book Title: Finding Hayes Author: Laura Pavlov  

Series: Magnolia Falls #5

Star Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Steam Rating:🌶️🌶️🌶️

I am so sad that this series is over! I loved this series from the very beginning! This band of ride or die brothers has my whole heart!

We finally have Hayes book! And I loved it so much!

Savannah and Hayes were best friends from an early age but when Savannah moves away without a word to Hayes, he never hears from her again until she comes back to town 10 years later for her surrogate grandfathers funeral. 

It may have been 10 years of silence between them but their feelings for each other never went away and when Hayes finds out she needs help to honor her grandfathers will, he immediately steps in, no questions asked. 

Now the pair of them are fake married and living together! And boy do those old feelings come rushing back! And they soon find out that the silence between them may have been a total miscommunication but thankfully that is resolved quickly. 

I loved these two so much! I loved how quickly they both fell for each, though I guess they’ve been in love since childhood. My favourite part was how quick they committed to each other and decided to be married for real. 

I loved that Hayes finally got his girl and she showed him he deserves everything! Their ending was perfect! And I’m extremely happy that Hayes will have his own family to love and cherish. 

And of course Beefcake stole the show! I’m gonna need a next gen series to see him get his girl!

It was honestly the perfect ending to this series! It will have you smiling from start to finish! Everyone has their happy ever afters, all loved up and totally smitten with their women. 

From Here to Eternity by A.L. Jackson

dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Sunlight by Devney Perry
Did not finish book. Stopped at 31%.

Got to chapter 8 and never opened it again. 
Wasn’t liking the heroine, she was a bit of bitch to the hero for no reason. Jax was the only good thing. Might come back to it later 

Rookie Mistake by Maren Moore

adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

4.5

Book Title: Rookie Mistake Author: Maren Moore    

Series: Orleans University #3.5

Star Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 Steam Rating:🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

“I’m desperate for more from the guy who had zero hesitation in dropping to his knees and devouring me like he was starving and I was his last meal.”

If you’re looking for something short, fun, sweet and with a lot of spice, look no further!

Zara and Davis meet when she wins him in an auction for charity. They spend the next 6 hours doing all sorts of crazy things while ramping up the sexual tension between them. 

When their night is over , neither of them want to part ways. So they decide to have a little friends with benefits, and let me tell you the benefits were so damn hot! 

But Zara finds out Davis is her brother’s rival, and he is not happy. Cue them sneaking around campus to hook up!

I absolutely loved this book! I actually wish it was longer! 

I loved that it was low drama, even if her brother was trying to start some, I loved how obsessed they were with each other and how they both ended up falling for each other!

I cannot recommend this enough!!

Play the Game by S.J. Sylvis

4.5

Book Title: Play the Game Author: SJ Sylvis  

Series: Blue Devils Hockey #1

Star Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 Steam Rating:🌶️🌶️🌶️

“I’m picturing my wife on her knees, sucking me off until I can’t take it anymore.”

This was my first SJ book and I was not disappointed! As soon as I saw the sign up for this book I had to get on it! I mean a hockey romance with marriage of convenience! Sign me up!!

Now I believe this is a spin off from her other hockey series, Bexley U, but you don’t need to read that series to understand this one. This is a completely new series with a couple of character crossovers. 

Boy did I love this book! Once I started I couldn’t put it down! Like if I didn’t have surgery in between then this book would’ve been devoured instantly!

Scottie is desperate, she’s working a degrading job to pay off stuff for her brother (won’t spoil why) so when she finds out Emory is already in trouble with the media, she comes up with a plan to blackmail him. But she has too good of a heart and backs out before anything can happen. 

But Emory is now very interested in Scottie, he can see shes a good person so because he knows she needs money he offers her a solution, marry him to clean up his image and he’ll pay her what she needs. 

Oh boy was this a slow burn! These two had instant chemistry but neither wanted to cross that line but the more time they spend together the more their feelings grow. And when they finally get together 🔥💥 I wish we got more spice cause these two were hott! And those “my wife” moments 🥵

I loved how their relationship developed, they had such great banter. Scottie was the more hesitant of the two, with her upbringing she didn’t feel worthy of Emory’s attention but I loved that he constantly showed her she deserved everything and more!

 

If you want spice, great banter, hot hockey men and heartfelt love story then look no further!

I can’t wait for the next one! Single dad and nanny?! Yes please!

All Too Well by Corinne Michaels

emotional funny medium-paced

4.0

Book Title: All Too Well Author: Corinne Michaels 

Series: Ember Falls #1

Star Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Steam Rating:🌶️🌶️🌶️

All Too Well is the first book in the Ember Falls series and is a brothers best friend, single dad, its always been you/unrequited love story. 

Ainsley has been in love with her brothers best friend, Lachlan, pretty much since they met when they were 11/13. Fast forward to their adult years and something happens between them that causes them to loose contact for 4 years. 

Now Ainsley is working at a NY paper, trying to make something of her career but when her boss decides to give her a story about a single dad, firefighter who saved a young girl in a small town , which just so happens to be Lachlan, it means facing him and their actions. 

Lachlan is a single dad to Rose, who is the cutest. He gave up his big chance at a football career to move to a small town and raise her on his own. He is very much a grump, who likes to keep to himself so when Ainsley shows up in town to interview him for her paper, he doesn’t want a bar of it. 

But what he does want is Ainsley, while he knows she’s only in town for a short time, neither of them can resist each other and decide to cross those lines. These two have been pining over each other for years and have never admitted it to each other. But when their time is cut short, they’ll have to decide whether they want to be all in forever or continue to live in denial. 

This was such a fun read! She’s the sunshine to grumpiness. The banter was perfect, constantly had me laughing and just the right amount of angst and spice to have you hooked!

If any of that interests you, oh and there’s an ultimate frisbee league that was freaking hilarious to read about then I definitely recommend! I can’t wait to read the next book!

Consider Me by Becka Mack

4.5

Book Title: Consider Me Author: Becka Mack

Series: Playing For Keeps #1

Star Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 Steam Rating:🌶️🌶️🌶️

Why didn’t I read this sooner!! I will admit the size of this book intimidated me but those pages were 100% necessary!

I didn’t expect to love Carter as much as I did but that man was hard to resist! A cocky, arrogant playboy, with a heart of gold, who has his world turned upside down when he meets the love of his life, and she turns him down! Love it!

Olivia is carters opposite in so many ways. She’s short to his tall, shy and introverted to his outgoing, confident demeanor but I think that’s what really made them such a great match. I loved ghat she made him work for it, knowing exactly who he is and his reputation. 

I really enjoyed their journey to happiness, that it was hard fought for. They both had to constantly work together to overcome their fears. It made their story more meaningful and you were rooting for them whole time! Carter really stepped up to plate and was the perfect boyfriend, he was so obsessed with Olivia, it was adorable to watch. 

Carter and his teammates were a hoot! I was not expecting this book to be so funny but they’re such an endearing bunch, I love them all and I can’t wait for their stories!

If you’re looking for a hockey romance that not only hits you in your feels but will have you laughing out loud and rooting so hard for Carter and Olivia to get their happy ever after, then you need to read this book!

The Hunted Heir by Holly Renee

4.5

Book Title: The Hunted Heir Author: Holly Renee   

Series: The Veiled Kingdom #2

Star Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 Steam Rating:🌶️🌶️🌶️

I have been itching to start this one since I finished TVK and let me tell you, it did not disappoint!!

I wont say too much as I don’t want to spoil anything but this was so freaking good!

It picks up pretty much right after book 1 and we’re immediately thrown into the aftermath. 

We know Dacre has some major groveling to do and boy does he come through! That boy is so down bad for her! 

The action, the angst, the spice, the who can we trust, running for your life, had me absolutely hooked!

My favourite thing about these books is how fast paced they are, before I knew it the book was over. I do wish it was a bit longer but nothing felt rushed or skipped over. 

That ending was 😱 can’t believe we have to wait until next year for the next one! 

Honestly there’s so many scenes I want to talk about but I’m not going to as I don’t want to spoil anything for anyone. 

Wild Eyes by Elsie Silver

5.0

Book Title: Wild Eyes Author: Elsie Silver  

Series: Rose Hill #2

Star Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Steam Rating:🌶️🌶️🌶️

God this book has my whole heart! I don’t know what Elsie put in this book but I was addicted and couldn’t put it down!

Skylar is a country singer looking to get away after her world crumbles. She heads to Rose Hill in the hopes of finding herself and her true music. 

West is a single dad to 2 adorable kids. He shares custody with his ex and is solely focused on his kids. 

When West spots Skylar on the side of the road, trying to get friendly with a grizzly bear, things take a an interesting but funny turn. Honestly the funniest meet cute 🤣

Skylar ends up staying Wests bunkhouse because Fords recording studio isn’t ready. 

The way these two would constantly find ways to be near each other was so sweet. West is her biggest fan but he doesn’t tell her that. He can see that that part of her life is has blown up and she needs a break from it all.

I loved the way she instantly bonded with Wests kids. Elsie writes the best kids. Emmy was a wirlwimd with the biggest heart and Ollie was the sweetest boy, he was so shy but Skylar made him feel so comfortable. I loved all their interactions. 

West is the greenest flag ever! I mean top tier husband material. He’s constantly there for her in any way she needs. He is willing to hurt anyone for hurting her. 

And OMG when they got together!🥵 damn! They were explosive! They were so perfect for each other in every way. He made her feel seen and heard, and she made him feel important and needed. 

I won’t give anything else away as this one of those books you need to get lost in. Just know it brings all the feels, I laughed, I swooned, I cried and blushed like hell 🤣🤭and has the happiest ever after!