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romanticread's reviews
1074 reviews
Duke of Pryde by Mariah Stone
4.25
Constantine & Modesty are such a great contrast. She's poor, lower class but raised by her clergy father to be giving to others. He's had everything (except his father's love & acceptance) and while he has a big heart underneath he's been trained to show a cold, perfect facade to others. Marriage and time spent together has her seeing that loving, struggling man underneath and she starts making him want for something more. But a secret from his past threatens it all.
While I didn't think this one had quite the emotional punch as Duke of Luhst, I did enjoy it. I found the mystery of the blackmail to be well done and I really liked when the villain was unmasked. I do feel that maybe we needed a few more close moments between Constantine and Modesty. To see just a little more of them growing closer together and falling in love because I liked them both so much. The epilogue tho is a delight and I couldn't have asked for a better resolution for them.
(Part of a series but can be ready as a stand alone.)
**I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
While I didn't think this one had quite the emotional punch as Duke of Luhst, I did enjoy it. I found the mystery of the blackmail to be well done and I really liked when the villain was unmasked. I do feel that maybe we needed a few more close moments between Constantine and Modesty. To see just a little more of them growing closer together and falling in love because I liked them both so much. The epilogue tho is a delight and I couldn't have asked for a better resolution for them.
(Part of a series but can be ready as a stand alone.)
**I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Mr. Swoony by Piper Rayne
4.5
Piper Rayne just keeps getting better and better. Just like the previous stories, the found family part of this is just the best. I love how the guys have each other’s backs and now that each is finding their other half, the women are connecting as well. This shows so well with the help and support they provide to both Conor and Eloise.
And I SO ah-dored these two together.
Eloise is working her way to figuring out who she is and what she wants out of life. She spent years with a man who didn’t love and support her the way he should have. Then she meets Conor. And, for not having had a serious relationship before, he is the best at it. He doesn’t always make the best decisions, but he’s earnest, funny, and all in with his support of Eloise. He so much wants to build her up and keep her spirits up. It’s just the sweetest.
We know that these two are going to end up together, since it is their book, but I appreciated the journey to getting there. It isn’t easy thanks to the way they met, who Conor is, and Eloise’s journey. With patience, love, and the support of their friends, they eventually figure things out.
(Part of a series, but can be ready on its own.)
**I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
And I SO ah-dored these two together.
Eloise is working her way to figuring out who she is and what she wants out of life. She spent years with a man who didn’t love and support her the way he should have. Then she meets Conor. And, for not having had a serious relationship before, he is the best at it. He doesn’t always make the best decisions, but he’s earnest, funny, and all in with his support of Eloise. He so much wants to build her up and keep her spirits up. It’s just the sweetest.
We know that these two are going to end up together, since it is their book, but I appreciated the journey to getting there. It isn’t easy thanks to the way they met, who Conor is, and Eloise’s journey. With patience, love, and the support of their friends, they eventually figure things out.
(Part of a series, but can be ready on its own.)
**I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Returning Your Love: A Small-Town Gay Romance by Lynn Burke
4.0
Returning Your Love is pretty much ALL the angst. We get Jamie who has just had a life changing injury and Chaz whose marriage is on rocky ground. They end up back in each other’s lives and long denied emotions come out, and quite a few secrets, leading to all sorts of complications.
I feel for both of them and I do appreciate that Burke emphasizes mental health & professional help. (I am loving all the authors that have their characters address it and not just going with love fixes everything.) Chaz has a lot of issues – with his marriage, his friendship with Jamie, and his parents. It takes a while for him to come to terms with things but he puts in the work. It’s not easy, on him or Jamie, but it ends up being worth it.
As well as angsty, this one is also steamy … eventually, once they work thru their feels. It’s raw, raunchy, and spicy. These two have so much pining and suppressed feelings that when they get to that point it leads to so much sizzle.
This is my first book by Burke, but she’s prolific & well liked and I can see why. She piled it on her characters but she takes good care of them as they address their issues and try to figure out what the future holds. I’ll be keeping my eye out for what she has in store next for the men of Pippen Creek.
(Be sure to check out the author's website for content warnings.)
**I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
I feel for both of them and I do appreciate that Burke emphasizes mental health & professional help. (I am loving all the authors that have their characters address it and not just going with love fixes everything.) Chaz has a lot of issues – with his marriage, his friendship with Jamie, and his parents. It takes a while for him to come to terms with things but he puts in the work. It’s not easy, on him or Jamie, but it ends up being worth it.
As well as angsty, this one is also steamy … eventually, once they work thru their feels. It’s raw, raunchy, and spicy. These two have so much pining and suppressed feelings that when they get to that point it leads to so much sizzle.
This is my first book by Burke, but she’s prolific & well liked and I can see why. She piled it on her characters but she takes good care of them as they address their issues and try to figure out what the future holds. I’ll be keeping my eye out for what she has in store next for the men of Pippen Creek.
(Be sure to check out the author's website for content warnings.)
**I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
In Plain Sight by Willow Dixon
4.25
This is just my second book by Dixon and like It’s Complicated it is super steamy and low angst. I loved these two, alone and together. Both of them are hiding their sexuality but are secretly developing feelings for each other. And thinking the other is straight, it’s difficult spending so much time together at work, believing they can only be friends. And then when they both make a connection with an anonymous person online, it complicates things.
I actually appreciate the way that they figure things out. And the confrontation is satisfying. I do wish we’d gotten a little more of their time together, to see them deepening their connection, but what we do get is great. Luka suffers from issues with anxiety and the way that Zander supports him is just the sweetest. And the way that their friends and family react to their relationship is touching as well. They realize that they have a great support network, one that everyone should have.
I’m enjoying these stories by Dixon. Low angst and high steam isn’t going to be for everyone but I like having that option. Sometimes you want the drama but then a more realistic look at two people meeting, developing a connection, and getting involved is perfect too.
(Part of a series but can stand alone.)
**I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
I actually appreciate the way that they figure things out. And the confrontation is satisfying. I do wish we’d gotten a little more of their time together, to see them deepening their connection, but what we do get is great. Luka suffers from issues with anxiety and the way that Zander supports him is just the sweetest. And the way that their friends and family react to their relationship is touching as well. They realize that they have a great support network, one that everyone should have.
I’m enjoying these stories by Dixon. Low angst and high steam isn’t going to be for everyone but I like having that option. Sometimes you want the drama but then a more realistic look at two people meeting, developing a connection, and getting involved is perfect too.
(Part of a series but can stand alone.)
**I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Playing Mr. Perfect: Clay Braden by Melissa Foster
4.25
I enjoyed Pepper and Clay’s story. There was a little awkward dialogue in the beginning but once we got moving all was good. They were adorable together, with each of them bringing out the good in the other – Pepper needs someone to to bring out her fun-loving side, to get her away from being all work, while Clay needs someone who appreciates him for who he is and doesn’t expect him to be “Mr. Perfect”.
But he is a pretty perfect boyfriend. He listens, observes, and pushes when Pepper needs it. He’s thoughtful in the things he does and the gifts he gives her. And how to relax. Which she does for him as well. Allowing him to remember what he loved about football and what’s important to him.
Playing Mr. Perfect is steamy, sweet, and playful. There’s not a lot of angst, drama, or miscommunication. Just a couple of moments where they let their insecurities overcome them but they are few and short.
(There are a lot of characters from a related series, with Pepper’s sisters. I’ve read some, probably not all, but I still got confused about their stories. I think if you focus on Pepper & Clay and just look at them as her siblings & their spouses it is a little easier.)
**I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
But he is a pretty perfect boyfriend. He listens, observes, and pushes when Pepper needs it. He’s thoughtful in the things he does and the gifts he gives her. And how to relax. Which she does for him as well. Allowing him to remember what he loved about football and what’s important to him.
Playing Mr. Perfect is steamy, sweet, and playful. There’s not a lot of angst, drama, or miscommunication. Just a couple of moments where they let their insecurities overcome them but they are few and short.
(There are a lot of characters from a related series, with Pepper’s sisters. I’ve read some, probably not all, but I still got confused about their stories. I think if you focus on Pepper & Clay and just look at them as her siblings & their spouses it is a little easier.)
**I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Not So Over by Ashley Rayne
4.0
I’m a bit all over the board on this one. I love the idea, Marcus is an amazing partner, and I felt so bad for Parker. But I also felt like the pacing was a bit off – the first part was a bit rushed and the second part dragged.
Parker is a bit nervous because he’s going to be in the same location as his ex and is hoping that he’ll get the opportunity to explain why he broke up with him. But he’s also nervous that it won’t go the way he hopes. Marcus isn’t open at first to listening but he gets there pretty quickly. (Maybe a little too quickly.) And they spend the week finding their way back together.
I do feel like Marcus was a bit too fast being alright with sharing a room with Parker. I understand that he isn’t over him and I’m guessing he is hoping that this will give him the excuse to get back together. But he says he was devastated and I think he needs a bit more to get to that point. I do appreciate how he takes what Parker tells him and puts the effort into figuring out how he can help. The man straight up does the work to be a good partner and I love it!
So the first part is all the feels and by midway they are pretty much together. After that it is a lot of steam, with a little bit of moving their relationship further along. I’m not against heat in my stories but I think the balance is off. A bit more time needed to be spent on addressing how hurt Marcus was by the way their relationship ended, forgiving Parker, and being comfortable with giving him another chance. To working their way towards each other again.
Pacing issues aside, I did enjoy it. Loved me some Marcus and his happiness made me happy.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Parker is a bit nervous because he’s going to be in the same location as his ex and is hoping that he’ll get the opportunity to explain why he broke up with him. But he’s also nervous that it won’t go the way he hopes. Marcus isn’t open at first to listening but he gets there pretty quickly. (Maybe a little too quickly.) And they spend the week finding their way back together.
I do feel like Marcus was a bit too fast being alright with sharing a room with Parker. I understand that he isn’t over him and I’m guessing he is hoping that this will give him the excuse to get back together. But he says he was devastated and I think he needs a bit more to get to that point. I do appreciate how he takes what Parker tells him and puts the effort into figuring out how he can help. The man straight up does the work to be a good partner and I love it!
So the first part is all the feels and by midway they are pretty much together. After that it is a lot of steam, with a little bit of moving their relationship further along. I’m not against heat in my stories but I think the balance is off. A bit more time needed to be spent on addressing how hurt Marcus was by the way their relationship ended, forgiving Parker, and being comfortable with giving him another chance. To working their way towards each other again.
Pacing issues aside, I did enjoy it. Loved me some Marcus and his happiness made me happy.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Seaside Serenade by Melissa Foster
4.5
I often feel like novellas don't do their characters justice but not this time. Would I have liked more of them? Well, yeah, but Foster does a really good job of giving us a complete story in just a few pages.
Both Brock & Cree have been crushing on each other but a misunderstanding on her relationship status has kept him from pursuing her. The time together, though, has given them an opportunity to get to know each other and for feelings to develop. That helps with being able to make it a believable novella romance.
I listened to the audiobook version of this story and I enjoyed it. The narrators are nice to listen to - Masters could read the back of a cereal box and I'd be happy - and they complement each other well. At around an hour it was a fast listen and perfect for a lead up to Valentine's Day.
(Can stand on its own. For returning readers, there are updates on characters from the rest of the series, but I kept up just fine.)
**I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Both Brock & Cree have been crushing on each other but a misunderstanding on her relationship status has kept him from pursuing her. The time together, though, has given them an opportunity to get to know each other and for feelings to develop. That helps with being able to make it a believable novella romance.
I listened to the audiobook version of this story and I enjoyed it. The narrators are nice to listen to - Masters could read the back of a cereal box and I'd be happy - and they complement each other well. At around an hour it was a fast listen and perfect for a lead up to Valentine's Day.
(Can stand on its own. For returning readers, there are updates on characters from the rest of the series, but I kept up just fine.)
**I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Right the First Time by Kristen Vail
4.0
There was so much I enjoyed with Lenni & Cam’s story. I felt for her as she struggled to distance herself from her past and juggle school & family. It’s a lot for anyone and naturally she’s finding it difficult on her own. It leads to lots of mistakes, poor assumptions and miscommunication.
Cam has his own troubles. Trying to balance school, family, others’ expectations, and his own wants. It’s a big part of growing older as we try to figure out who we are, what we want, and how to honor ourselves & those we love. It’s a struggle for him, but he is a stand up guy with a good heart and does the best he can to do the right thing.
For a first book, I’m really impressed. Vail does a good job of giving us characters with flaws and issues that feel realistic, with a good balance of sweetness, angst, and growth. These are not perfect people, they struggle but they try, and I appreciate that there’s a good resolution for both of them individually as well as a couple. I’m looking forward to seeing where the author takes us next. Reeve’s got lots going on and I need to know everything :)
(Please note that there are content warnings for this one that can be found on the author’s website – kristenvail.com)
**I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Cam has his own troubles. Trying to balance school, family, others’ expectations, and his own wants. It’s a big part of growing older as we try to figure out who we are, what we want, and how to honor ourselves & those we love. It’s a struggle for him, but he is a stand up guy with a good heart and does the best he can to do the right thing.
For a first book, I’m really impressed. Vail does a good job of giving us characters with flaws and issues that feel realistic, with a good balance of sweetness, angst, and growth. These are not perfect people, they struggle but they try, and I appreciate that there’s a good resolution for both of them individually as well as a couple. I’m looking forward to seeing where the author takes us next. Reeve’s got lots going on and I need to know everything :)
(Please note that there are content warnings for this one that can be found on the author’s website – kristenvail.com)
**I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Not Your Biggest Fan by Sara Ney
lighthearted
fast-paced
4.0
I enjoyed Harlow and Andy together. Their time in NY is fun, with an enjoyment of the city and each other. And their flirty texts afterward are some of my favorites moments.
It is an insta-love kinda thing though, so you need to be ok with a little less than logical romance between the two of them. It’ll require you to just go with it and enjoy that they spent like 2 days together before deciding that major life decisions could be made. Realistic, no, but it’s a fun, rom-comy story and doesn’t have to be that real.
Although I do wish we’d gotten more of what it actually means for Harlow to be in a relationship with Andy. She gets a bit of it but I’m hoping that we get glimpses of it as we get future stories in the series. Because it isn’t going to be easy, and based on her issues once she figures out who he is, it’s something that needs to be addressed.
But Ney has an out here because their friends are a hoot and I’m looking forward to more books as (hopefully) each of them finds their own HEA. And Harlow’s dad as well. Like Harlow settling in to a relationship with Andy, I’m hoping that we get more of his search for a partner as we move along. There’s plenty of opportunity to address some of those missed moments and I’m curious to see where she goes.
Silly, funny, and lighthearted, as an introduction to Ney’s work I enjoyed Not Your Biggest Fan. Set your believability cap off to the side and just settle in for some fun :)
**I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
It is an insta-love kinda thing though, so you need to be ok with a little less than logical romance between the two of them. It’ll require you to just go with it and enjoy that they spent like 2 days together before deciding that major life decisions could be made. Realistic, no, but it’s a fun, rom-comy story and doesn’t have to be that real.
Although I do wish we’d gotten more of what it actually means for Harlow to be in a relationship with Andy. She gets a bit of it but I’m hoping that we get glimpses of it as we get future stories in the series. Because it isn’t going to be easy, and based on her issues once she figures out who he is, it’s something that needs to be addressed.
But Ney has an out here because their friends are a hoot and I’m looking forward to more books as (hopefully) each of them finds their own HEA. And Harlow’s dad as well. Like Harlow settling in to a relationship with Andy, I’m hoping that we get more of his search for a partner as we move along. There’s plenty of opportunity to address some of those missed moments and I’m curious to see where she goes.
Silly, funny, and lighthearted, as an introduction to Ney’s work I enjoyed Not Your Biggest Fan. Set your believability cap off to the side and just settle in for some fun :)
**I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
The Perfect Love by Bethany Monaco Smith
4.0
This is my first read by this author so I’m not sure how this represents her writing style. But I’m not 100% sure what to think of this one. I loved Chelsea and Trevor, individually and as a couple, and I loved the found family that they have created. There are a lot of them, so I was glad for the character guide at the front to somewhat keep up.
For a large group of college students, tho, they come with a large amount of trauma. This is where my hesitation comes in. I guess they could have bonded because of their issues but it seems like every one of them has something big they need to work through. And they know a lot about mental health, good communication, and support. I mean A LOT. Trevor is an amazingly perfect book boyfriend, tho he does have some trauma of his own to work thru, but the rest are amazingly perfect friends. Sure, a couple of them are studying counseling, some are actively in therapy, and they’ve been thru a ton collectively, but they are also only 20 years old. (Not that # of years lived necessarily means that you can’t have these kinds of lived experiences, but all of them?)
I saw another review say that it felt like an after school special and I can see that. There’s a lot of mental health terminology and advice, girl power and healing. I love that Chelsea is so into supporting women, lifting them up – **** the patriarchy, choose the bear kinda thing. But there’s so much going on here. I’m not sure if it is because there are so many of them, and they are so close, that it felt that way. And I admire both Trevor and Chelsea and how they address & overcome their issues. It was just a very full book.
Please know going in that this book deals with some really heavy subjects. It has some fantastic mental health representation and I love to see the normalization of that in books. The characters try so hard to be good people, good friends, to be supportive and love enthusiastically. They are wonderful characters and I so want to know their stories, to get to know them better.
It just feels like a lot when there are so many of them :)
**I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
For a large group of college students, tho, they come with a large amount of trauma. This is where my hesitation comes in. I guess they could have bonded because of their issues but it seems like every one of them has something big they need to work through. And they know a lot about mental health, good communication, and support. I mean A LOT. Trevor is an amazingly perfect book boyfriend, tho he does have some trauma of his own to work thru, but the rest are amazingly perfect friends. Sure, a couple of them are studying counseling, some are actively in therapy, and they’ve been thru a ton collectively, but they are also only 20 years old. (Not that # of years lived necessarily means that you can’t have these kinds of lived experiences, but all of them?)
I saw another review say that it felt like an after school special and I can see that. There’s a lot of mental health terminology and advice, girl power and healing. I love that Chelsea is so into supporting women, lifting them up – **** the patriarchy, choose the bear kinda thing. But there’s so much going on here. I’m not sure if it is because there are so many of them, and they are so close, that it felt that way. And I admire both Trevor and Chelsea and how they address & overcome their issues. It was just a very full book.
Please know going in that this book deals with some really heavy subjects. It has some fantastic mental health representation and I love to see the normalization of that in books. The characters try so hard to be good people, good friends, to be supportive and love enthusiastically. They are wonderful characters and I so want to know their stories, to get to know them better.
It just feels like a lot when there are so many of them :)
**I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**