shanaepraystoo's reviews
911 reviews

A Promising Remedy by Mya

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring relaxing fast-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

5.0

This instalove romance is perfect. When you are looking for this trope, you’re hoping to get A Promising Remedy. The FMC overcomes significant challenges but her vulnerability leads to a perfect love with the most amazing MMC. The MMC’s brothers are well written and they make you want to read the next book in the Love’s Infusion series.  A Promising Remedy is funny, thought provoking and  engaging. 
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Inflamed In His Love by Tay Mo'Nae

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emotional funny hopeful slow-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

4.0

I got way more than I expected with Tay Mo’Nae’s Inflamed In His Love. This slow burn is emotional and heartwarming with dynamic, diverse characters who you want the best for. The MMC Tripp is everything you want in a romance novel, while there’s something really profound about the FMC and her maturity that you don’t often find in female characters in romance novels.

I also loved how regular these characters were. It’s nice change of pace to read a romance novel with everyday regular characters - no drug dealers, no billionaires, no family inheritance. While I love a good billionaire romance, it is fun to read a book about good hardworking people managing everyday struggles.

I highly recommend Inflamed In His Love to anyone who likes the single dad trope. It definitely fits the bill. 
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Who You Belong To by ML Bash

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 43%.
I really don’t like any of these characters. And I am reminded why I don’t like the author’s writing style with every page turn. I am not investing more time into this unrealistic, badly written story. 
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Something In My Heart by Mya, Kimberly Brown

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challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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

Whew. Something In My Heart by Kimberly and Mya is an emotionally charged romance story that really makes you feel and makes you think. There are sensitive themes in the book, check the trigger warnings at the front of the book, but each of them is handled with so much care and respect. They also advance the story and character arcs in a beautiful and necessary way. Kimberly Brown and Mya write characters you want the absolute best for, they’re so diverse that you want the best for even the antagonist. I recommend Something In My Heart to anyone looking for a complex romance story with serious themes and lovable characters. 
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Liberated: An Erotic Short by Kimberly Brown

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adventurous funny lighthearted relaxing fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

Light hearted, spicy, and engaging, I think Liberated is just what you're looking for in an erotica novella. The characters are lovable and diverse. Kimberly Brown doesn't skimp on character development, so you get a decent backstory and some fun secondary characters. I recommend this one to fans of Kimberly Brown and erotica. It is a quick and fun read that make you want more of Kimberly Brown's books. 

Spice Level: 3/5
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My One and Only Love: A Novella by D. Rose

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funny inspiring lighthearted relaxing medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

My One and Only Love by D. Rose is the perfect second chance novella. The characters are diverse and lovable, the story is well written - I have no complaints. D. Rose does everything right with this novella. 
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Take Me Away by Kami Holt

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emotional funny medium-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

I didn’t know what to expect from Kami Holt’s Take Me Away. This is one of the best contemporary romance novels I’ve read this year. With strong development, lovable characters, and an engaging storyline, I couldn’t put the book down. The MMC is slightly unhinged, but he’s funny and likable. There’s a little family drama, but it advances the story. I’d read more from Kami Holt in the future and I highly recommend this book, especially if you like urban contemporary romance.
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Capone II by Jahquel J.

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

3.0

Hmmm...I had high hopes for Capone II after reading the first book. It ended with a crazy cliffhanger that made you want to pick up book 2. But Capone II just wasn't worth the read. I'm not sure how the author got 3 books and a spinoff out of this set of characters.
The FMC Erin is absolutely NOTHING like what you expected in Capone II. In Capone I, Erin is headstrong and independent, she's determined to do things the right way, the legal way. She doesn't want herself, her brother, or her cousin involved in any of the street stuff that's all around them. She's looking for ways to move herself and her brother out of the 'hood. In Capone II, she's weak, she's scared, and she's accepting a really dangerous lifestyle because...she's in love? An insta-love that hasn't even been fully described by the author? The story is so far from what the original premise was: Capone, a kingpin, falls for his worker/brother-in-law Naheim's ex-girlfriend - can Capone respect his new brother and his sister, while seeking the love he so secretly desires? 
 Capone II is about...man I don't even know what it's about. It's just weird drama-filled situation followed by a plot hole after drama-filled situation. I'm not finishing the series because I've found all of the characters unlikable and the story uninteresting. I really wished this Delgato Family Series was better.
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Hate Our Love by Kay Shanee

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funny inspiring lighthearted fast-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

3.75

Hate Our Love by Kay Shanee is my first read for the author and it was a pretty decent story. There's very good character development and good storytelling that leads to a heartwarming ending. Unfortunately, the book is not a 5 star read for me because I found the FMC, Jahzara Franklin very immature and irresponsible, especially for an older and pregnant character, and I think this type of messaging isn't what we need for those who are more likely to read this type of book. Dakari Bentley, the MMC, is the ideal book bae, but I found his short temper, inability to manage his anger, and communication issues problematic, so for every likable trait he had, there was a negative one that canceled it out. 

I listened to Hate Our Love on audiobook and I think Winston James and Anna Lynn Wright did a pretty good job, so I'd listen to another book narrated by either of them in the future for sure. 

I recommend Hate Our Love to anyone who likes an engaging story with good pacing and a heartwarming ending. 
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Saved by A Billionaire 2 by Miss J.

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challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Saved By A Billionaire 2 is a solid book with serious dark themes. I wasn't expecting this urban fiction novel to be dark romance, but here we are. The MMC, Amos Duke, is still strong, sensitive, and protective - everything you expect in an urban fiction's MMC. His character changes significantly from Stolen By A Billionaire and Saved By A Billionaire 1 - the result of love, I suppose.
For me, however, it became harder and harder to picture him as a hardened assassin as the book went one.


The story takes a really dark turn
as the FMC reveals that she's an addict, relapses, and then enters rehab
. It switches in some ways from dark urban romance to dark urban fiction with a women's fiction twist. Though it was unexpected, the story itself was well written with strong character development. 

The FMC and the MMC go through a lot to get to the HFN ending and as a reader, there's nothing in the book that reveals that this will happen and I valued that in Miss J.'s writing. 

I recommend the entire Duke Family Series from Miss J. Make sure you're in a healthy mental space for the books, however, as they can be really triggering. However, they're well written and engaging from start to finish.
I hope there's an additional story about the potential double wedding for Urvi/Val and Ananias and Christina and Amos.
I look forward to reading future books written by Miss J. 
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