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spicycronereads's reviews
209 reviews
Wretched by Emily McIntire
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
4.0
Read this all in one sitting on a flight. I forgot I even read this and really can’t remember many of the details, except that it is loosely based on The Wizard of Oz. Based on my highlights I would say it is four chili peppers. 😂🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Say You Swear by Meagan Brandy
Noah is great book boyfriend material but the writing was a bit strained - too many extraneous characters and the writing lacked maturity. This may be because of the age of the characters but then it was pretty jarring to think of these characters becoming parents.
3.0
Yours, Finally by Leonor Soliz
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.75
Leonor Soliz does it again! She writes these book boyfriends that are soooo swoon-worthy - and usually for totally opposite reasons. I was so excited to get my hands on an ARC of this. I stopped another read midway through, while on vacation, to start this one!
Jake Stewart is the plus-size red haired MMC with such a tender heart. Vi (pronounced vee) Sotomayor is the curvy Latina MMC who has been pining for her brother’s best friend since high school. We find out right away that they are into each other and the plot of the book revolves around Jake managing his own responses to past trauma to allow them to move forward.
One of the things I like about Soliz’ writing is that she writes low-angst stories that still have emotional complexity. And her billionaire characters are so relatable. Yours, Finally is no different. Jake’s behaviors and coping mechanisms are so familiar and heartbreaking. 💔 The way he listens to Vi and his therapist are amazing. And Vi is a bad*ss. In addition to being a high-powered VP, who knows how to handle skeevy ex-boyfriends, she is an avid romance reader (and audiobook listener), which feels like a love letter to Soliz’ readers. There is an amazing audiobook scene that will have readers commiserating. 😅
When they kiss in chapter one I thought the author was moving away from her typical slow burn. But I was wrong. As with her other books, there are moments of *delicious* tension. 👩🏻🍳💋 And when the spice hits, it is quite schmexy. 🌶️🌶️🌶️
A central component of the diverse representation in this book comes from the spicy scenes. The plus sized bodies are not just tolerated but celebrated. I want to cuddle with Jake! 😍 Vi and her parents and the entire billionaire friend group are Latine. I thought in the last novel that one of the characters was a trans woman but in this one there were no indicators of that, so I think I was wrong previously.
Overall, this was a cute and schmexy read with relatable characters
Jake Stewart is the plus-size red haired MMC with such a tender heart. Vi (pronounced vee) Sotomayor is the curvy Latina MMC who has been pining for her brother’s best friend since high school. We find out right away that they are into each other and the plot of the book revolves around Jake managing his own responses to past trauma to allow them to move forward.
One of the things I like about Soliz’ writing is that she writes low-angst stories that still have emotional complexity. And her billionaire characters are so relatable. Yours, Finally is no different. Jake’s behaviors and coping mechanisms are so familiar and heartbreaking. 💔 The way he listens to Vi and his therapist are amazing. And Vi is a bad*ss. In addition to being a high-powered VP, who knows how to handle skeevy ex-boyfriends, she is an avid romance reader (and audiobook listener), which feels like a love letter to Soliz’ readers. There is an amazing audiobook scene that will have readers commiserating. 😅
When
A central component of the diverse representation in this book comes from the spicy scenes. The plus sized bodies are not just tolerated but celebrated. I want to cuddle with Jake! 😍 Vi and her parents and the entire billionaire friend group are Latine. I thought in the last novel that one of the characters was a trans woman but in this one there were no indicators of that, so I think I was wrong previously.
Overall, this was a cute and schmexy read with relatable characters
Content Warnings
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Child abuse and Domestic abuse
The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This was adorable. It is a closed door romance so it was a perfect airplane read. Thanks goodness I was wearing a mask so I could just smile and giggle (and cry) and nobody was any the wiser. Somehow this was simultaneously a rock star romance and a mountain man romance. 🤷🏻♀️ I can’t explain. You will just have to see for yourself!
FMC Sloan and MMC Jason are super cute together. And Tucker is the best good boy and the ultimate matchmaker. 🐶 The sigh-worthy moments are few and far between but there are a few sprinkled throughout and there are definitely moments to smile and kick your feet. 💖💖💖
Sloan’s grief and the highs and lows of their relationship add emotional complexity to an otherwise extremely lighthearted romcom.
Diversity is kind of tough to evaluate. Other than Sloan having a tan, nobody’s skin is described and descriptions of hair etc are kind of ambiguous. There does seem to be a butch female character (Zane) but otherwise everything is pretty normative. Apparently this was the first book Jimenez ever wrote so I don’t know if this holds true in her more recent work.
Overall, it was a super cute read that I read in one sitting (on an airplane 😂) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 💖💖💖
FMC Sloan and MMC Jason are super cute together. And Tucker is the best good boy and the ultimate matchmaker. 🐶 The sigh-worthy moments are few and far between but there are a few sprinkled throughout and there are definitely moments to smile and kick your feet. 💖💖💖
Sloan’s grief and the highs and lows of their relationship add emotional complexity to an otherwise extremely lighthearted romcom.
Diversity is kind of tough to evaluate. Other than Sloan having a tan, nobody’s skin is described and descriptions of hair etc are kind of ambiguous. There does seem to be a butch female character (Zane) but otherwise everything is pretty normative. Apparently this was the first book Jimenez ever wrote so I don’t know if this holds true in her more recent work.
Overall, it was a super cute read that I read in one sitting (on an airplane 😂) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 💖💖💖
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Self harm, Stalking, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Animal cruelty
Living Legend by Allie Shante
mysterious
reflective
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? It's complicated
2.75
The character development is strong in this novel with both FMC Dani and MMC Nick experiencing growth. There are rich secondary characters that add a lot to the story.
I enjoyed that Dani is the morally gray character and she and Nick had a cute dynamic. And their spicy scenes were pretty good (though I could have done with more!) 🌶️🌶️
All of that said, this one was a bit of a struggle for me. It was very slow paced and a lot of he chapters were just characters talking to one another. I think the book would have benefitted from another careful round with a developmental editor. We actually learn very little about the central mystery in the course of this book.
As a result, there are still many loose ends in the story but that is to be expected since it is first in a series. Will my nosiness about what is happening overcome my hesitation that there is no way it can all come together? I guess only time will tell! 😂
Overall, fun characters with a lot of potential. I was occasionally entertained though sometimes had to force myself to keep reading. ⭐️⭐️✨ / 🌶️🌶️
I enjoyed that Dani is the morally gray character and she and Nick had a cute dynamic. And their spicy scenes were pretty good (though I could have done with more!) 🌶️🌶️
All of that said, this one was a bit of a struggle for me. It was very slow paced and a lot of he chapters were just characters talking to one another. I think the book would have benefitted from another careful round with a developmental editor. We actually learn very little about the central mystery in the course of this book.
As a result, there are still many loose ends in the story but that is to be expected since it is first in a series. Will my nosiness about what is happening overcome my hesitation that there is no way it can all come together? I guess only time will tell! 😂
Overall, fun characters with a lot of potential. I was occasionally entertained though sometimes had to force myself to keep reading. ⭐️⭐️✨ / 🌶️🌶️
Nine Month Contract by Amy Daws
There was no diverse representation. The spice was… just fine. 🌶️
2.5
It had its funny moments but there were too many things that I found annoying:
- The MMC’s possessive instalove didn’t work for me. I normally like this when it is from a morally grey character but I think in an otherwise morally “pure” character, it didn’t make sense.
- The FMC’s wavering and inability to accept love. 🙄
- If you didn’t know that
Avery was a man from a mile away, you may not have been paying attention. - Despite external rhetoric to the contrary, the FMC has some internalized fat phobia that is annoying.
- The way pregnancy is talked about has some anti-choice undertones and, for the love, a gender reveal party was the last straw.
There was no diverse representation. The spice was… just fine. 🌶️
Had it not been a buddy read I don’t think I would have finished it.
The dynamic between the niece and the brothers was cute, as was the animal naming and the chapter headings. So with those redeeming qualities I give it ⭐️⭐️💫.
The dynamic between the niece and the brothers was cute, as was the animal naming and the chapter headings. So with those redeeming qualities I give it ⭐️⭐️💫.
Credence by Penelope Douglas
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Update: still not a full review but the end of the month looks and I want to move on. For being well-written and having emotional depth, plus a few of the spicy scenes were spicin’, I give it ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 / 🌶️🌶️🌶️.
A lot of this book steps over the line from cnc to dubcon and I stand by my assertion that Tiernan’s story would have been better served with a different ending. I am glad she had the wherewithal to leave but I think she should have ended up alone or with Noah, with Kaleb getting help separately. With how deep seated his issues were, he needed more time and therapy to heal.
**********************************
Earlier:
I am still processing this one. The characters were so heartbreaking. And one of my favorite things is when authors write characters that love one another despite, or because of, all their broken edges and jagged pieces. That said, I think Tiernan’s story would have been stronger if it had ended differently.
There is a lot to unpack with this one. I may come back and write a proper review later but for now I am just thinking on it.
Definitely read the content warnings and take them seriously.
A lot of this book steps over the line from cnc to dubcon and I stand by my assertion that Tiernan’s story would have been better served with a different ending.
**********************************
Earlier:
I am still processing this one. The characters were so heartbreaking. And one of my favorite things is when authors write characters that love one another despite, or because of, all their broken edges and jagged pieces. That said, I think Tiernan’s story would have been stronger if it had ended differently.
There is a lot to unpack with this one. I may come back and write a proper review later but for now I am just thinking on it.
Definitely read the content warnings and take them seriously.