steca2's reviews
136 reviews

Leather & Lies by Emma Slate

emotional funny fast-paced

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

4.5

Wow this is probably my favorite in the entire series! Hayden and Bones/Royce are so unbelievably cute, their humor was top tier (literally laughed out loud a few time), and the spicy was great with a strong mix of closed door and on the page (and a little kinky). This one and Brooklyn/Slash’s are probably most distanced from the MC world and tbh, I loved that about this story. The tie in with the SINNERS books was also noticeable,

especially when the Russian names were being dropped as the people behind her dad’s death and her assassination attempt…

so if those books ever end up on Libby or KU, I’m 100% reading them! Also — hallelujah, Brooklyn finally had her baby! So I guess Brooklyn, Willa, Sutton, and Logan’s stories all happen in the span of 10 months? 
My biggest complaint is the timeline — I feel like the timeline got a little muddled a few times during the story but it was fine, bc instead of reading like insta-love it was more of a whirlwind romance (I’m telling myself they were together 6 weeks before the gala night).

I also feel like Arthur’s betrayal could have been hinted at earlier in the story bc it did feel a little out of left field. And Darcy’s death was so sad and unexpected, but it didn’t hit me the same way. I wish we could have had a Darcy-Hayden moment to really remind the reader how much we loved the unofficial mom of the MC

Can’t wait until the next one! Maybe a Savage and Charlie love triangle? Or Brielle and a prospect?? Whoever’s story it is, I’m reading it! 

Odd Man Rush by Kristen Granata

funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

2.5

Ok so this definitely isn’t the trope for me but the writing was great and I really enjoyed aspects of this book! I wouldn’t say this is best friend joining a married couple either though — Celeste is Kourtney’s high school best friend turned long term secret ex girlfriend turned best friend again… there’s a lot of feelings there to unpack. I also was confused by Jason’s motivation, like I get that he deeply loved his wife and wanted her to be happy, but I wish there were earlier hints to him also being attracted to Celeste. The shift from “never even thought about another woman” to “being deeply in love with both my wife and female best friend” was really quick.

What would have made sense to me would be if the first time Celeste and Kourtney got together was a threesome with Jason before they went to college

Also, the porn/dating site didn’t really make a ton of sense to me

especially when all of the other players showed their support by posting their own videos? That felt so extreme to me and definitely unrealistic bc EVERYONE’s careers would have tanked.

  side note, I also changed the timeline in my head to make sense for Celeste’s career trajectory — in my head she worked for Trent for the entire 10 years he was in Seattle 

Heart Trick by Kristen Granata

funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes

3.5

Very cute and spicy hockey novella! All of the characters were sweet and lovable. Only complaint is that I wish it was a full novel so the plot could be more developed, as the conflicts were fairly surface level that all wrapped up quickly. Can’t wait to read the rest of the series! 

Getaway Girl by Tessa Bailey

funny lighthearted medium-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

4.5

I had the third act break up spoiled for me on TikTok (ugh bc I know it would have really crushed me too!) but I loved this story! Might be my new favorite Tessa Bailey book.  Addison and Elijah felt so real and grounded. The end almost had tear up! 

Swift and Saddled by Lyla Sage

funny lighthearted medium-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

4.25

This was a sweet little cowboy romance and was exactly what I needed to read today. My only complaints are related to Ada’s backstory — I wish the author let the reading sit in it a little more/provided maybe a flashback rather than just telling the reader that Ava was traumatized and the repeating the same story over and over. Kind of wish the author made Ada an adult who was late diagnosed ADHD, bc that’s how her social insecurity read to me. 
And can I just say, I LOVE Weston Rhodes Ryder!! He is genuinely perfect. 
Cannot wait until Gus and Teddy’s book in November and we better see a Dusty + Cam book in the future too! 

Warrior Fae by Susanne Valenti, Caroline Peckham

adventurous emotional funny tense 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? It's complicated

4.75

What an ending and SO much happens in this book!! Starting with the boys rescuing Elise and Eugene (LOVE Eugene! I really hope he's in future series) rescuing the boys, this book was really action packed. I really loved Ryder storylines,  especially seeing him with Periwinkle

  but I just wish we saw (1) why good guys like Ethan and his pack joined up in the Brotherhood  and (2) why and how Periwinkle found Ryder? Will that be answered in future books in other series?

As expected, since this was the last book in this series, Elise’s story came to a really solid ending with lots of full circle moments -- and potential foreshadowing moments too!

And even though I had it spoiled that Ryder would be perceived dead but will actually live, I still UGLY cried when he “died”

This book/entire series was so engaging — it made me laugh out loud, kick my feet, gasp, and cry many times throughout. And while I stopped with ZA after book 4, I’m now debating over rereading book 4 and picking the series back up to have more Gabriel and the Kings back in my life. Definitely want to read Rosalie’s series too because I loved Roary and Ethan in this book.

And while I didn’t love how long the epilogue was as it felt a little pandering, especially the scenes after the children were born (it was very reassuring to know that they’ll all survive in ZA and the Darkmore Penitentiary books though since the epilogue spans 30 year into the future), I really loved the glimpses into their HEA. Also maybe future spin off series for RJ and the cop??

 

Broken Fae by Susanne Valenti, Caroline Peckham

emotional funny tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.75

Still going strong! So much happened in this book but nothing felt superfluous or boring. Great amount of spice (wished we got the

Dante role playing as Leon at Christmas scene though

) and loved the character development, particularly Gabriel and Ryder. And I LOVED Ryder’s Christmas gift, made me tear up for sure. 

Vicious Fae by Susanne Valenti, Caroline Peckham

emotional funny tense fast-paced

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

4.75

Still going strong with this series! This one took longer for me to read because I went out of town and didn’t have as much free time, which definitely highlighted that these are 100% binge books — meaning, when you take the time to read it slowly/skip a day of reading, you can get bored of the plot a little. It also doesn’t help that this one is significantly longer than the first two books.

And when Leon died, even though I KNEW he lived in later books thanks to ZA, I still cried

Savage Fae by Susanne Valenti, Caroline Peckham

adventurous dark funny 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? Yes

4.75

This series is really doing something for me — it’s so fun and truly addicting!

Even knowing that one of the Kings isn’t responsible for Gareth’s death, bc of Gabriel being happily mated in ZA

I’m so anxious to find out what they each did to him before his death and how Elise will react/how they will react when they find out who she is really is. Truly a CW show in a book 

Dark Fae by Susanne Valenti, Caroline Peckham

adventurous funny fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

It’s like a mid-2010s CW show… is it award winning content? No. But do you love it and and can’t stop watching? Yup. This book is exactly that. It’s so much fun and there’s been great character development! Each character feels unique and well rounded, funny banter, and decent spice. Can’t wait to continue the rest of the series! 
My only complaint is that it’s a little repetitive at times.