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stephsnextread's Reviews (390)
Campbell Andrews is career-driven and doesn’t have the time or the desire to find love. She goes on a blind date with Ben, a pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon who literally repairs hearts for a living, to appease her grandmother. She treats him poorly throughout the whole date, and then wakes up the next day stuck in a Hallmark-like town called Heart Springs. Most surprising is that Ben is there too! Cam finds out she has three goals she has to accomplish before she can leave this town, and of course, one of those things is to experience true love!
I was so excited by the premise of this book, but it didn’t quite hit like I thought it would. It was cute and it was entertaining. However, Cam (FMC) was REALLY unlikable. This was on purpose (the book was even dedicated to unlikable women), but it made it hard for me to connect to her or root for her happiness. Ben’s character was too perfect, and basically served the purpose of watching Cam complete her tasks. I wanted more from their love story, and I felt like their chemistry was missing. Even though it wasn’t for me, I do think other readers will love this story, especially if you’re a fan of magical realism.
Thank you to Falon Ballard, Penguin Group Putnam, and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Read if you like:
💕 Magical realism
💕 Hallmark movie towns
💕 Pastels
💕 Slow burn
I was so excited by the premise of this book, but it didn’t quite hit like I thought it would. It was cute and it was entertaining. However, Cam (FMC) was REALLY unlikable. This was on purpose (the book was even dedicated to unlikable women), but it made it hard for me to connect to her or root for her happiness. Ben’s character was too perfect, and basically served the purpose of watching Cam complete her tasks. I wanted more from their love story, and I felt like their chemistry was missing. Even though it wasn’t for me, I do think other readers will love this story, especially if you’re a fan of magical realism.
Thank you to Falon Ballard, Penguin Group Putnam, and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Read if you like:
💕 Magical realism
💕 Hallmark movie towns
💕 Pastels
💕 Slow burn
This book has such a fun concept! Solange helps her wedding planner cousin and discovers that the engaged couple shouldn’t actually be getting married. Of course, she HAS to object at the wedding and keep them (strangers to her!) from making the biggest mistake of their lives. Dean, the ex-groom, believes he needs a significant other to land a promotion, so he claims to be in love with Solange. Now he has to beg Solange to pretend to be his girlfriend!
There’s something so engaging about fake dating. The pretend couple has to play along enough to fool people they are close to, so they end up so much in character that it stops being fake. I adored both of the main characters individually, and their relationship was such a sweet slow burn. They were both laugh-out-loud funny and kept my attention so easily. But I think Solange’s family was the absolute highlight of this book! I definitely recommend this one!
Read if you like:
💕 Fake dating
💕 Just one bed
💕 “Get it out of their system”
💕 Brazilian family
💕 Supportive family of strong women
There’s something so engaging about fake dating. The pretend couple has to play along enough to fool people they are close to, so they end up so much in character that it stops being fake. I adored both of the main characters individually, and their relationship was such a sweet slow burn. They were both laugh-out-loud funny and kept my attention so easily. But I think Solange’s family was the absolute highlight of this book! I definitely recommend this one!
Read if you like:
💕 Fake dating
💕 Just one bed
💕 “Get it out of their system”
💕 Brazilian family
💕 Supportive family of strong women
This book was truly a wild ride! Margo finds herself pregnant, alone, and struggling after an affair with her college professor. Despite what everyone in her life tells her, she decides to keep the baby. She hasn’t had the best relationship with her father, who is a former professional wrestler, but he asks to move in and Margo sees an opportunity for built-in childcare. While struggling to support herself and her baby, she learns about OnlyFans from an off-hand comment made by her father and decides to try it to support herself and her son.
This book was so funny as it explored pretty heavy topics, including addiction and the idea of what makes a person “good” or “bad”. I sympathized so much with Margo as she got handed crappy situation after crappy situation (some were of her own doing, some were out of her control). It felt like watching a train wreck and I couldn’t look away. Margo’s relationship with her father is very complicated and I enjoyed watching Margo get stronger in her convictions throughout the book. The storytelling switches between first-person and third-person, which was unique and really fit the story. I recommend this book if you’re looking for a highly entertaining and funny book mixed with deeper themes and memorable characters.
This book was so funny as it explored pretty heavy topics, including addiction and the idea of what makes a person “good” or “bad”. I sympathized so much with Margo as she got handed crappy situation after crappy situation (some were of her own doing, some were out of her control). It felt like watching a train wreck and I couldn’t look away. Margo’s relationship with her father is very complicated and I enjoyed watching Margo get stronger in her convictions throughout the book. The storytelling switches between first-person and third-person, which was unique and really fit the story. I recommend this book if you’re looking for a highly entertaining and funny book mixed with deeper themes and memorable characters.
“There aren’t enough sonnets for friendship. Not enough songs for the kind of love not born of blood or body but of time and care. They are the ones we choose to laugh and cry and live with. When lovers come and go, friends are the ones who remain. We are each other’s constants.”
Ohhh, this book!!! And I mean that in the BEST possible way! It was heartbreaking and empowering and beautiful. This is the second book in Kennedy Ryan’s Skyland series of interconnected standalones.
Soledad discovers a huge act of betrayal and crime committed by her husband. It burns her life to the ground and absolutely devastates her, but she has to figure out how to keep going for her three daughters. Along the way to rebuilding her life, she keeps finding herself drawn a forbidden man, the one her (now ex) husband blames for everything.
I absolutely devoured this book. Soledad showed such strength and persistence. It was a book about self-love, as well as the friendships who keep you going when you feel like you can’t anymore. I loved the slow burn romance with Judah, who is the kindest man, and I also appreciated that the romance wasn’t front and center in this book. Soledad’s priority was making a life for her and her daughters, and Judah respected that. Sometimes I feel like children are thrown into romance books with little purpose, but Soledad’s and Judah’s children were all such complete characters and crucial to the way the story played out. I highly recommend this book!
Read if you like:
💕 Two single parent MCs
💕 Autistic Rep
💕 Supportive female friend group
💕 Forbidden romance
💕 Dual POV
Ohhh, this book!!! And I mean that in the BEST possible way! It was heartbreaking and empowering and beautiful. This is the second book in Kennedy Ryan’s Skyland series of interconnected standalones.
Soledad discovers a huge act of betrayal and crime committed by her husband. It burns her life to the ground and absolutely devastates her, but she has to figure out how to keep going for her three daughters. Along the way to rebuilding her life, she keeps finding herself drawn a forbidden man, the one her (now ex) husband blames for everything.
I absolutely devoured this book. Soledad showed such strength and persistence. It was a book about self-love, as well as the friendships who keep you going when you feel like you can’t anymore. I loved the slow burn romance with Judah, who is the kindest man, and I also appreciated that the romance wasn’t front and center in this book. Soledad’s priority was making a life for her and her daughters, and Judah respected that. Sometimes I feel like children are thrown into romance books with little purpose, but Soledad’s and Judah’s children were all such complete characters and crucial to the way the story played out. I highly recommend this book!
Read if you like:
💕 Two single parent MCs
💕 Autistic Rep
💕 Supportive female friend group
💕 Forbidden romance
💕 Dual POV
Unfortunately, this book was not for me. Part of it I think was my expectations. Based on the title and the plot summary, I expected this to be a rom-com. There was neither much romance nor comedy. It was mostly about Bryony’s career as an aspiring author who gets the opportunity to ghostwrite for a popular romance author, but also continues to try to publish her own book.
The MMC is Bryony’s agent, Jack. For the first 1/4 of the book, he is so unlikable. Then the book skips forward two years, during which time Bryony and Jack become best friends, but the reader doesn’t see any of that development or the chemistry of their feelings developing. The middle half of the book is all about Bryony’s career and Jack’s apparently very strong feelings for Bryony. Then, the third act breakup happens (after they date for two weeks), and Bryony spends the last 1/4 of the book being irrational, assuming the worst about Jack and not letting him explain anything. I had such high hopes for this book, but it was unfortunately a let down for me.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Chryssy Hua Williams’s family is cursed, and her 9th break-up proves it! None of the women in her family have ever found lasting love. Chryssy is a Chinese herbalist and runs a wellness center for the brokenhearted with her aunties. In a chance meeting of celebrity cellist Vin Chao (known to be a heartbreaker), they strike up a deal. They’ll fake date, and when he “breaks” her heart, he’ll see an increase in ticket sales and she’ll see an increase in publicity and business.
This book was so cozy for me! Chryssy and the aunties put so much care into those suffering from heartbreak at the retreat. They are skilled at observing people so thoroughly that they know exactly what each person needs to heal. I really enjoyed learning more about Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). I also loved that Chryssy and Vin were both going on personal journeys. The book explored mental health and burnout beautifully. Chryssy and Vin’s relationship was a slow burn and such a sweet journey to love.
The audiobook was so well done! Narrators Eunice Wong and Eric Yang were the perfect voices for these characters. I definitely recommend this book for anyone looking for a sweet romance!
Thank you to Lauren Kung Jessen, Forever, Hachette Audio, and NetGalley for this e-ARC and ALC in exchange for my honest review.
Read if you like:
💕 Fake dating
💕 Forced proximity
💕 Celebrity musician MMC
💕 Dual POV
💕 Closed door romance
This book was so cozy for me! Chryssy and the aunties put so much care into those suffering from heartbreak at the retreat. They are skilled at observing people so thoroughly that they know exactly what each person needs to heal. I really enjoyed learning more about Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). I also loved that Chryssy and Vin were both going on personal journeys. The book explored mental health and burnout beautifully. Chryssy and Vin’s relationship was a slow burn and such a sweet journey to love.
The audiobook was so well done! Narrators Eunice Wong and Eric Yang were the perfect voices for these characters. I definitely recommend this book for anyone looking for a sweet romance!
Thank you to Lauren Kung Jessen, Forever, Hachette Audio, and NetGalley for this e-ARC and ALC in exchange for my honest review.
Read if you like:
💕 Fake dating
💕 Forced proximity
💕 Celebrity musician MMC
💕 Dual POV
💕 Closed door romance
This is book #1 in Lyssa Kay Adams’ Bromance Book Club series. Gavin and Thea’s marriage is strained and one argument is the final straw. Thea asks for a divorce, and Gavin is crushed. His teammate brings him in on a secret—some of the most well-known men of Nashville have a secret romance book club. They are currently reading a Regency romance, and they use the book to help Gavin try to win his wife back.
This was the first romance I’ve ever read that was completely narrated by the male character. It was such an interesting take and I really enjoyed it! I do think that missing Thea’s point of view made her seem a little less relatable and maybe a little harsh on Gavin, but I understand why Gavin was the focus for this one. The group of men in the book club are hilarious, and I think many of them get their own books later on in the series. I am excited to read more in this series!
Read if you like:
💕 Athlete MMCs
💕 Marriage in trouble
💕 Historical romance
💕 Close male friendships
💕 Stuttering rep
This was the first romance I’ve ever read that was completely narrated by the male character. It was such an interesting take and I really enjoyed it! I do think that missing Thea’s point of view made her seem a little less relatable and maybe a little harsh on Gavin, but I understand why Gavin was the focus for this one. The group of men in the book club are hilarious, and I think many of them get their own books later on in the series. I am excited to read more in this series!
Read if you like:
💕 Athlete MMCs
💕 Marriage in trouble
💕 Historical romance
💕 Close male friendships
💕 Stuttering rep
This book is connected to Out on a Limb by Hannah Bonam-Young. While you could read this without reading Out on a Limb first, you will understand these characters a lot better after the first book (and it’s such an amazing book, you should read it anyway!)
Sarah (Win’s best friend) and Caleb have been together since high school. Sarah feels that she has lost herself along the way and decides to host a fundraising gala to raise funds for ALS research in memory of her late mother. The event doesn’t go as Sarah planned and Caleb saves the day, which Sarah sees as typical in their relationship and leads to the longest-lasting fight of their marriage. In an attempt to save their relationship, they decide to attend a couples’ hiking trip to disconnect from the world and work out their issues.
Sarah and Caleb were relationship goals in Out on a Limb, and I was so sad when I read this book’s description and saw that it was about them! I just needed them to make it out okay! While this is a marriage-in-trouble romance, at its heart is a journey of grief and self-discovery. I love sweet pea Sarah as a character so much! She went on the hiking trip to save her marriage, but she really ends up on a personal journey and finds herself in the process. I enjoyed watching her character development and the way her discoveries improved her communication with Caleb. I wanted just a little more “will they, won’t they?”, but there was ultimately so much love and respect between the two of them from the beginning. I was so happy to have Win and Bo make appearances in this story. Sarah and Win have a beautiful friendship/sisterhood where they just know exactly what the other needs. This book was so sweet and heartwarming, and I highly recommend it!
Thank you to Hannah Bonam-Young, Dell, and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Read if you like:
💕 Marriage in trouble
💕 High school sweethearts
💕 Outdoor adventures
💕 Dual timelines
Sarah (Win’s best friend) and Caleb have been together since high school. Sarah feels that she has lost herself along the way and decides to host a fundraising gala to raise funds for ALS research in memory of her late mother. The event doesn’t go as Sarah planned and Caleb saves the day, which Sarah sees as typical in their relationship and leads to the longest-lasting fight of their marriage. In an attempt to save their relationship, they decide to attend a couples’ hiking trip to disconnect from the world and work out their issues.
Sarah and Caleb were relationship goals in Out on a Limb, and I was so sad when I read this book’s description and saw that it was about them! I just needed them to make it out okay! While this is a marriage-in-trouble romance, at its heart is a journey of grief and self-discovery. I love sweet pea Sarah as a character so much! She went on the hiking trip to save her marriage, but she really ends up on a personal journey and finds herself in the process. I enjoyed watching her character development and the way her discoveries improved her communication with Caleb. I wanted just a little more “will they, won’t they?”, but there was ultimately so much love and respect between the two of them from the beginning. I was so happy to have Win and Bo make appearances in this story. Sarah and Win have a beautiful friendship/sisterhood where they just know exactly what the other needs. This book was so sweet and heartwarming, and I highly recommend it!
Thank you to Hannah Bonam-Young, Dell, and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Read if you like:
💕 Marriage in trouble
💕 High school sweethearts
💕 Outdoor adventures
💕 Dual timelines
Much of this book takes place on various New Year’s Eves and New Year’s Days, so it was the perfect read for the start of the year!
Minnie Cooper and Quinn Hamilton’s lives keep crossing. It started the day they were born (New Year’s Day in the same hospital) and has happened many times since, without them realizing it. In present time, they run into each other at a New Year’s Eve party and start to actually get to know each other. Minnie and Quinn have such an easy, natural relationship. They allow each other to be open and vulnerable, and they have an easy teasing banter that is so cute. I loved watching their relationship progress!
This is also a book about friendship and love between friends. There’s even a grand gesture of sorts to Minnie’s best friend! This was the perfect cozy read for this time of year and I’m excited to read more of Sophie Cousen’s books!
Read if you like:
💕 MCs with intertwined lives
💕 Strong female friendships
💕 Sweet rom-coms
💕 Closed door romance
Minnie Cooper and Quinn Hamilton’s lives keep crossing. It started the day they were born (New Year’s Day in the same hospital) and has happened many times since, without them realizing it. In present time, they run into each other at a New Year’s Eve party and start to actually get to know each other. Minnie and Quinn have such an easy, natural relationship. They allow each other to be open and vulnerable, and they have an easy teasing banter that is so cute. I loved watching their relationship progress!
This is also a book about friendship and love between friends. There’s even a grand gesture of sorts to Minnie’s best friend! This was the perfect cozy read for this time of year and I’m excited to read more of Sophie Cousen’s books!
Read if you like:
💕 MCs with intertwined lives
💕 Strong female friendships
💕 Sweet rom-coms
💕 Closed door romance