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stephsnextread's Reviews (390)
Have you ever thought about getting to experience your favorite fictional small town and your favorite characters? I definitely have (and I’d want to be in Rome, KY!) In this book, Elsy gets to experience just that.
The fictional town in this book is so cozy, and the MMC owns the bookstore! Elsy seems stuck in the late author’s unfinished story, so there is a hint of mystery to the story as Elsy tries to figure out why she is there. I loved the cozy vibes for this time of year and kept imagining myself in a fictional story too. The book felt slow in the middle to me (and the romance was slow too), but it picked back up and I loved the ending. I really enjoyed all of the characters in this book, and I wish it was a real series because I would devour it!
Read if you like:
💕 Grumpy x sunshine
💕 Books about books
💕 Romance reader FMC
💕 Magical realism
💕 Slow burn
This was such an emotional and compelling historical fiction story. Stella and Desiree are twins who leave their small Black community in 1954 as teenagers. Many years later, Desiree returns home with her Black daughter, while Stella is passing for White in a community on the other side of the country. The story weaves together multiple perspectives over a 40 year span to tell a story of racism, identity, family, and community.
It took me a while to get used to the quick switches in point of view, but I appreciated getting to see the story from so many perspectives. The characters were well-rounded and interesting. With the long time period covered and so many perspectives, I did feel like I was missing complete exploration of some of the characters’ emotions and motivations. However, I was completely captivated by the story and wanting to learn more about the family. The writing was beautiful and powerful, and it is a story I will think about for a long time to come.
It took me a while to get used to the quick switches in point of view, but I appreciated getting to see the story from so many perspectives. The characters were well-rounded and interesting. With the long time period covered and so many perspectives, I did feel like I was missing complete exploration of some of the characters’ emotions and motivations. However, I was completely captivated by the story and wanting to learn more about the family. The writing was beautiful and powerful, and it is a story I will think about for a long time to come.
This was a fun story that reminded me of Ali Hazelwood’s first few rom-coms, complete with her typical large MMC and tiny FMC. While the size thing kind of drives me nuts, it also had all of the other parts of an Ali Hazelwood story that I love, including her common tropes, banter, and humor. The setting was a cozy winter work retreat, a perfect read for this time of year.
If you enjoyed Ali Hazelwood’s STEMinist novels and novellas, you’re going to love this one too. It’s available in audio only and is just under 4.5 hours.
If you enjoyed Ali Hazelwood’s STEMinist novels and novellas, you’re going to love this one too. It’s available in audio only and is just under 4.5 hours.
This has become my favorite Taylor Jenkins Reid book so far! I am obsessed with the way she weaves a story. This one seamlessly alternates between a family’s history in the past and the day of a spectacular party in the present. It tells the story of Mick Riva (who we were introduced to in The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones & the Six), as well as the story of his 4 adult children.
I found all of the characters to be so interesting and complex. The family secrets kept the plot moving, snd the story was so well-developed that I felt like I was reading non-fiction about real celebrities. This book also sets the stage for Carrie Soto is Back, which is my last TJR book to read. It is one I’m hoping to read before the end of the year! I highly recommend Malibu Rising, especially if you love character-driven stories that about celebrity, sibling relationships, secrets, love and heartbreak.
I found all of the characters to be so interesting and complex. The family secrets kept the plot moving, snd the story was so well-developed that I felt like I was reading non-fiction about real celebrities. This book also sets the stage for Carrie Soto is Back, which is my last TJR book to read. It is one I’m hoping to read before the end of the year! I highly recommend Malibu Rising, especially if you love character-driven stories that about celebrity, sibling relationships, secrets, love and heartbreak.
“A rom-com should give you a swoony, hopeful, delicious, rising feeling of anticipation as you look forward to the moment when the two leads, who are clearly mad for each other, finally overcome all their obstacles, both internal and external, and get together.”
This book was a love letter to all rom-com lovers! It thoughtfully explains why rom-coms (books and movies) are so loved and what makes something a rom-com.
Famous screenwriter Charlie Yates writes a script for a remake of a classic rom-com movie and it is…terrible. Emma is an up-and-coming screenwriter who is tasked with re-writing his remake.
I loved so much about this book! Emma and Charlie start off frosty toward each other but of course they warm up as they work together (thus adhering to the rules of a rom-com that Emma teaches Charlie). Their relationship becomes so sweet and supportive, with great banter. Katherine Center’s stories always explore deeper topics while the romance develops, and this one is no different. There is thoughtful exploration of family relationships, responsibility, grief, and self-discovery. I also loved the very fun cameo by Jack Stapleton (the MMC of The Bodyguard).
I highly recommend this one if you’re a fan of rom-coms!
Read if you like:
💕 Enemies to lovers
💕 Workplace romance
💕 Celebrity romance
💕 Forced proximity
💕 Closed door romance
This book was a love letter to all rom-com lovers! It thoughtfully explains why rom-coms (books and movies) are so loved and what makes something a rom-com.
Famous screenwriter Charlie Yates writes a script for a remake of a classic rom-com movie and it is…terrible. Emma is an up-and-coming screenwriter who is tasked with re-writing his remake.
I loved so much about this book! Emma and Charlie start off frosty toward each other but of course they warm up as they work together (thus adhering to the rules of a rom-com that Emma teaches Charlie). Their relationship becomes so sweet and supportive, with great banter. Katherine Center’s stories always explore deeper topics while the romance develops, and this one is no different. There is thoughtful exploration of family relationships, responsibility, grief, and self-discovery. I also loved the very fun cameo by Jack Stapleton (the MMC of The Bodyguard).
I highly recommend this one if you’re a fan of rom-coms!
Read if you like:
💕 Enemies to lovers
💕 Workplace romance
💕 Celebrity romance
💕 Forced proximity
💕 Closed door romance
This was my first Sophie Cousens book, and I am so glad I got to read it! Anna Appleby hasn’t felt a need to date since her divorce. But in an attempt to keep her job as a writer while her office rival is vying for her column, she pitches a column idea where her kids choose dates for her from the real world (not online!).
I loved everything about this book. Anna is older for a romance FMC (she’s 38) and she has an amazing relationship with her sister. She’s getting a chance to explore what she really wants out of life, and I loved watching her figuring that out throughout the book. She has lots of awkward situations that were highly entertaining, as well as very real parenting and co-parenting struggles. Her relationship with her eventual love interest is flirtatious but also mature and so much fun to read. I highly recommend this book and I’m so excited to read more by Sophie Cousens!
Thank you to Sophie Cousens, Penguin Group Putnam, and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Read if you like:
💕 Older FMCs
💕 Single mother FMCs
💕 How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
💕 Closed door romance
I loved everything about this book. Anna is older for a romance FMC (she’s 38) and she has an amazing relationship with her sister. She’s getting a chance to explore what she really wants out of life, and I loved watching her figuring that out throughout the book. She has lots of awkward situations that were highly entertaining, as well as very real parenting and co-parenting struggles. Her relationship with her eventual love interest is flirtatious but also mature and so much fun to read. I highly recommend this book and I’m so excited to read more by Sophie Cousens!
Thank you to Sophie Cousens, Penguin Group Putnam, and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Read if you like:
💕 Older FMCs
💕 Single mother FMCs
💕 How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
💕 Closed door romance
Under the Mistletoe collection
Olivia Dade, Ali Hazelwood, Alexandria Bellefleur, Alexis Daria, Tessa Bailey
Under the Mistletoe Collection is a set of 5 short stories by popular romance authors. It is hard to give an overall rating to a set of 5 different stories, so I averaged the individual story ratings to get the overall rating.
Cruel Winter With You by Ali Hazelwood: 3/5
Merry Ever After by Tessa Bailey: 2/5
All By My Elf by Olivia Dade: 3/5
Merriment and Mayhem by Alexandria Bellefleur: 5/5
Only Santas in the Building by Alexis Daria: 4/5
My absolute favorite was Merriment and Mayhem. This was my first Alexandria Bellefleur story, and I will definitely be checking out more! I loved the firefighter MMC x accident-prone FMC. The small town was so cozy, the side characters were friendly, and it felt like a complete story.
Merry Ever After was a miss for me. The spice was cringey and it felt like half the story was describing how big/tall the MMC was.
It was fun to have short stories with a hint of Christmas spirit for this time of year, and I enjoyed the variety in the stories. Thank you to Amazon Original Stories, the authors, and Netgalley for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Cruel Winter With You by Ali Hazelwood: 3/5
Merry Ever After by Tessa Bailey: 2/5
All By My Elf by Olivia Dade: 3/5
Merriment and Mayhem by Alexandria Bellefleur: 5/5
Only Santas in the Building by Alexis Daria: 4/5
My absolute favorite was Merriment and Mayhem. This was my first Alexandria Bellefleur story, and I will definitely be checking out more! I loved the firefighter MMC x accident-prone FMC. The small town was so cozy, the side characters were friendly, and it felt like a complete story.
Merry Ever After was a miss for me. The spice was cringey and it felt like half the story was describing how big/tall the MMC was.
It was fun to have short stories with a hint of Christmas spirit for this time of year, and I enjoyed the variety in the stories. Thank you to Amazon Original Stories, the authors, and Netgalley for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Emily is an art conservator and her museum has just acquired a 15th century sculpture of a British knight. Right away, Emily feels some kind of presence in the statue. It turns out to be Griffin de Beauford, who was cursed to be trapped in stone by an enemy. Emily breaks the curse by kissing the statue and Griffin is brought to life in modern times.
This book has such a unique premise and is highly entertaining! I did have to suspend all disbelief in the beginning and end of the book, because it is very far-fetched, but I very much enjoyed the book. Griffin reminded me of Buddy in the movie Elf with of his lack of knowledge of the current world, and I found him very endearing. He also had the sweetest way with words from his time that made Emily swoon every time. This book is such a great escape and pure fun!
Thank you to Bryn Donovan, Berkley, and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Read if you like:
💕 Time travel
💕 Magical realism
💕 15th century pet names
💕 Golden retriever MMC
💕 He falls first
This is a delightful Christmas novella in the same universe as Yours, Unexpectedly (but could be read as a standalone). Each chapter is a different family member’s point of view at Christmas time, and it is like a sampler platter of holiday romance stories. I loved getting to see Bex and Anders again and it was so fun getting to know Bex’s brothers better. I love this sweet family and all of their holiday spirit. Rachel Lewis has said that each sibling will get their own book, and after reading Merrily Yours, I can’t help but hope that Ben is next! I highly recommend this if you’re looking for a short story to get you in the holiday spirit!
Thank you to Rachel Lewis for an e-ARC and I cannot wait for the next book!
Thank you to Rachel Lewis for an e-ARC and I cannot wait for the next book!