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stephsnextread's Reviews (390)
I really enjoyed this book, which felt different from so many romances that I have read. This book is dual point of view, but it really focuses on main character Josephine and her character development. She is an internal medicine doctor who was completely burnt out after her residency, so she now runs a very popular medical social media account. Shirlene Obuobi is a physician, so all of the medical parts of the book were so realistic and accurate. There is a bit of a love triangle, which I usually dislike, but it was done in a way that was not frustrating at all.
Josephine is overly direct, saying exactly what she means with no filter. However, she also has a lot of walls built up because of her upbringing. Malcolm Waters comes into her life and is so completely gentle and honest, slowly and steadily breaking down those walls. Sometimes I felt like Mal was too perfect, but it was a good match for Jo’s insecurities.
The audiobook is narrated by JD Jackson and Mela Lee. Both were fantastic choices for the characters. I believe JD Jackson also narrates under the name Jakobi Diem (he’s done Kennedy Ryan’s Skyland series) and his voice is so smooth! I loved the audiobook and recommend this book!
Read if you like:
💕 Doctor/social media influencer FMC
💕 Author MMC
💕 Mental health rep
💕 Dual POV
This book was such an incredible nod to the romance genre and I was hooked right away! Margot is a romance author who doesn’t believe in true love. A scandal leads her to take a trip to a remote resort in Alaska in order to reset and try writing in another genre. She did not expect to meet Dr. Forrest Wakefield, who accidentally seems to check off every trope she loves to write.
I really loved both Margot and Forrest. They were relatable and realistic, and I found myself connecting to both of them. I was especially moved at their mutual experience of caring for a loved one with chronic illness. Their connection was undeniable from the beginning, despite both of them trying their hardest to resist. I completely sympathized with their motivations for avoiding a relationship, but I was rooting hard for them to change their minds the whole time.
The story was made complete by the side characters. Forrest’s father and the other guests at the resort each played such an important part in Margot’s development, but her sister, Savannah, was my favorite. Savannah wrote letters for Forrest to deliver to Margot at specified intervals during her six-week stay. I loved this method of explaining the past (rather than flashbacks or dual timeline), and the letters brought out so many emotions as Margot got to read her sister’s POV of their past for the first time. I loved every minute of this book, and I highly recommend it for anyone who loves the romance genre!
Thank you to Victoria Lavine, Atria, and NetGalley for the gifted e-ARC; all opinions are my own.
Read if you like:
💕 Creative ways to explore romance tropes
💕 Author FMC x doctor MMC
💕 Remote Alaskan setting
💕 Hilarious meet-cutes
💕 Saunas 😉🔥
💕 Forced proximity, enemies to lovers, and so many more tropes!
I enjoyed everything about this book! Josephine is an overworked CEO of a fashion company who puts everything she has into her company. Will (her ex-best friend’s brother) comes back into her life as a consultant for her company, and ends up showing her how to find some balance in her life. Will shows up for Josie time and time again, and he always knows just what to do when she’s in crisis. There was mature communication and honesty, which I really appreciate in a romance book. In addition to the romance, this book has strong female friendship and explores career burnout in a very relatable way.
The audiobook is narrated by Katharine Leonard, who is a perfect voice for Josephine. The audiobook was really well done and I highly recommend it!
Read if you like:
💕 (Ex) Best friend’s brother
💕 (Sort of) Second chance romance
💕 CEO FMC x Consultant MMC
💕 Tall FMC (5’9)
💕 He takes care of her when she’s sick
The audiobook is narrated by Katharine Leonard, who is a perfect voice for Josephine. The audiobook was really well done and I highly recommend it!
Read if you like:
💕 (Ex) Best friend’s brother
💕 (Sort of) Second chance romance
💕 CEO FMC x Consultant MMC
💕 Tall FMC (5’9)
💕 He takes care of her when she’s sick
Note: This is book #3 in The Friend Zone Series. While the books are interconnected, I think you could read this one on its own without missing anything (but all of Abby’s books are amazing and you should read them anyway)!
“𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘥𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘵 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴, 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘷𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘸𝘪𝘤𝘦.”
Wow!! I put off reading this book for so long because it was my last published Abby Jimenez left to read. I wish I hadn’t put it off for so long! This was such a beautiful book that, in true Abby Jimenez style, touches on very heavy topics with humor and care. It is a book about living life to the fullest, facing mortality, and forging deep connections.
Vanessa has a family history of ALS and death before age 30, but she doesn’t want to know if she has it and is really living for today. She’s also supporting her father and siblings emotionally and financially, trying to prepare for when she’s gone. She’s even raising her drug-addicted sister’s baby, and one night, she CANNOT get the baby to stop crying. Enter Adrian, the lawyer-next-door who offers to help get the baby to sleep. Adrian’s life is almost the complete opposite of Vanessa’s, full of work and not much else.
This book was just so good! Vanessa and Adrian have such an easy progression from neighbors to friends to more. When you learn about their pasts and how they were shaped into the people they are now, you can’t help but root for them! I highly recommend this book, and now I will go wait very impatiently for April 1, when Abby’s next book is released!
Read if you like:
💕 Slow burn
💕 Strangers to friends to lovers
💕 Complicated families
💕 The Office
💕 Carmex
“𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘥𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘵 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴, 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘷𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘸𝘪𝘤𝘦.”
Wow!! I put off reading this book for so long because it was my last published Abby Jimenez left to read. I wish I hadn’t put it off for so long! This was such a beautiful book that, in true Abby Jimenez style, touches on very heavy topics with humor and care. It is a book about living life to the fullest, facing mortality, and forging deep connections.
Vanessa has a family history of ALS and death before age 30, but she doesn’t want to know if she has it and is really living for today. She’s also supporting her father and siblings emotionally and financially, trying to prepare for when she’s gone. She’s even raising her drug-addicted sister’s baby, and one night, she CANNOT get the baby to stop crying. Enter Adrian, the lawyer-next-door who offers to help get the baby to sleep. Adrian’s life is almost the complete opposite of Vanessa’s, full of work and not much else.
This book was just so good! Vanessa and Adrian have such an easy progression from neighbors to friends to more. When you learn about their pasts and how they were shaped into the people they are now, you can’t help but root for them! I highly recommend this book, and now I will go wait very impatiently for April 1, when Abby’s next book is released!
Read if you like:
💕 Slow burn
💕 Strangers to friends to lovers
💕 Complicated families
💕 The Office
💕 Carmex
This is the first book in Talia Hibbert’s The Brown Sisters series. Chloe is a list-making, sophisticated woman who wears buttoned cardigans and carries a planner. She also suffers from fibromyalgia, which also brings along with it chronic pain, chronic fatigue, and migraines. She is used to important people in her life dismissing her pain. After a near-death experience, she decides she is living her life too safely and makes a list of things she wants to do to “get a life”.
Redford (“Red”) Morgan, her apartment superintendent, is a handyman with a motorcycle. Chloe realizes he could help her with the list and, in exchange, she can build him a website. I loved both Chloe and Red individually and as a couple. Chloe’s character development was beautiful to watch, and Red was such a sweet boyfriend who was going through his own personal journey. They have great banter and there is plenty of spice. I very much appreciated the representation of mental health and physical struggles. I recommend this book and I’m excited to read the other two books in the series!
Note: I read this one with a mix of audio and ebook. The narrator is Adjoa Andoh, who plays Lady Danbury in Bridgerton. While I ADORE her voice and could really listen to her read anything, she felt too old to be Chloe in this book and it was a little distracting. I’d recommend enjoying this one via ebook or physical copy rather than the audio.
Read if you like:
💕 Slow burn
💕 Enemies to lovers
💕 Chronic disease rep
💕 Women in STEM
💕 He cooks for her
Redford (“Red”) Morgan, her apartment superintendent, is a handyman with a motorcycle. Chloe realizes he could help her with the list and, in exchange, she can build him a website. I loved both Chloe and Red individually and as a couple. Chloe’s character development was beautiful to watch, and Red was such a sweet boyfriend who was going through his own personal journey. They have great banter and there is plenty of spice. I very much appreciated the representation of mental health and physical struggles. I recommend this book and I’m excited to read the other two books in the series!
Note: I read this one with a mix of audio and ebook. The narrator is Adjoa Andoh, who plays Lady Danbury in Bridgerton. While I ADORE her voice and could really listen to her read anything, she felt too old to be Chloe in this book and it was a little distracting. I’d recommend enjoying this one via ebook or physical copy rather than the audio.
Read if you like:
💕 Slow burn
💕 Enemies to lovers
💕 Chronic disease rep
💕 Women in STEM
💕 He cooks for her
Note: This is the 3rd book in the Ruinous Love Trilogy. If you haven’t heard this before, I recommend checking trigger warnings before reading. I also recommend reading the other books in the series first!
I was so excited to read Dr. Fionn Kane’s book, and it did not disappoint! This was my second favorite in the series (after Butcher & Blackbird). I loved that all three books are happening concurrently, so we see flashes of the other couples at various points in their relationships. Such a fun way to end the series!
Rose Evans was such an interesting character and I really enjoyed her creative (and slightly sloppy) attempts at justice for those who deserve it. Fionn has worked so hard to have a quiet life in a quiet town, and then it all gets turned upside down when Rose comes into his life. The dynamic between Rose and Fionn was so natural and sweet (and spicy!).
Like the other two, I enjoyed this one via audiobook. The duet narration is top notch and adds so much to the story. I highly recommend this audiobook (after you read the other two books of course)!
Read if you like:
💕 Darker romance with humor
💕 Small town romance
💕 Friends with benefits
💕 He takes care of her when she’s injured
💕 Crocheting
I was so excited to read Dr. Fionn Kane’s book, and it did not disappoint! This was my second favorite in the series (after Butcher & Blackbird). I loved that all three books are happening concurrently, so we see flashes of the other couples at various points in their relationships. Such a fun way to end the series!
Rose Evans was such an interesting character and I really enjoyed her creative (and slightly sloppy) attempts at justice for those who deserve it. Fionn has worked so hard to have a quiet life in a quiet town, and then it all gets turned upside down when Rose comes into his life. The dynamic between Rose and Fionn was so natural and sweet (and spicy!).
Like the other two, I enjoyed this one via audiobook. The duet narration is top notch and adds so much to the story. I highly recommend this audiobook (after you read the other two books of course)!
Read if you like:
💕 Darker romance with humor
💕 Small town romance
💕 Friends with benefits
💕 He takes care of her when she’s injured
💕 Crocheting
This book is a quick cozy mystery with a hint of romance. Pomona reminds me of an early 2000s Paris Hilton trying to solve a murder, which definitely comes with its fair share of humor. She is so spoiled and obnoxious but yet kind of endearing. I really enjoyed her character development, with her learning how to demand that people in her life treat her better.
The mystery was predictable to me, but it was still enjoyable to watch Pomona figure it out. I also found it very hard to believe that she learned how to bake so quickly and easily, considering she didn’t even realize she could go to the grocery store for chocolate chips herself. However, it was an enjoyable read that kept me turning pages!
I recommend this book for readers who enjoy women’s fiction with mystery and a little romance. Because it spans a few genres, I also think this book would be the perfect palate cleanser for anyone in a reading slump. It was easy to read and entertaining! Thank you to Bellamy Rose, Atria/Emily Bestler Books, and NetGalley for an advanced copy.
Read if you like:
💕 Family mystery/drama
💕 Cozy mysteries
💕 Celebrity characters
💕 Delicious baked goodies
The mystery was predictable to me, but it was still enjoyable to watch Pomona figure it out. I also found it very hard to believe that she learned how to bake so quickly and easily, considering she didn’t even realize she could go to the grocery store for chocolate chips herself. However, it was an enjoyable read that kept me turning pages!
I recommend this book for readers who enjoy women’s fiction with mystery and a little romance. Because it spans a few genres, I also think this book would be the perfect palate cleanser for anyone in a reading slump. It was easy to read and entertaining! Thank you to Bellamy Rose, Atria/Emily Bestler Books, and NetGalley for an advanced copy.
Read if you like:
💕 Family mystery/drama
💕 Cozy mysteries
💕 Celebrity characters
💕 Delicious baked goodies
This is the third book in Morgan Elizabeth’s Evergreen Park series. You don’t have to read the other books first, but you will understand the characters better if you do (and the books are great!).
Harper is dealing with a bad reputation after her boyfriend cheats on her, and she tries to get revenge. She ends up spending a ridiculous amount of money on an auctioned date with Wes Holden, the guitarist from Atlas Oaks, which is her ex’s favorite band (seen in the book All My Love). While on the date, they decide they should get married to save her reputation and distract the media from the other members of the band.
I absolutely loved how Morgan Elizabeth tied so many of her characters together in this book! We get Ava, Jules, and Harper from the Evergreen Park series, and we also get Riggins, Stella, and Wes from All My Love (which was one of my top reads of 2024)! Harper has such a supportive friendship with Ava and Jules, and I loved getting to see their friendship continue in this book. The relationship between Harper and Wes was so sweet and pretty low angst. He was DOWN BAD right from the beginning, and he was so patient waiting for her to come around. Harper’s ex is obnoxious and it was so fun seeing all of the ways they worked together to make his life miserable. There were a few loose ends at the end of the book that I wish were explained more thoroughly, but it didn’t detract from the romance. Morgan Elizabeth’s books are always so much fun, and this one was no exception!
Thank you to Morgan Elizabeth for an e-ARC; all opinions are my own.
Read if you like:
💕 Marriage of convenience
💕 Rockstar romance
💕 Taylor Swift Reputation coded
💕 He falls first
Harper is dealing with a bad reputation after her boyfriend cheats on her, and she tries to get revenge. She ends up spending a ridiculous amount of money on an auctioned date with Wes Holden, the guitarist from Atlas Oaks, which is her ex’s favorite band (seen in the book All My Love). While on the date, they decide they should get married to save her reputation and distract the media from the other members of the band.
I absolutely loved how Morgan Elizabeth tied so many of her characters together in this book! We get Ava, Jules, and Harper from the Evergreen Park series, and we also get Riggins, Stella, and Wes from All My Love (which was one of my top reads of 2024)! Harper has such a supportive friendship with Ava and Jules, and I loved getting to see their friendship continue in this book. The relationship between Harper and Wes was so sweet and pretty low angst. He was DOWN BAD right from the beginning, and he was so patient waiting for her to come around. Harper’s ex is obnoxious and it was so fun seeing all of the ways they worked together to make his life miserable. There were a few loose ends at the end of the book that I wish were explained more thoroughly, but it didn’t detract from the romance. Morgan Elizabeth’s books are always so much fun, and this one was no exception!
Thank you to Morgan Elizabeth for an e-ARC; all opinions are my own.
Read if you like:
💕 Marriage of convenience
💕 Rockstar romance
💕 Taylor Swift Reputation coded
💕 He falls first
This was such a fun story about self-acceptance with a side of romance! Perci is fresh off a breakup, and her best friend helps her set anti-resolutions to take the pressure off of herself. Stop dating, stop trying to lose weight, stop working so hard, stop trying to live up to unrealistic expectations, and stop trying to please her mother. Until…her mother tries to get Perci back with her ex and Perci blurts out that she’s dating her neighbor (she’s not). Now she just has to keep her family away from her gorgeous neighbor who doesn’t know they’re fake dating.
I loved watching Perci’s confidence grow, even as she is actively trying not to worry about it. She has been trying to conform to her mother’s expectations for so long, that she is finally figuring out who she is, what she likes to wear, and what she likes to do. Sharon M. Peterson’s writing is hilarious, and I especially loved Perci’s beloved grandmother Mimi (whose advice is highlighted at the beginning of each chapter).
Perci’s mother is insufferable, and there is a lot of discussion of weight and calorie counting. Perci is actively working not to pay attention to these things and she becomes much more body positive as the book progresses, but read with caution if these things can be triggering for you.
I loved Perci so much and was rooting for her to find her own way, outside of her mother’s opinions. I really enjoyed the storyline with the “fake boyfriend” neighbor, as well as his eccentric daughter. I recommend this one if you’re looking for a sweet story of self-love and growing confidence (bonus: it’s available on Kindle Unlimited right now)!
Read if you like:
💕 Fake dating
💕 Neighbor romance
💕 Single dad romance
💕 Closed door romance
💕 Spunky grandma characters
I loved watching Perci’s confidence grow, even as she is actively trying not to worry about it. She has been trying to conform to her mother’s expectations for so long, that she is finally figuring out who she is, what she likes to wear, and what she likes to do. Sharon M. Peterson’s writing is hilarious, and I especially loved Perci’s beloved grandmother Mimi (whose advice is highlighted at the beginning of each chapter).
Perci’s mother is insufferable, and there is a lot of discussion of weight and calorie counting. Perci is actively working not to pay attention to these things and she becomes much more body positive as the book progresses, but read with caution if these things can be triggering for you.
I loved Perci so much and was rooting for her to find her own way, outside of her mother’s opinions. I really enjoyed the storyline with the “fake boyfriend” neighbor, as well as his eccentric daughter. I recommend this one if you’re looking for a sweet story of self-love and growing confidence (bonus: it’s available on Kindle Unlimited right now)!
Read if you like:
💕 Fake dating
💕 Neighbor romance
💕 Single dad romance
💕 Closed door romance
💕 Spunky grandma characters
I am continually amazed at Ali Hazelwood’s writing! In this book, she effortlessly combines elite college athletics (swimming and diving), STEM geniuses, and consensual kink exploration. Who knew those three things could go together so well!?
Scarlett Vandermeer is a platform diver at Stanford. She’s planning to go to med school and recovering from an injury, so she doesn’t have time for dating. She’s definitely not interested in swim captain Lukas Blomqvist, who just broke up with one of Scarlett’s teammates. But a secret slips out and maybe they’re not so wrong for each other after all.
There were so many things that I loved about this book. There was a constant theme of seeing a person for who they show you rather than what other people say about them. I loved the on-page therapy sessions and the exploration of mental health and blocks in athletic performance. There was the perfect balance of plot and spice for me, and I really appreciated how well-rounded of a character Scarlett was, as an athlete, a friend, a student, and a girlfriend. Lukas truly understood Scarlett and showed her time and time again that he could be the supportive man she needs. I also really enjoyed the swimming and diving components, and learning more about that world of competitions. And of course, the cameos from Olive and Adam of The Love Hypothesis were such a fun surprise!
The audio was fantastic! The story is told in single POV, but the audiobook is duet narration. This means that the male narrator reads the male character’s lines, even though the book is told only from Scarlett’s POV. The narrators’ voices were perfect for the characters! I highly recommend this book, especially if you’ve loved Ali Hazelwood’s previous books!
Read if you like:
💕 Competitive diver FMC x swim team captain MMC
💕 College romance
💕 Women in STEM
💕 He falls first
Scarlett Vandermeer is a platform diver at Stanford. She’s planning to go to med school and recovering from an injury, so she doesn’t have time for dating. She’s definitely not interested in swim captain Lukas Blomqvist, who just broke up with one of Scarlett’s teammates. But a secret slips out and maybe they’re not so wrong for each other after all.
There were so many things that I loved about this book. There was a constant theme of seeing a person for who they show you rather than what other people say about them. I loved the on-page therapy sessions and the exploration of mental health and blocks in athletic performance. There was the perfect balance of plot and spice for me, and I really appreciated how well-rounded of a character Scarlett was, as an athlete, a friend, a student, and a girlfriend. Lukas truly understood Scarlett and showed her time and time again that he could be the supportive man she needs. I also really enjoyed the swimming and diving components, and learning more about that world of competitions. And of course, the cameos from Olive and Adam of The Love Hypothesis were such a fun surprise!
The audio was fantastic! The story is told in single POV, but the audiobook is duet narration. This means that the male narrator reads the male character’s lines, even though the book is told only from Scarlett’s POV. The narrators’ voices were perfect for the characters! I highly recommend this book, especially if you’ve loved Ali Hazelwood’s previous books!
Read if you like:
💕 Competitive diver FMC x swim team captain MMC
💕 College romance
💕 Women in STEM
💕 He falls first