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the_cover_contessa's reviews
1714 reviews
Hate Mail by Donna Marchetti
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Wow, I'm not sure about all these great reviews I've seen because this one was just not good. The writing wasn't good. The romance wasn't good. The plot was horrible. I got stalker vibes. I was upset with the lies that were being told (or not told by omission). And the characters has zero development. I'll give it that the plot had potential but the execution was horrible. Also, I figured it all out right from the start, including the little twist involving the security guard. Not sure if the author meant that to happen but it was no mystery, that is for sure!
Overdrive by Esha Patel
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Thank you to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for providing me with an egalley of this book to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
I will start by saying I didn't realize this was the second book in a series. That being said, this one can definitely be read on its own but it seems it will spoil some stuff from the first book. It's more like an interconnected stand alone with cross over characters and relationships. I see that the MMC, Darien, from this book appears in the first book and perhaps if I had read that, I would have understood and liked his character a bit more.
I know F1 is the hot thing right now and I've been craving those books because I really enjoy the races. This is my third book in this type of world and I was hoping it would be the one to hit the spot. I have high expectations of what will happen in these books, of how things will play out, of what the authors will present when it comes to racing. I think Patel did a fairly good job of this overall. This sport is tough and highly competitive. Plus, very technical. I will say there were some areas that confused me, even being an F1 fan. Some technical stuff that didn't necessarily need to be included as I'm not sure the regular reader would really get it without more of an explanation.
Overall I liked Shantel and Darien enough to want to know where things went. I did struggle at times with their personalities. I definitely liked Darien more than Shante. I can see Darien is kind of the golden retriever type, though there wasn't as much joy coming from him as I would have liked. I didn't necessarily feel the chemistry between them, either. It felt a bit like insta-love with no growth. It felt like the author was forcing the characters to have a connection and become romantically involved. I wanted to slow build burn the author was trying to establish but it just felt flat. And nothing truly happened until about 3/4 of the way through the book. Normally, I'm good with this if the author shows how the characters are becoming connected and forming a relationship, but that wasn't the case with this book. Also, I didn't necessarily feel the characters' growth as I'm sure the author intended. Both are going through a grief process, which should help them connect, but it didn't. This theme was very heavy but it felt superficial in this book. The author continuously told us how sad the characters were but didn't really show that to us in a meaningful way. And I didn't see them developing and learning from what they were at the beginning of the story.
I feel like the author included a lot of the F1 information to try and move the story along. But it just made it boring, to be honest. It felted forced on the reader than than a way to show them the sport.
I will say the author describes the settings well. I liked that she took us from race to race and showed us some parts of where those races take place. And she did make me want to perhaps visit Brazil, it sounds like an interesting place.
Lastly, this author does a lot of telling rather than showing. Every little detail of what the characters are doing is told to the reader rather than making the reader feel like they are in the scene and experiencing what the characters are going through. It killed the pacing for me and I often times felt like I needed to skim the scene, rather than immerse myself in it to find out what was going on. It took me out of the story and didn't make me want to pick it back up. Often the author added information to the story which did nothing to move the plot forward. There were a lot of things that were mundane and unnecessary. At times it was even confusing when the characters were speaking or when the author was trying to show a scene but it was all described to us in minute detail.
I don't think I will be continuing with this series. This one was truly a struggle for me. The author has some potential but needs to hone things better to make the story more cohesive and enjoyable. The execution was poor and just didn't work for me. I do think that F1 fans may enjoy the depth the author goes into regarding the sport but if they are looking for a great romance with amazing character growth to go along with that, I think they will be disappointed.
I will start by saying I didn't realize this was the second book in a series. That being said, this one can definitely be read on its own but it seems it will spoil some stuff from the first book. It's more like an interconnected stand alone with cross over characters and relationships. I see that the MMC, Darien, from this book appears in the first book and perhaps if I had read that, I would have understood and liked his character a bit more.
I know F1 is the hot thing right now and I've been craving those books because I really enjoy the races. This is my third book in this type of world and I was hoping it would be the one to hit the spot. I have high expectations of what will happen in these books, of how things will play out, of what the authors will present when it comes to racing. I think Patel did a fairly good job of this overall. This sport is tough and highly competitive. Plus, very technical. I will say there were some areas that confused me, even being an F1 fan. Some technical stuff that didn't necessarily need to be included as I'm not sure the regular reader would really get it without more of an explanation.
Overall I liked Shantel and Darien enough to want to know where things went. I did struggle at times with their personalities. I definitely liked Darien more than Shante. I can see Darien is kind of the golden retriever type, though there wasn't as much joy coming from him as I would have liked. I didn't necessarily feel the chemistry between them, either. It felt a bit like insta-love with no growth. It felt like the author was forcing the characters to have a connection and become romantically involved. I wanted to slow build burn the author was trying to establish but it just felt flat. And nothing truly happened until about 3/4 of the way through the book. Normally, I'm good with this if the author shows how the characters are becoming connected and forming a relationship, but that wasn't the case with this book. Also, I didn't necessarily feel the characters' growth as I'm sure the author intended. Both are going through a grief process, which should help them connect, but it didn't. This theme was very heavy but it felt superficial in this book. The author continuously told us how sad the characters were but didn't really show that to us in a meaningful way. And I didn't see them developing and learning from what they were at the beginning of the story.
I feel like the author included a lot of the F1 information to try and move the story along. But it just made it boring, to be honest. It felted forced on the reader than than a way to show them the sport.
I will say the author describes the settings well. I liked that she took us from race to race and showed us some parts of where those races take place. And she did make me want to perhaps visit Brazil, it sounds like an interesting place.
Lastly, this author does a lot of telling rather than showing. Every little detail of what the characters are doing is told to the reader rather than making the reader feel like they are in the scene and experiencing what the characters are going through. It killed the pacing for me and I often times felt like I needed to skim the scene, rather than immerse myself in it to find out what was going on. It took me out of the story and didn't make me want to pick it back up. Often the author added information to the story which did nothing to move the plot forward. There were a lot of things that were mundane and unnecessary. At times it was even confusing when the characters were speaking or when the author was trying to show a scene but it was all described to us in minute detail.
I don't think I will be continuing with this series. This one was truly a struggle for me. The author has some potential but needs to hone things better to make the story more cohesive and enjoyable. The execution was poor and just didn't work for me. I do think that F1 fans may enjoy the depth the author goes into regarding the sport but if they are looking for a great romance with amazing character growth to go along with that, I think they will be disappointed.
The P*ssy Next Door by Amy Award
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Mountains Made of Glass by Scarlett St. Clair
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Say You'll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Thank you to Forever Publishing, Abby Jimenez, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
I will never pass up the opportunity to read an Abby book. She writes such great stories. Not only are the romances realistic, but she always weaves such real life situations into her stories. They are easily relatable. She doesn't put the characters in situations that are so far out there you'd never believe they could happen. I love her real life.
And her covers. I'm sorry but this is the best one yet. It is just utterly gorgeous and truly captures the story right there in one shot.
This book really hit me hard because I'm a nurse and work with many Dementia patients. I have seen first hand people diminish quickly and I've watched their families struggle. It was so great to see how Abby handled this story line. You can see she's done her research for the most part to learn about the disease, it's consequences, and how it affects family and friends who surround the person going through the decline. Early onset Dementia is the hardest thing to deal with because you watch someone so young slowly decline and lose everything they once knew. Abby handled this all with grace and kindness. I can see she cared to make sure she was true to real life and the impact the disease can make. This topic is very heavy but it's an important disease to bring to light and Abby did a really great job with it.
Of course an Abby book would not be an Abby book without some great romance. Is there a bit of insta-love in this one, I would say yes. But it works to the advantage of the story. I loved how Sam and Xavier progressed in their relationship. Samantha knows it can't go anywhere because of her current family crisis and the fact that she's moving clear across the country. But she can hope. And it's this hope that really caries the story. It's this hope that makes you cheer for Sam and Xavier and to wish with all your might they will find a solution to being apart. Add to the dynamic Xavier's past and his parents who always said he would amount to nothing and you have a story teaming with tension and a few secrets. Of course, as with any type of romance story, there are areas where the characters just needed to talk in order to resolve things, but that didn't quite happen. Miscommunication is a trope that many don't love but I think for this story, the two main characters didn't want to reveal those truths for fear of it making the other feel sympathy for them. Both characters are developed well and are strong.
As with all the books I've read by Abby, this one sucked me in right away and I didn't want to put it down. I read it in one day because I lost myself in the story and didn't want to put it down.
I have to say once i finished this one, I kind of wanted to go back and re-read it. I feel like the nuances Abby puts in her books really require more than one read. I love my first reads but it's the second and third reads that really make her books impactful. Plus I love how she buries Easter eggs in her titles.
And the nod to Come On Eileen (I'm an 80s girl) was fantastic. I cannot tell you how many times I've danced and sang my heart out to this song. If it comes on the radio in the car, you better bet that dial goes all the way up while I sing along!
Overall, I really enjoyed this one. Fans of Abby are going to be obsessed with Xavier and Sam and their friends and families. This one is definitely an emotional rollercoaster ride so have those tissues ready and be prepared to love what you read.
I will never pass up the opportunity to read an Abby book. She writes such great stories. Not only are the romances realistic, but she always weaves such real life situations into her stories. They are easily relatable. She doesn't put the characters in situations that are so far out there you'd never believe they could happen. I love her real life.
And her covers. I'm sorry but this is the best one yet. It is just utterly gorgeous and truly captures the story right there in one shot.
This book really hit me hard because I'm a nurse and work with many Dementia patients. I have seen first hand people diminish quickly and I've watched their families struggle. It was so great to see how Abby handled this story line. You can see she's done her research for the most part to learn about the disease, it's consequences, and how it affects family and friends who surround the person going through the decline. Early onset Dementia is the hardest thing to deal with because you watch someone so young slowly decline and lose everything they once knew. Abby handled this all with grace and kindness. I can see she cared to make sure she was true to real life and the impact the disease can make. This topic is very heavy but it's an important disease to bring to light and Abby did a really great job with it.
Of course an Abby book would not be an Abby book without some great romance. Is there a bit of insta-love in this one, I would say yes. But it works to the advantage of the story. I loved how Sam and Xavier progressed in their relationship. Samantha knows it can't go anywhere because of her current family crisis and the fact that she's moving clear across the country. But she can hope. And it's this hope that really caries the story. It's this hope that makes you cheer for Sam and Xavier and to wish with all your might they will find a solution to being apart. Add to the dynamic Xavier's past and his parents who always said he would amount to nothing and you have a story teaming with tension and a few secrets. Of course, as with any type of romance story, there are areas where the characters just needed to talk in order to resolve things, but that didn't quite happen. Miscommunication is a trope that many don't love but I think for this story, the two main characters didn't want to reveal those truths for fear of it making the other feel sympathy for them. Both characters are developed well and are strong.
As with all the books I've read by Abby, this one sucked me in right away and I didn't want to put it down. I read it in one day because I lost myself in the story and didn't want to put it down.
I have to say once i finished this one, I kind of wanted to go back and re-read it. I feel like the nuances Abby puts in her books really require more than one read. I love my first reads but it's the second and third reads that really make her books impactful. Plus I love how she buries Easter eggs in her titles.
And the nod to Come On Eileen (I'm an 80s girl) was fantastic. I cannot tell you how many times I've danced and sang my heart out to this song. If it comes on the radio in the car, you better bet that dial goes all the way up while I sing along!
Overall, I really enjoyed this one. Fans of Abby are going to be obsessed with Xavier and Sam and their friends and families. This one is definitely an emotional rollercoaster ride so have those tissues ready and be prepared to love what you read.
The Wiener Across the Way by Amy Award
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-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
4.0
Four Weekends and a Funeral by Ellie Palmer
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Accidentally Amy by Lynn Painter
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-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
3.75
Review to comeThan you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
I was excited to see this title had been picked up by a major publisher. I love when indie stories go to print and reach the larger audience and get the recognition for the great tales they are.
I'm a big Lynn Painter fan. She is a go to author for me. I love her YA but I think I like her adult books even more. The romance is always done so well.
This one is a light hearted and easy read. The build up of romance between the two main characters is fun and realistic. Painter infuses the story with humor that had me laughing out loud many times during my read. The story line is nothing new and very much reminded me of the movie Working Girl, which I really enjoyed.
I loved both Izzy and Blake. I enjoyed their differences. His grumpy to her sunshine. Their romance was cute as it blossomed, though I did feel there was that slight bit of insta-love I don't always meld with. But it worked well in this particular story. There was a bit of push and pull with their relationship given their circumstances, as well.
Painter got the pacing and banter spot on in this one, though. She really knows when to infuse the story with the lightheartedness is needs to break up those more intense moments.
This one does have a bit of a third act break up type thing to it but it is resolved fairly quickly. The circumstances under which is happens are understandable. I'm not sure I would have done what Blake did had I been in his shoes. I don't think my heart could handle it.
If you're looking for a fun feeling, funny, and entertaining rom-com with friends to lovers, workplace romance, and grumpy sunshine and characters that are quirky and relatable, I highly recommend this one.
If you're looking for a fun feeling, funny, and entertaining rom-com with characters that are quirky and relatable, I highly recommend this one.
Hexed by Emily McIntire
dark
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Duchess Material by Emily Sullivan
funny
hopeful
mysterious
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? Yes
4.0
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing me with an egalley of this book for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
I think I might be in my regency romance era. I've read a few period romance pieces and I'm just loving the vibe. When the blurb says fans of Bridgerton will like this one, it is absolutely correct!
The story is told in third person point of view, which I think fits the period pieces well. We have a birds eye of view of all that is happening to the characters and a link to what they are feeling. I love how easily the characters are developed with this way of writing.
The plot doesn't only revolve around the romance, though. This book brings to the forefront the upheaval that was happening during this time period. How women were trying to become more and do more. How they wanted to be more than just a wife or the pretty lady on the man's arm. And there's a bit of a mystery to solve, as well!
Sullivan does an excellent job of alternating the point of view between the FMC and MMC, Phoebe and Will. I loved their relationship. How they grew up together and were a certain way with each other until Will got drawn into his role as Duke. Phoebe is so independent. And, while there is pushback from her family regarding this, she does not fold and run from what she knows she wants to do. Will is busy trying to find a duchess for himself through the ton. But he's not really feeling like those ladies fit him. When he and Phoebe are thrown into each other's paths when Phoebe ends up at the police station, you can feel their chemistry from the start. And as the book progresses, the slow burn really ramps up and the romantic zing between the two becomes very apparent. Phoebe was just so relatable, it was hard not to love her. And Will was super protective of her from the start, even though they had not had interaction since they were teens.
There's definitely some spice in this one. So be prepared for that. But the interactions are also somewhat tender.
Sullivan is spot on with her pacing in this one. Each chapter even more interesting than the next.
The author does a fabulous job combining mystery, romance with some slow burn, and family tensions while telling a fun story where you will definitely want to know how the story ends!
I think I might be in my regency romance era. I've read a few period romance pieces and I'm just loving the vibe. When the blurb says fans of Bridgerton will like this one, it is absolutely correct!
The story is told in third person point of view, which I think fits the period pieces well. We have a birds eye of view of all that is happening to the characters and a link to what they are feeling. I love how easily the characters are developed with this way of writing.
The plot doesn't only revolve around the romance, though. This book brings to the forefront the upheaval that was happening during this time period. How women were trying to become more and do more. How they wanted to be more than just a wife or the pretty lady on the man's arm. And there's a bit of a mystery to solve, as well!
Sullivan does an excellent job of alternating the point of view between the FMC and MMC, Phoebe and Will. I loved their relationship. How they grew up together and were a certain way with each other until Will got drawn into his role as Duke. Phoebe is so independent. And, while there is pushback from her family regarding this, she does not fold and run from what she knows she wants to do. Will is busy trying to find a duchess for himself through the ton. But he's not really feeling like those ladies fit him. When he and Phoebe are thrown into each other's paths when Phoebe ends up at the police station, you can feel their chemistry from the start. And as the book progresses, the slow burn really ramps up and the romantic zing between the two becomes very apparent. Phoebe was just so relatable, it was hard not to love her. And Will was super protective of her from the start, even though they had not had interaction since they were teens.
There's definitely some spice in this one. So be prepared for that. But the interactions are also somewhat tender.
Sullivan is spot on with her pacing in this one. Each chapter even more interesting than the next.
The author does a fabulous job combining mystery, romance with some slow burn, and family tensions while telling a fun story where you will definitely want to know how the story ends!