yvettelovestoread's reviews
205 reviews

Wicked Court by Ketley Allison

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Wicked Court by Ketley Allison is book one in the Titan Falls series. This book had me from page and left me needing to know what happened.  If you like why choose, secret society, gothic, dark college romance with multiple POV’s then you will love this book.

Elara is a badass FMC and has 4 men Cav, Wilder, Caspian, and Axe who are all falling for her in their own way.  She finds herself attracted to all four even though she is trying hard not to. She is on a mission to find out what happened to her brother and the meaning behind a piece of jewelry her grandma left her. 

Wicked Court is captivating read that had me hooked from the first page. The chemistry between the characters was written so well and the spice was spicing. I have so many questions with the book ending on a cliffhanger…I can’t wait for book 2. I was given this book as an ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions. 

Strange Love by Steffanie Blais

emotional hopeful sad slow-paced

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

5.0

Strange Love An 80s Fake Dating Hockey Romance by Steffanie Blais was so different than anything I’ve read before and I loved it.  If you love fake dating,  hockey, opposites attract, tragic past, first love, dual POV’s 80’s romance then you will love this book. 

I enjoyed the 80’s nostalgia so much. Ivy’s story was so heartbreaking. I loved watching her overcome what she went through, making decisions on what she was needing, and growing into a stronger version of herself. I love Corey! He was so patient and saw in Ivy what no one else (including herself) saw.  The side characters were so well written. I loved that the chapters were named after popular 80’s songs. I cannot rave about this book enough. I was given this book as an ARC for my honest thoughts and opinions. I loved it and can’t wait for the next book Tainted Love!! 

Illuminance by Kara Douglas

adventurous challenging emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Illuminance by Kara Douglas is book 2 in the Unraveled Fate series. If you like books about rival kingdoms, sassy pet Wyvern’s, found family, and is a slow burn then you will love this book. 

Illuminance picks up where Lunaria left off. Lunaria “Lu” has escaped Crea and her controlling father. She is in a new land with new family, and learning she has abilities. She’s also with Avery, Addie, Graylen who still has not left her side. 

The world building in this story was amazing. The characters were amazing along with Zephyr who is Lu’s Wyvern. This book had me hooked from page one. The twists and turns kept coming and  that ending left me stunned. If I could give this book more than 5 stars I would. I was given an ARC for this book in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions.

The Trials of Ophelia by Nicole Platania

adventurous challenging dark mysterious

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Trials of Ophelia by Nicole Platania is book 3 in the Curse of Ophelia series and it was so good. If you like Greek Mythology, found families, unique fantastical worlds, with love stories intertwined then you will love this story. 

This book picks up after the war has ended. Everyone is reeling from the war, everyone is broken and the angels are being messy. 

Ophelia, Malakai, Tolek, Jezebel, Santorina, and Cyph set out to try and find the Angel Shards that remain in hopes that it will end the war. Along the way they make new friends and some unexpected allies.

I am obsessed with this series. By the end of book 3 I feel like I’ve built a relationship with characters. Trials of Ophelia had me hooked from page one. I don’t know why I waited so long to read this series. I was given this ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions 

The Empowered Ones by Danielle Harrington

adventurous challenging emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

5.0

The Empowered Ones by Danielle Harrington is the final book in the series. Wow, this ending was not anything I expected it was better!!! I enjoyed this book and series so much. 

In this story, Hollis her is not only facing her toughest challenges, but she is dealing with so much heart ache. There was a part of this book that gutted me and made me want to cry. There were so many twists and turns, but that ending had me on the edge of my seat. This book could not have ended any better than it did. The characters were so well written, as well as all of the scenes. I’m sad it’s over. I was given the ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions. 

Oar Than Friends by Lulu Moore

adventurous hopeful lighthearted

4.0

Oar Than Friends by Lulu Moore was such a cute book. If you like contemporary romances, athletes, billionaire, boy obsessed, enemy to lover, love at first sight, Ivy League, secret romances then you are going to love this book. 

Kate, an American received a rowing scholarship to study medicine at Cambridge. After losing her brother to an undiagnosed heart condition she decided to continue her brother’s plans of becoming a doctor and attending Cambridge.  Kates dream is to open a restaurant. 

Arthur “Oz” is the President of the Oxford Men's Team. Oz has a reputation of being a ladies man. He is the son of a wealthy politician, who expects Oz to follow in his footsteps into politics. Oz wants to be a teacher. After Oz does some convincing, Kate agrees to give him a chance and get to know him.  Because they are rival rowing teams they agree to keep their relationship a secret.

This book is my first Lulu Moore book and not my last! I enjoyed learning about rowing and seeing the bond over it. I loved the characters and the way she wrote the friend being so supportive. I really enjoyed this read and cannot wait to read more Lulu Moore characters and book 2 in this series. I was given an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions. 

The Almost Romantic by Lauren Blakely

emotional funny hopeful 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? No

4.5

The Almost Romantic by Lauren Blakely was fantastic!! If you like single dad, fake engagement, most romantic fake proposal ever, marriage of convenience, my wife, found family, former pro athlete, starts with a bang, possessive hero stories to then you will love this book. 

Elodie is raising her little sister after her parents passed away. She followed her dream and opened a chocolate shop.

Gage is a single father after his wife passed away suddenly. He is a formal professional baseball player whose career ended after an injury, he now owns a bar. 

Elodie stops by the bar to grab takeout at where they lock eyes . Gage ends up getting one of Elodie's special deliveries at his bar, he sees this opportunity to return it and invite her out for a night of fun. On their date an opportunity for a pop up arises they cannot walk away from…they only catch the owner thinks they are married.

I laughed so much in this book while falling in love with every character.  That marriage proposal was so swoon worthy.  I loved the story line and she wrote the characters so well. I cannot recommend this book enough. I was given this book as an ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions.

Dirty Flirt by Mira Lyn Kelly

4.25

Dirty Flirty by Mira Lyn Kelly 10th book in the Slayers Hockey series and I believe #11 should be coming soon. I enjoyed this book a lot although it can be read as a standalone. If you like friends to lovers, second chance, roommates, secret crush, good girl/bad boy, secret crush, golden retriever hero, friends with benefits romances then you will love the book. 

Ben Boerboom plays for the Slayers, he is a playboy who doesn’t do commitment. Underneath his tough exterior is someone who is funny and caring. His heart is missing the one girl who he feels got away and he never got over her. 

Lara was determined to make something of herself after a rough childhood. She is sweet and has a good heart, but she longed for stability. Ben was her high school best friend, they understood and supported each other. After prom their relationship became more, but didn’t last very long and they split going their separate ways. 

Years later, Lara’s job has moved her to Chicago after a mixup she ends up becoming roommates with Ben. They both realize the feeling they had years ago are still there and never went away. The pull they felt keeps pulling them together, but both are afraid of it. Ben realizes that Lara is the perfect partner for him. 

I love the relationship Ben has with his mom and how well she can read him. I love the way Mira wrote Dirty Flirty, the characters were great and made this read so much fun. The banter and chemistry between them was written so well. I enjoyed this book and highly recommend it, but read the other 9 first. Thank you Wordsmith Publicity and Mira Lyn Kelly for letting me read this ARC for my honest thoughts and opinions. 

Perfect Boy by Hannah Gray

adventurous emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.5

Perfect Boy by Hannah Gray I loved as much as Lost Boy. If you like marriage of convenience, hockey romance, he falls first, forced proximity, cinnamon roll hero then you will love this book!! 

Ryann has had a rough life and has been in trouble. She dancer and has been accepted Brooks University’s dancing program. She decides to forge her visa to fulfill her dream of being a choreographer and to give her sister a better life. She has no time for a relationship and definitely no time for any athletes. 

Watson is Brooks University’s top goalie and a future as a professional hockey player. He loves his family and is close to his family. 

Paired together for a dancing competition for charity they realize they are falling for each other. Ryan learns that immigration has learned that she forced her visa and will soon be deported until Watson suggests they get married. This decision changes their lives forever. 

I loved this book so much. Watson is so loyal and patient. I love that Ryann doesn’t take crap from anyone is so independent not that she had a choice. This is the second book I’ve read in the series and now I’m hooked. I was given this book as an ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions. 

Right where you left me by Vanessa Stock

emotional hopeful sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

Right Where You Left Me by Vanessa Stock was an emotional rollercoaster!!! If you like dual POV’s, pen pals, angsty, musician books that deal with mental health then you will love this book. 

One day Zelda gets a letter in the mail addressed to Daisy and responds letting Edmund know that Daisy no longer lives at that address. Then they just keep writing to each other. They start as pen pals, to friends, to more. 

This book had me in my emotions happiness, anger, sadness, and teary eyed. I loved how Zelda and Edmund’s relationship started. I wanted to yell at and cry with, Zelda even wanted to yell at her asking her what she was thinking. Edmund, my heart broke with him but his love never wavered. Love comes when it’s the right time and you can’t force it. This book was soo good!! Thank you to Vanessa Stock and Sunny Babe PR for letting me read this ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions.