Charming with a touch of magic, The Second Chance Year by Melissa Wiesner is about a woman who decides to redo the past year after meeting a fortune tCharming with a touch of magic, The Second Chance Year by Melissa Wiesner is about a woman who decides to redo the past year after meeting a fortune teller at a New Year's party.
Summary: Sadie Thatcher had a terrible year – she lost her job, house and boyfriend. After meeting a fortune teller at a New Year's party, she follows her instructions and returns back to exactly a year ago before her Very Bad Year.
Tropes/Genres: • time travel • brother's best friend • magical realism • fantasy • contemporary romance
Review: This book is so interesting. It's cool to see how Sadie chooses to live her second-chance year, having experienced everything before. The romance is also a nice extra touch, though I feel that the main spotlight is on her redo. It also touches on sexual harassment in the workplace.
Sadie is such a relatable character. I really enjoyed watching her decisions and conscious efforts to change herself to make sure that her second-chance year wouldn't suck. There is a lot of character growth, and she definitely learned a lot along the way about how to conduct herself. Sometimes, speaking up may not be the way to go; it's important to choose the right time to speak up.
I like how the author portrayed the changes she made in the second-chance year. I can't reveal too much without giving a spoiler, but it really changes perspectives of things. I like that instead of being a victim of circumstances, as she was in her Very Bad Year, she became the one who directly chose her circumstances, as she did in her second-chance year. I find it so poetic.
The romance is such a special touch. I find Jacob very sweet, and it was obvious from a mile away that he had feelings for Sadie. Even then, it was also easy to understand why Sadie wouldn't realise it because it was all so subtle. I think that's so cool.
This book also touches on sexual harassment in the workplace. It's done both delicately and provocatively. Readers see everything that's going on, and it incites emotions. I was so upset to see everything Sadie had to go through even though she tried her best to be more tolerant in her second-chance year. I feel that the author wrapped this up very well.
In conclusion, I recommend this book to readers who enjoy magical realism with a touch of romance. As this book also touches on sensitive topics, namely sexual harassment, do read with care. I truly enjoyed the author's take on the concept of time travel....more
Sweet, charming and heartwarming, The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun is about a man who stars in a reality TV show that centres around helping the Sweet, charming and heartwarming, The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun is about a man who stars in a reality TV show that centres around helping the Prince Charming find love and ends up falling for his producer.
Summary: Dev Deshpande works as a producer at a reality TV show called Ever After that centres around forming couples and finding love. The Prince Charming for this season is Charles "Charlie" Winshaw, who is shy and has OCD, anxiety and panic disorder. When Dev is assigned to be his handler, the two spend a lot of time with each other.
Tropes/Genres: • strangers to lovers • lgbtq (man x man) • workplace romance • reality tv show • mental health (depression, ocd, anxiety, etc.) • forced proximity • travelling to many places • contemporary rom-com
Review: This book was okay. I like how the chapters are divided and how the story is wrapped up. However, I think the characters are not that well-developed, but the pacing is okay. The mental health representation is decent, though it's not as good as many people make it out to be – it still has many flaws. Overall, it's okay.
Charlie is the sweetest thing ever! He's so precious. I also love his character growth throughout the book – he learned more about what he truly wanted and what made him happy. I enjoyed watching his journey of discovering his gayness towards Dev. I feel that the author handled this delicately.
However, Charlie can also feel like a caricature of someone with OCD, generalised anxiety and panic disorder. It just feels too convenient for him to be so shy, anxious and afraid of doing everything. A lot of the things related to him can easily be tied back to his mental health issues, making it seem like that's really all his character is about. I'm not saying that that's what he is, but he can appear to be this way because of the frequent emphasis. He's a blubbering mess. It feels like he can't do anything properly on his own, which is weird considering he used to be a CTO. He's still a sweet person, though.
Dev is such a thoughtful person. His depression is well portrayed with hints adequately dropped before the diagnosis is revealed. I love how he always understands Charlie and his mental health issues and makes sure that he feels comfortable with everything. I'm glad that he grew throughout the book and learned to manage his depression instead of giving in to it every time it sweeps over him. Therapy is nothing to be ashamed of! This is a great message.
His character, however, feels quite unrealistic. It's hard to believe that after working as a producer for a heavily scripted reality TV show that heavily manipulates situations for the camera, he still believes that it's a show about finding true love. There’s also close to nothing Indian about him apart from his name. It feels like the choice of his name is a tokenistic approach, which is ironic considering that’s what the author preaches against, albeit regarding LGBTQ.
The mental health representation is quite good, though it's not perfect. It's not as good as people make it out to be. It's great that the author portrays depression, anxiety and OCD without giving in to the stereotypes and allowing them to define the mental health issues. However, I don't think it's fair that the author implies that people struggling to manage mental health problems do not deserve to be in healthy relationships – in the story, Charlie states that he couldn't be with someone who was unhealthy (as in, Dev couldn't manage his depression). It felt like Charlie didn't want Dev because he was mentally ill and a burden and not because he loved him and wanted him to be better and healthier because he genuinely cared about him. I love that Dev took some time to care for himself, but I hate that the author handled it that way. It felt like Dev's depression was an illness to be magically cured rather than a condition that needed to be controlled and managed for a long time.
I think the author also misrepresents therapy and oversimplifies the power of antidepressants. Talking deeply about the latter would give some spoilers, so I will just talk about the latter. I would just state that the portrayal of antidepressants in this book sets unrealistic expectations. Anyway, if Charlie has been in therapy since he was twelve, how does it actually help him? It seems that he's simply in therapy because of OCD, but the story doesn't talk about how therapy actually helps him – it sure as hell doesn't look like it's helping him. The story also oversimplifies the issues surrounding therapy and the ease of finding a therapist that suits you. The book acts as if, as a person with mental health issues, you're "healthy" if you go to therapy and "unhealthy" if you don't – that's a false dichotomy and such a gross oversimplification.
Either way, I think Charlie and Dev are cute. The sex scenes are rather weird and cringe-worthy, though. I mean, why the hell are they licking each other? Like, there's nothing wrong with that, but the way it was written just felt so... gross. I think that's mainly a writing issue – the passion wasn't expressed very well. However, most importantly, I love how supportive Charlie and Dev are of each other. They're so considerate!
The other characters in this book are well-written. I may even argue that they are better written than the main characters. I enjoyed Ryan's personal growth. He was so easy to hate at the start of the story, but I grew to like him a lot. I also adored Daphne. She's simply so sweet.
This book also shows the dark sides of the media industry and reality TV, which is cool. I'm glad that the bad people got their just deserts. The author touched on tokenism very well!
In conclusion, this is quite a nice book, but I wasn't super impressed – I expected more from this book. This book had a great premise and could've been handled better. It's still nice, though, and I would still recommend it. The start of the book was slow and lacking, but the story did pick up very well towards the end! I liked how the book ended. If you're a fan of gay romances and are interested in a reality TV show setting, you can check out this book....more
Fun, engaging and heartwarming, Everyone Hates Kelsie Miller by Meredith Ireland is about two high school students and academic rivals who go on a roaFun, engaging and heartwarming, Everyone Hates Kelsie Miller by Meredith Ireland is about two high school students and academic rivals who go on a road trip to UPenn to win back someone they each care about.
Summary: Kelsie Miller and Eric Mulvaney Ortiz are long-time academic rivals who constantly fight for the top place. When his summer girlfriend ghosts him and her best friend moves to a different state, the two embark on a road trip to UPenn to win back their respective people of interest.
Tropes/Genres: • academic rivals to lovers • road trip • talks about friendship • young adult • contemporary romance • set in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Review: This book is good! It was actually better than I had expected. The characters displayed tremendous personal growth throughout this book. The author balanced the romance and the character growth very well.
Kelsie is such a realistic character. She's an asshole who struggles with apologising, but I can also feel that she's not an inherently bad person. I love her character growth throughout the story. She truly cares for others but just doesn't know how to express it properly.
Anyway, she and Eric display a cosy chemistry. Eric is honestly the sweetest. It's honestly a surprise that he still liked Kelsie despite how much she disliked him. I like how the author paced their reconciliation – there was a long-term misunderstanding that Kelsie had about Eric. I found it quite amusing, so it's not that bad. I think the two of them are quite cute. The transition from academic rivals to lovers is so smooth and fun!
The LGBTQ rep in this book is also done rather naturally. The detail about Eric's two gay dads was done very seamlessly, but the part about Kelsie's possible demisexuality felt out of place. However, I still like the message about how labels may not be necessary but still help people make sense of what they are. One may or may not agree with this sentiment, but I can't deny that it's really an interesting point. Anyway, these are minor details in the story.
In conclusion, this is a nice book for YA readers that talks about friendship. If you're a fan of road trips, this is a book for you! It's cosy, and the main characters display such a fun dynamic. The pacing is great, and the plot is ultimately wholesome and heartwarming....more
Overwhelmingly filled with smut, Training the Heart by Paisley Hope is about a woman and her boss being very sexually attracted to each other but tryiOverwhelmingly filled with smut, Training the Heart by Paisley Hope is about a woman and her boss being very sexually attracted to each other but trying hard not to cave in.
Summary: Ivy Grace Spencer has come to the Silver Pines Ranch for a job. Upon proving her skills, she is promptly hired by Wade Ashby. As the two spend more time together, they grow increasingly attracted to each other.
Tropes/Genres: • cowboy • workplace romance • grumpy x sunshine • small town • forced proximity • contemporary romance
Review: Thirteen chapters. There are thirteen chapters of smut in this book. The story felt way too long and had an overwhelmingly high amount of smut that didn't contribute much. The main characters don't have enough romantic chemistry to match up their sexual chemistry. The writing is not descriptive and doesn't draw emotions from readers where appropriate.
The main characters barely have romantic chemistry, but they sure as hell have a lot of sexual chemistry. At one point, they had sex four times in four chapters in a row. It's honestly insane. Like, how does this insane amount of fucking contribute to the story? It's easy to see that Ivy and Wade are nice and likeable people, but I don't see how they actually love each other. It seems more apparent that they're just horny for each other. To some extent, they may even seem creepy – this isn't a dark romance, guys. It's not supposed to be like this.
As I mentioned above, there was way too much smut in the book. Excluding the bonus chapter, that's twelve sex scenes. Twelve is still a lot. I don't understand why the author felt the need to make them fuck so much. The smut honestly felt like filler chapters that exist solely to fulfil the horniness of readers, which feels pointless to me because that has nothing to do with making this book a good story. If the smut were to be cut down, the story would've been way better. To me, most of the spicy scenes were really just filler chapters to lengthen the story, and they were unnecessary. It felt like the author had nothing better to write, so she wrote smut instead since that seems to be enough to fulfil many horny readers, but in reality, it lowers the overall quality of the story due to it being overdone.
There's nothing wrong with smut, but it needs to be done in moderation. Everything needs to be done in moderation. Too much of anything is not good. The main characters barely had any romance going on – it was mostly about how they were sexually attracted to each other. As such, the smut doesn't add to anything other than "they want to fuck each other". There's barely any romance. Where are the emotions?
Speaking of emotions, the author doesn't convey them well. Regarding Ivy's backstory with her emotionally abusive ex-boyfriend Brad, I couldn't really feel the pain she went through; I could only see it. The writing style just doesn't really bring out much emotion – it also extends to how much I feel connected to the characters, which is close to nothing. There are some big revelations in the book that feel like they're supposed to make you feel something, but I don't feel anything. It's really the way things are written here.
That's not to say that I hated this book. There were parts that I enjoyed as well. For example, the parts about Wade and his ex-wife Janelle who still heavily depends on him for a lot of things are well done. Additionally, Wade and Ivy seemed like nice people, and I liked how sweet they were towards the end of the story, but I didn't really see much romantic chemistry between the two.
This book certainly had potential. I liked the dynamics between Wade and Ivy at the start of the book, especially with how confident and sassy Ivy was. However, the romance was underdeveloped with way too much spotlight on the smut and sexual attraction. It would've been great if the book could've talked more about Ivy and her horse-training skills instead of merely bringing up the horse once in a while. In its current state, the plot feels disjointed and doesn't flow very well.
Overall, I still recommend this book to smut lovers who enjoy cowboy romance. I would like to reiterate that this book will only be enjoyed by readers who love books that are filled with smut and don't really care much about the plot.
Thank you, Penguin Random House UK, for the read. I requested it on NetGalley, but they sent me a PDF without approving my request. Funny....more
The story was nice and simple. I liked Hannah Arroyo and Ian Floyd. They made quite a cute couple. I think it's sweet that they are upfront about theiThe story was nice and simple. I liked Hannah Arroyo and Ian Floyd. They made quite a cute couple. I think it's sweet that they are upfront about their feelings and what they want from the beginning.
The friendship Mara, Sadie and Hannah (the main characters in each of their novellas in the series) had is so wholesome, and it's nice to see Liam from Under One Roof and Erik from Stuck with You in this book. Ian and Mara's short interactions (they're cousins, but they never really met) were also quite funny.
The story alternates between the present time when Hannah is stuck in a crevasse in Svalbard and the past when their history, including what led to Hannah's predicament, is slowly revealed. There's a bit of a misunderstanding in the story, but I don't think that's one of the main tropes used. Even then, the misunderstanding made sense, so it wasn't frustrating – at least, for me.
I think the part where Hannah didn't come out of that crevasse unscathed was also very realistic. (view spoiler)[Not only did she get a sprain, but she even had frostbite and lost 3 toes. Permanent injury. It kind of shocked me, but I liked how real it was, and Hannah didn't have main character armour. (hide spoiler)]
All in all, it's a light-hearted read. It's a novella. It's not meant to be so serious. Just chill. Don't expect anything dramatic. Then you'll be fine! (again, misunderstandings-trope haters, beware.)
The story was nice and simple. I liked Hannah Arroyo and Ian Floyd. They made quite a cute couple. I think it's sweet that they are upfront about their feelings and what they want from the beginning.
The friendship Mara, Sadie and Hannah (the main characters in each of their novellas in the series) had is so wholesome, and it's nice to see Liam from Under One Roof and Erik from Stuck with You in this book. Ian and Mara's short interactions (they're cousins, but they never really met) were also quite funny.
The story alternates between the present time when Hannah is stuck in a crevasse in Svalbard and the past when their history, including what led to Hannah's predicament, is slowly revealed. There's a bit of a misunderstanding in the story, but I don't think that's one of the main tropes used. Even then, the misunderstanding made sense, so it wasn't frustrating – at least, for me.
I think the part where Hannah didn't come out of that crevasse unscathed was also very realistic. (view spoiler)[Not only did she get a sprain, but she even had frostbite and lost 3 toes. Permanent injury. It kind of shocked me, but I liked how real it was, and Hannah didn't have main character armour. (hide spoiler)]
All in all, it's a light-hearted read. It's a novella. It's not meant to be so serious. Just chill. Don't expect anything dramatic. Then you'll be fine! (again, misunderstandings-trope haters, beware.)
Cute, light-hearted and charming, Meet Me in the Margins by Melissa Ferguson is about an aspiring author who works as an editor in the publishing induCute, light-hearted and charming, Meet Me in the Margins by Melissa Ferguson is about an aspiring author who works as an editor in the publishing industry, and she has her manuscript edited by a mystery editor.
Summary: Savannah "Sav" Cade is an editor at Pennington Pen, but she's also an aspiring author and writes under the pen name Holly Ray. One day, a Mystery Editor begins to edit her manuscript. Meanwhile, she also forms an unlikely friendship with the CEO's son and her new co-worker, William "Will" Pennington.
Tropes/Genres: • friends to lovers • workplace romance • book about writing • miscommunication (minor, cute) • grumpy x sunshine • slow burn • contemporary rom-com • set in Nashville, Tennessee
Review: This book is so cute! I love Savannah and William so much. I find the idea of their connection through the manuscript very refreshing. There's also a little touch of miscommunication, but it's done in such a cute way that enhances their love story.
William is the biggest cutie ever. He seems cold and aloof, but he's actually such a big sweetheart. There's just something about men named William, really. I love that he has a moral compass and believes in doing the right thing. He listens and considers other people's opinions instead of thinking that he's always right. He also cares about his employees and how they're treated. It's basic human decency, but there's something special about that.
Savannah is an aspiring author. She feels average and lacks a sense of self-worth, especially what happened with Ferris and Olivia, her sister. She's a little quirky. She thinks her sister is way better than her in every way. I love how she doesn't hesitate to support other people despite having her own insecurities. She isn't really a main character that stands out, but she's undoubtedly a nice person.
The romance between William and Savannah is quite chill. Like, their conversations are very cute, but they're also very subtle, so not many people may be able to catch their chemistry. I really enjoyed the editing process of the book. It really brings out their personalities. Savannah wants to write books about an average girl and underdog just like her, and I thought that her idea was sweet.
Of course, there were some parts that may make some readers shift uncomfortably in their seats, such as Savannah's awful family and her ex Ferris. Savannah's regular mentions of the Cade family motto did make me cringe internally, but I could easily overlook that because many people do highly value family above everything else even if their family may not be the best, which is the case for Savannah. It's just a different culture, and I don't think it's right to judge people based on that. Her family also didn't appear enough for readers to judge based on other aspects rather than solely because of Ferris.
Anyway, Ferris was a terrible guy, and I think that the author wrote him quite well – he successfully pisses off people. I feel that the author's intentions with every character were met. The likeable characters are likeable and the awful characters are easy to dislike. I can't even fully dislike Ferris because he's just... dumb and confused. Other side characters don't get that much of a spotlight, but I think it's perfectly fine for a romance book to only focus on the two main characters and their friendship and relationship development.
Overall, this book is very good. It took some time to build up everything, but it got even better as the story went on. The main characters are cute, and the pacing is good. I highly recommend this book to romance readers who enjoy slow burn and workplace romance. The fact that this book revolves around writing is a plus too!...more
With a nice and entertaining plot, One Winter at the French Chalet by Mandy Baggot tells a story about a woman who is forced to travel for work duringWith a nice and entertaining plot, One Winter at the French Chalet by Mandy Baggot tells a story about a woman who is forced to travel for work during the Christmas season and a man who is reclusive and full of mystery.
Summary: Orla Bradbee is assigned to travel to France to write an article about a reindeer giving birth for work while Christmas is around the corner, and she has to take her sister Erin along. There, she meets Jacques Barbier, a mysterious guy who intrigues and infuriates her at the same time.
Tropes/Genres: • small town • christmas season • forced proximity • contemporary romance • set in Saint-Chambéry, France
Review: This book was okay. It doesn’t stand out, but it’s not bad either. The characters are likeable, and the story is entertaining. It’s just that some parts of the story don’t flow well, especially in relation to the subplots.
Orla is a relatable character. She doesn't think that she's special. She feels like a side character in other people's stories. I think that's something that many people may be able to relate to. However, while Orla is likeable, I never really warmed up to her. In fact, I don't think I warmed up to any of the characters, including Jacques, the male main character. I simply couldn't connect with the characters. I think it has something to do with the way they are expressed in the story.
I didn’t think that Orla and Jacques had much chemistry, but I can appreciate their romance. I think it’s sweet that Orla is the only person he truly feels comfortable opening himself up to. They’re also quite nice together. I just don’t feel that invested in their relationship. It's likely a writing issue, so I think the romance could've been written and paced better. I'm not even entirely sure if they actually love each other. Their relationship had good traits, but they weren't expressed very well.
The story had great potential, but there was a lot going on, and these concepts weren’t tied together seamlessly. There were major revelations in this book that didn’t have the intended impact given. I think it’s mainly a writing issue. If the different subplots had been tied together better, then the story would've felt less disjointed, improving the overall quality of the book.
I enjoyed Under a Greek Sun by this author, so it was kind of disappointing that this book didn’t match its standard. However, I still think that this book has its merits and is still worth a read. I enjoyed the part about the pregnant reindeer, for example. I also liked the whole thing about Erin's situationship with Burim, a guy she's been chatting with online. I find it interesting!
In conclusion, I recommend this book to readers who want to read a winter romance with a French small-town setting! It's a nice story; it just needs to be refined so that it can flow better.
Charming, fun and absolutely adorable, Dream On by Angie Hockman tells a story about a woman who wakes up from a coma after a car accident with memoriCharming, fun and absolutely adorable, Dream On by Angie Hockman tells a story about a woman who wakes up from a coma after a car accident with memories of a man who doesn't exist, except he does.
Summary: Cassidy "Cass" Walker wakes up from a 6-day coma after getting into a car accident, only to find out that she has memories of a supposed boyfriend who doesn't exist. Fast forward one year, she meets two brothers, Perry and Devin Szymanski, the latter being the literal man in her dreams.
Tropes/Genres: • strangers to lovers • love triangle (sort of) • amnesia (false memories) • contemporary rom-com • set in Ohio City, Cleveland, Ohio
Review: I love this book so much! It's so fun and sweet, and the characters are so perfectly flawed – they may be flawed, but they're still likeable. This book has such a unique take on the amnesia trope. The writing is very descriptive and engaging, which is such a huge plus.
Cass is such an interesting and likeable main character. I really love her personal growth and figuring out what truly matters to her and what makes her happy. She portrays the struggle of someone who struggles between what makes sense to them and what they want, and it was done very well. Should she do law or should she do art? What truly makes her happy? These are such relatable questions. She's such a sensible person that I can't help but like her so much.
Perry is such a huge sweetheart, and I loved him since the start (except for the part where he accused Cass of being Devin's stalker, but I honestly get it, so I forgive him!). He's so cute. He's so kind, thoughtful and passionate about flowers. He's an absolute green flag. He pays attention to the tiniest details. He's the very definition of the nice guy who deserves all the good things in the world.
Devin is so fun and charming. He's done a couple of questionable things, but one can easily tell that he's just oblivious and doesn't have malicious intentions. I honestly feel that he's just a flawed person, which is absolutely realistic. At his heart, he's a very nice guy. His actions may be a little misguided sometimes, but it's hard to deny that he's a good person and deserves great things too. I love his character growth throughout this story.
Brie is such an awesome friend. I really love the "pi" thing that they have with each other, which basically prompts them to tell each other the absolute truth. I love how their friendship was portrayed consistently throughout the story, and even side characters like Brie had the opportunity to shine. Brie is a friend that deserves all the good things in the world. She will always have your back!
There are so many fine details in this story, especially regarding Cass, such as her struggle to remember names, and these things get tied together with the rest of the story so well. Every detail in this story is revealed with a purpose, and I love that. The writing is just so good. The author did a very good job with this book.
In conclusion, I love this book, and I highly recommend it to all the romance readers out there who don't mind checking out a book with a unique premise. It's really very interesting, and I love how the author handled the storyline. It's so well crafted....more
With fantastic character development, You Deserve Each Other tells a story about a couple, soon-to-be-married, realising that they're not content withWith fantastic character development, You Deserve Each Other tells a story about a couple, soon-to-be-married, realising that they're not content with each other in their relationship.
Summary: Two years after their first date, Naomi Westfield and Nicholas Rose are now engaged, but they are not content with their relationship. She's not meeting his emotional needs, and he's enabling his mother's crappy behaviour towards her. With the wedding coming up, they have to decide how they want to go ahead.
Tropes/Genres: • relationship in trouble • second chance romance • enemies to lovers (somewhat) • small town • contemporary rom-com • set in Wisconsin
Review: This book started out with very annoying characters, but the character development of the main characters displayed throughout this book just made it so much better! It really shows how important it is for couples to communicate and understand each other's needs.
Naomi started out being very insufferable. I understood that Nicholas wasn't the best fiancé and kept letting his mother get her way and hijack the wedding planning, but I also could see that he was trying his best to work on their relationship while Naomi just kept whining and whining. She also kept viewing Nicholas in such a negative light when he wasn't actually as bad as she thought he was. However, it's so nice to see Naomi realise how much Nicholas has been silently doing for her without any complaints. I love how they eventually communicated and properly worked on their romantic bond. It's good!
Nicholas seemed like a mommy's boy at the start, but it soon became evident that he was actually under his mother's control. It's not easy to break out of the grasp of someone like that. I love how he eventually had enough and stood up for Naomi, especially when his mother had the audacity to tell Naomi to go on a diet to fit a dress she requested to be altered to be size zero. SIZE ZERO? That's crazy. I'm so glad that he put his foot down and defended the woman he loved against his hysterical and controlling mother.
Overall, I'm most impressed by the character growth displayed in this story. I went from being irritated by the main characters to enjoying the story and liking their relationship. I think that's awesome because it's so difficult to change such an opinion. I definitely recommend this book to readers who like romance books about a couple with relationship problems....more
Sweet, adorable and heartwarming, Play Along by Liz Tomforde is about two people who accidentally get married in Las Vegas after getting drunk on tequSweet, adorable and heartwarming, Play Along by Liz Tomforde is about two people who accidentally get married in Las Vegas after getting drunk on tequila.
Summary: Kennedy "Ken/Kenny" Kay works as an athletic trainer under a sexist lead doctor who wants her fired. Isaiah Rhodes is the starting shortstop on the baseball team that Kennedy works for, the Windy City Warriors. He has always had a crush on her, and when the two accidentally get married in Las Vegas, they have to keep the act going to protect her job.
Tropes/Genres: • accidental marriage • reverse grumpy x sunshine • sports (baseball) • fake dating • workplace romance • continued marriage of convenience • found family • forced proximity • contemporary romance • set in Chicago, Illinois
Review: This book is simply so sweet! There are green flags everywhere. Kennedy and Isaiah are perfect for each other. I love the way they always support and uplift each other. They always want the best for each other. They communicate and respect each other's boundaries. They complement each other so well.
"On the worst day of the year, I had two of the best days of my life."
Kennedy may be described to be a cold type-A perfectionist, but she can actually be super affectionate when she's comfortable. Her struggles as someone who didn't receive much love and attention growing up are so sad to see. I'm so glad that she finally found this comfort in Isaiah. I especially love the way she would arrange his clothes for him to make sure they're colour-coordinated because Isaiah gets confused between colours. She helps him work through his issues at a comfortable pace. That's a keeper right there!
Isaiah is such a sweetheart. While Kennedy was engaged, he didn't hit on her despite having a huge crush on her. He already knew he wanted her to be his wife! Well, that was until he noticed the ring on her finger. He's simply the sweetest. He refuses to let himself be the one holding Kennedy back in her career. He's someone who always smiles even when he's not okay because he subconsciously wants to stay likeable, and I love how he learns that it's okay to express negative emotions with Kennedy by his side. It's so healing.
The characters in this book are so lovely! (Except the ones that nobody likes, but let's not mention them.) It's so nice to see the main characters from the first three books of the Windy City series again. Those who loved them would certainly be delighted to see them and their found family again. It's honestly so heartwarming to see Kennedy find the love of a family in the people surrounding Isaiah, which includes the team and his friends, especially considering how awful and cold her family is.
Overall, I highly recommend this book to readers who like sports romance and want to check out the accidental marriage trope. This book is filled with green flags and sweet moments. If you want to read the love story of two people who are absolute sweethearts, here's a book for you!
Highly troubling and absolutely frustrating, Beneath the Lemon Trees by Emma Burstall is about a woman who is on vacation with her friend and their reHighly troubling and absolutely frustrating, Beneath the Lemon Trees by Emma Burstall is about a woman who is on vacation with her friend and their respective children but stirs trouble when she invites someone unwanted.
Summary: Stella Johnson books a vacation in Crete, Greece, for herself, her close friend Louise and their four children in total. Without consulting them, she invites Jon, the husband of her best friend who recently passed away from cancer, to join their vacation, which raises a lot of ire.
Tropes/Genres: • family drama • island setting • mentions of cancer • contemporary fiction • set in Crete, Greece
Review: What does this book have to do with lemon trees? Regardless, there are so many reasons to dislike this book. It's filled with problems. For starters, the main character was very unreasonable and difficult to like. The minor characters in this story probably saved the rating a little.
Stella was such a frustrating character. I don't even understand how anyone can be this unreasonable. Okay, it's fine that she's unlikeable at the start of the book, right? She could have character development. In my opinion, her main problems weren't properly addressed. Every time someone tries to call her out for her actions, she gets defensive and then delivers low blows. And she knows they were low blows. I guess it's okay for her to be an asshole just because she was kind enough to help her dead best friend's husband even if it meant that she neglected her family in the process! Wow!
Louise is the real deal. I didn't like how rude she was to Marina at first even though I kind of get why she reacted that way, but I grew to like her a lot. She delivers the truth right at your face. She called out Stella for what she did wrong, such as inviting Jon without consulting anyone – NOBODY wanted Jon to crash their vacation, but Stella invited him despite knowing that just for the sake of Harriet – and neglecting her family to assist Harriet and her family. She's truly the real deal. She's awesome. She's not even unreasonable. She made so many good points. Even if she may have any form of negative bias against Harriet, it doesn't cloud her rational judgement, and it sucks to see Stella discredit her opinion just because she herself couldn't accept the truth.
Jon is terrible. I don't even understand why he practically got away with everything he did, including sexually harassing Stella. I don't like Stella, but nobody deserves to be harassed by a guy and guilt-tripped for rejecting him, especially not when said guy is your dead best friend's husband. I cannot do this. He's too awful, and he got away with everything he did way too easily. Next.
Al is such a sweetheart, and it is evident even though he barely appears in this book. It really pained me to see him constantly get demonised by Stella when she was the one who was neglecting him and their family in the name of helping her dying best friend Harriet. Harriet, Harriet and Harriet. She's always talking about Harriet. I'm not even surprised everyone got so jaded about everything revolving around Harriet because it was really excessive. I honestly don't think Stella deserves Al at all, but I guess it's not really my place to tell people what to do.
This brings me to my main issue: the fact that she neglected her family and prioritised her dead best friend's family over her own wasn't addressed. I don't give a crap if you're such a nice person. It's good to help others, but kindly don't do it at the cost of your own family. And she did cause a lot of issues and instability for her family. But even while she realised what she had done, it was excused. She wasn't sorry for what she did. She was sorry about what she lost. There's a difference. You can help your dying best friend and still be present for your family. She chose to act all entitled, make it all about Harriet and neglect her own family. But I guess it's okay because she had good intentions. I don't know if you know this, but you can be kind and still have a lot of issues.
All that family drama aside, the author seemed to try to talk about the magic of the villa and how it was special for the guest it chose. The prologue was truly intriguing. However, this aspect of the story fell short. It was barely talked about because the bulk of the book was about Stella and how unreasonable she was, refusing to see that her actions had hurt the people around her. Oh, and she's only sorry about the consequences, not the fact that she caused it single-handedly. The irritating drama about Stella and Jon, which could've been so easily solved, heavily overshadowed everything else in the story.
I don't have any issues with sex scenes in fiction, but the one in this story was so out of place and unnecessary.
The description of the setting was nice, though. It was nice to have multiple breaks from all that trouble about Stella and Jon when they visited Porto Liakáda. April and her son Dimitrios, also known as Meaty, aren't that funny, but I guess they can still be considered comedic relief.
Overall, I think that this book can still be enjoyed by people, but it's so easy to dislike so many characters in this book. The main character herself was filled with problems that were never properly addressed. If you like books with family drama, though, you can try this.
Dreamy, cosy and heartwarming, Falling for Provence by Alison Roberts tells a story about a woman who goes to France to fix up a house she inherited aDreamy, cosy and heartwarming, Falling for Provence by Alison Roberts tells a story about a woman who goes to France to fix up a house she inherited and meets her new neighbour and his son.
Summary: Eleanor "Ellie" Gilchrist comes to Provence to fix up an old stone house "La Maisonette" that she inherited from an uncle she never knew she had. There, she meets her new neighbour, Julien Rousseau, and his son Theo. The two are hesitant about acting on their feelings for each other as they spend time together.
Tropes/Genres: • small town • neighbours • single father • contemporary romance • set in Provence, France
Review: This book is so nice! The characters are so lovely and realistic. It's so nice to see how they grow throughout the story and learn to love bravely again. The writing feels so gentle and dreamy, creating such a nice cosy vibe while touching on delicate topics and balancing them with a dash of humour.
Ellie is such a sweet character. I just wanted to best for her, honestly. She has been through a lot. It was cute to see her pick up French and start to feel a sense of belonging in France the more time she spent there. I love the way she couldn't help but care for Julien's son, Theo. She's such a compassionate person that one can't help but love her.
Julien is such a nice guy and an amazing dad. He will do anything to protect Theo. Their father-son bond is so heartwarming to see. His backstory is honestly so sad, but it made him who he is today. He's a doctor, and he doesn't hesitate to help anyone in need.
I just think that Ellie and Julian are good for each other, and they have a cosy chemistry. The other characters in this book, such as Ellie's sisters, are also likeable. Here's a special shoutout to Coquelicot and Marguerite, her donkeys! I also absolutely love Pascal, the stray dog that the two of them saved.
Overall, this is such a nice and cosy book for romance readers. I definitely recommend it to those who want to read a small-town single-dad romance set in France! The characters are so lovely, and the story is so heartwarming. This is certainly worth a read.
A simple read with minimal drama, A French Country Escape by Jennifer Bohnet is about a group of people who live on the grounds of Château du Cheval aA simple read with minimal drama, A French Country Escape by Jennifer Bohnet is about a group of people who live on the grounds of Château du Cheval and have some personal issues to deal with.
Summary: Sasha and her brother Freddie buy two cottages in Château du Cheval, France, and move there from England. They meet the owners Ingrid and Peter Chevalier, whose daughter Penny has recently left her abusive ex-boyfriend. There are also many people within the community with varying issues.
Tropes/Genres: • contemporary fiction • family • minimal drama • set in France
Review: I was utterly confused throughout this book. It felt like the book lacked a direction. I get that it's meant to be about the Chateau and the people living in it, but I got lost in the plot with so many things going on that didn't fit together seamlessly. I knew what was going on, but it felt a bit messy. It was difficult to follow the story when there wasn't a clear direction.
Despite all its flaws, there were still some merits. I thought the book had somewhat cute love stories. The relationship between Sasha and Jean-Paul and that between Penny and Lucas were moderately cute. It's nothing special, but at least there's something. I suppose these relationships intertwine with the whole concept of focusing on life in the Chateau quite well.
I was kind of bored and confused throughout most of the story until the last 25% or so when there was this random thing about the attic. That part was quite interesting, though it felt random to me because I spent the first 75% of the book being confused as to what this story is actually about. I liked the part about Penny and her crazy ex as well. She's really such a strong person! I feel like the whole messy direction thing could've been easily fixed. That's an area for improvement.
There is a lot of French in this book, and I like how the author gives contextual clues to hint to readers about what the phrases may mean without being too obvious about it. That's cool!
Overall, there were too many characters and too much going on. The story seemed all over the place. However, I think readers who like contemporary fiction and a French setting may enjoy this book. I would say this book is simply okay. Nothing special. If you want a relaxing read with minimal drama, here's one for you.
With a messy plot and annoying characters, The Cul-de-Sac War by Melissa Ferguson tells a story about two neighbours who cannot get along and get intoWith a messy plot and annoying characters, The Cul-de-Sac War by Melissa Ferguson tells a story about two neighbours who cannot get along and get into a prank war.
Summary: Bree Leake hates her neighbour Chip McBride and his dog Russell, so they engage in a prank war. In the meantime, she’s having trouble with her acting job and has a niece with cancer, while he is trying to attain a construction deal.
Tropes/Genres: • enemies to lovers • small town • neighbours • romance (barely) • contemporary fiction • set in Abingdon, Virginia
Review: This book was a flop. I didn't even understand the direction the author was trying to take with this book. The characters weren't likeable, and the story didn't even make any sense. For a book marketed as a rom-com, this book was neither a romance nor a comedy.
I mentioned that this book didn't seem like a rom-com not because it didn't have a rom-com vibe but because the comedy in this book wasn't even funny. It was filled with harassment. I'm all for pranks, but the ones that they do are so harmful. It definitely didn't help that both characters were so irritating.
Bree is so insufferable. What's wrong with her? Why does she have beef with a two-year-old dog that likes her a lot? It's not as if she's afraid of dogs. She just hates the dog for no reason! She's also kind of creepy because why is she staring into his bedroom? I get that your bedrooms are directly across each other's, but just because you can, it doesn't mean you should. It's just weird.
Chip is also so irritating. It's annoying that Bree had some unexplained feud with an innocent puppy, but Chip should've at least made the effort to restrain his dog when it kept going towards Bree knowing that she didn't like it. It's not funny at all. I get that it's supposed to be part of the comedy, but it just made me irritated at both characters.
Where was the romance? It's supposed to be a love story between Bree and Chip, but there wasn't even any love going on. Nothing happened, and they only kissed in the last chapter, all while there was zero chemistry between the two throughout the story. The first chapter was fun, and the rest of the book didn't make any sense.
The whole relationship dynamic they had didn't even make sense. This prank war that they had with each other was so painfully childish. It's strange that they're suddenly okay with each other after randomly telling each other about their trauma, which was so random and irrelevant to the story.
The whole thing about her parents' offer as stated in the book description didn't even happen until halfway into the story. The whole thing didn't get properly resolved either. It’s just so frustrating how underdeveloped this part of the story was considering it was made to sound like a huge plot point in the book description.
There were so many random things mentioned in this book, typically only mentioned once before being forgotten. Then what's the point of even bringing them up? How do the mentions contribute to the story?
Bree has a niece called Anna, who has cancer. It could've been a major plot point that touched readers' hearts, but it wasn't even dived into properly. That's the issue with many of the things portrayed in this book. We are shown a brief idea of many things, but they're only being touched on superficially. There is just so much potential for many topics of this story to be described properly to make up for the lacklustre romance, but it just didn't work out.
Let's not even talk about how both of them had respective partners throughout this book! They didn't cheat, but it's still icky. They had to break it off with their partners to be together. I feel so bad for Ashleigh and Theo because they were such good people and did nothing wrong, and I agree with Chip and Bree when they said that they deserved someone better. It's also funny considering that Chip and Bree had zero chemistry and barely had anything romantic going on between them.
That's not to say that there's nothing good about this story. I enjoyed Bree's parents' visit to the house. It was funny to see how much their views on Russell contrasted with Bree's. It really highlighted how much of a bitch she was towards the poor dog. (Alright, perhaps this is not a good thing after all.) Additionally, I think it's super weird that Bree's parents were encouraging her to go after Chip despite knowing that he had a girlfriend, saying that those things weren't permanent. Are you okay? Do you need help? Gosh.
This book stars a side character from a book I enjoyed, The Dating Charade. Cassie, who is the main character of the mentioned book, appears in this story a couple of times. However, both books are completely unrelated. I just thought it was an interesting detail to point out.
Overall, this book was a mess, and it felt like the author was completely lost in nowhere while writing it. I don't even understand the purpose of writing this story. What message did it even convey? If you're a fan of enemies-to-lovers romance books and have a high tolerance for weird things, you may enjoy this book. Otherwise, please don't....more
Mysterious, intriguing and mildly confusing, The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern is about two young magicians who are pitted against each other by thMysterious, intriguing and mildly confusing, The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern is about two young magicians who are pitted against each other by their mentors as they work at a mysterious circus.
Summary: Celia Bowen is an illusionist and the daughter of Prospero the Enchanter, a renowned magician. Marco Alisdair is the student of Prospero's rival, Alexander H—, who has different teaching methods. Celia and Marco are pitted against each other in this mysterious competition, but they eventually fall in love.
Tropes/Genres: • fantasy • magicians • romance (mild) • historical fiction (1873–1903) • set in a travelling circus
Review: This book has a unique and interesting concept and an air of mystery and curiosity surrounding it. It's incredibly slow-paced and descriptive, showing readers the mysterious circus and the people working in it. However, the author fails to connect readers with the characters themselves.
This story is narrated through third-person omniscient POV, which helps to express the mysteriousness surrounding Le Cirque des Rêves (The Circus of Dreams), the primary setting of the story. Readers get to view the events through an external perspective of the many characters present in this book.
However, the characters were written in a way that readers may not be compelled to grow attached to them. When some characters die, for example, I don't feel particularly sorry for them or the people affected by the incident. I didn't even know that Celia was close to a certain character until it was mentioned after he died.
The romance between Celia and Marco was so hollow. I barely understand how they came to fall in love. The idea is cute, but it wasn't executed well enough. Considering that their romance played a huge part in how the story ended, I would've liked it better if it had been written better. Their love story didn't compel me. I couldn't feel the desperation surrounding their love and the competition that separates them.
The competition was confusing, and readers learned about its terms together with Celia and Marco. I would've preferred that the author revealed it earlier and gave us some dramatic irony, especially when the lack of explanation towards readers nearer to the start of the book begs the question of why they just can't stop competing. I know it's mentioned in the book description, but that doesn't count.
Despite all the writing flaws, there is no denying that this concept is interesting and handled fairly well. The author did a great job maintaining the air of mystery and curiosity around the circus. The biggest flaw with this book is the poor development of the characters and their relationships with one another. The next biggest flaw is the ambiguity about the competition and its terms.
Overall, this is an interesting and mysterious book, and I recommend it to readers who like historical fantasy with a touch of mystery and romance. However, there is certainly room for improvement....more
Fun, light-hearted and charming, The Game Changer by Lana Ferguson is about two childhood friends who reunite and fake-date as part of a mutually beneFun, light-hearted and charming, The Game Changer by Lana Ferguson is about two childhood friends who reunite and fake-date as part of a mutually beneficial arrangement but turn it real.
Summary: Delilah "Dee/Lila" Baker and Ian Chase have known each other since they were children. They meet again for the first time in years and agree to fake dating to improve her show's ratings and distract the media from rumours about him and his ex-wife. Then it turns real.
Tropes/Genres: • brother's best friend • fake dating • childhood friends • friends to lovers • sports (ice hockey) • celebrity • small age gap (28f 33m) • contemporary rom-com • set in Calgary, Canada
Review: I enjoyed this book from the very start. Delilah and Ian were just so funny and charming. This is a light-hearted story about two people who start dating for real after pretending to date while struggling to break the news to her brother and his best friend.
This story is narrated through alternating perspectives, with the odd chapters told through Delilah's POV and the even chapters told through Ian's POV. This way, readers can follow both main characters as they process their feelings for each other. It's cute to see Delilah handle her longtime crush on Ian. I also enjoyed watching Ian view Delilah in a different light after so many years and fall for her. They're so sweet with each other. The struggles in their relationship are so realistic and light-hearted at the same time. It truly is a rom-com.
The smut in this book was so well-integrated into the story – they're not just spicy scenes. I can feel the sexual and romantic attraction between Delilah and Ian. I think there's something special about smut that can display these two types of attraction because most of the time, they only show sexual attraction. I applaud the author for this. The smut makes me think of two people who are in love and want to have fun with each other, which exudes chemistry.
Not only does this book talk about romance, but it also touches on narcissistic parents. Ian's father was terrible. The whole thing surrounding Ian's family made me cry a little because it was so moving. It saddens me how easily a selfish and narcissistic person can hurt and ruin other people through lies and manipulation. I'm so happy that it all worked out in the end.
"Strength isn't measured by how quickly we pick ourselves up after we've fallen… A person’s strength is determined by their willingness to keep going once they're back on two feet."
In conclusion, I highly recommend this book to readers who love sports romance stories about two childhood friends who meet again after so many years. This book doesn't have a third-act breakup, which may be a huge plus for a lot of readers. There's also a bit of French here, which is quite fun! The characters feel like people who can be your real friends....more
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