4.5 stars. I asked for books that would make me cry and Emma Barry pointed me in the direction of this novella. The prose was astoundinCW: miscarriage
4.5 stars. I asked for books that would make me cry and Emma Barry pointed me in the direction of this novella. The prose was astounding—I highlighted so many lines. It’s heartachingly good with a very earned conflict. Marriage-in-trouble books can be a tricky needle to thread but Florand nailed it. I loved watching them rediscover each other and see how they’ve changed and grown in their time apart. There are also some really tender and hot sex scenes. I will never see powdered sugar the same way, that’s for sure.
However, it did not make me cry, although I felt the potential a couple of times toward the end. Kai and Kurt were both astounded that the other person loved them, believing they brought nothing to the table, and that is always going to pierce my heart at least a little. Alas, my heart stayed as frozen as Kai’s was at the beginning. It’s possible specifically asking for a book that would make me cry messed with my expectations and the story’s ability to affect me emotionally.
The author deftly handled their respective grief and acknowledged the undercurrent of anger that affects them in different ways. Kai had never had anything bad happen to her before the miscarriages (this always floors me about people and characters alike) and this made her ill equipped to grieve. This contrasted with Kurt growing up in a home with a controlling, perfectionist mother who became even more of an ice queen after her own miscarriages, to the point where her husband left. That Kurt chose to do the opposite of his father—that what his father did was never anywhere near the table—was incredibly powerful.
You never know how a romance dealing with miscarriage will end. In this case, (view spoiler)[it’s fairly open-ended. Kai came across as resistant to trying the pregnancy route again to me but she did not completely close the door. They’ve also mentioned adoption as a possibility. I could just as easily see them deciding not to pursue anything. (hide spoiler)] I was so relieved about this choice and to see them resolve things but I found the actual ending to be on the abrupt side.
Characters: Kai is a white food stylist. Kurt is a white lawyer. They separated a year and a half ago
Content notes: past miscarriages (FMC, MMC’s mother), grief, past depression/postpartum depression, past suicidal ideation, generalized family planning discussion (including possibility of adoption but they don’t make a plan), marital separation, grief-related weight loss, MMC’s father left his mother after her miscarriages, on page sex, sensation play (snow!), gender essentialism, ableist language, hyperbolic language around suicide, mention of suicide as common in men after the death of their families
Merged review:
CW: miscarriage
4.5 stars. I asked for books that would make me cry and Emma Barry pointed me in the direction of this novella. The prose was astounding—I highlighted so many lines. It’s heartachingly good with a very earned conflict. Marriage-in-trouble books can be a tricky needle to thread but Florand nailed it. I loved watching them rediscover each other and see how they’ve changed and grown in their time apart. There are also some really tender and hot sex scenes. I will never see powdered sugar the same way, that’s for sure.
However, it did not make me cry, although I felt the potential a couple of times toward the end. Kai and Kurt were both astounded that the other person loved them, believing they brought nothing to the table, and that is always going to pierce my heart at least a little. Alas, my heart stayed as frozen as Kai’s was at the beginning. It’s possible specifically asking for a book that would make me cry messed with my expectations and the story’s ability to affect me emotionally.
The author deftly handled their respective grief and acknowledged the undercurrent of anger that affects them in different ways. Kai had never had anything bad happen to her before the miscarriages (this always floors me about people and characters alike) and this made her ill equipped to grieve. This contrasted with Kurt growing up in a home with a controlling, perfectionist mother who became even more of an ice queen after her own miscarriages, to the point where her husband left. That Kurt chose to do the opposite of his father—that what his father did was never anywhere near the table—was incredibly powerful.
You never know how a romance dealing with miscarriage will end. In this case, (view spoiler)[it’s fairly open-ended. Kai came across as resistant to trying the pregnancy route again to me but she did not completely close the door. They’ve also mentioned adoption as a possibility. I could just as easily see them deciding not to pursue anything. (hide spoiler)] I was so relieved about this choice and to see them resolve things but I found the actual ending to be on the abrupt side.
Characters: Kai is a white food stylist. Kurt is a white lawyer. They separated a year and a half ago
Content notes: past miscarriages (FMC, MMC’s mother), grief, past depression/postpartum depression, past suicidal ideation, generalized family planning discussion (including possibility of adoption but they don’t make a plan), marital separation, grief-related weight loss, MMC’s father left his mother after her miscarriages, on page sex, sensation play (snow!), gender essentialism, ableist language, hyperbolic language around suicide, mention of suicide as common in men after the death of their families...more
Hard to believe Robert was as anxious about this big order for the shop and potential bankruptcy if he screws it up when he and Betsy are always takinHard to believe Robert was as anxious about this big order for the shop and potential bankruptcy if he screws it up when he and Betsy are always taking sex breaks. Their ability to stop working despite everything they needed to do stressed ME out! And I know health codes didn’t exist back then but I still don’t appreciate people having sex in the kitchen where they are making food they will then sell to other people. Yikes.
Characters: Robert is a white confectioner and virgin. Betsy is a white shop girl. This is set in 1813 Lively St. Lemeston, England.
Content notes: slut-shaming by secondary character, discussions of husbands who kill their wives, financial stress, classism, health code violations (sex in professional kitchen, pestle used as dildo), forgetting to eat, past parental depression, MMC’s mother had miscarriages, past death of MMC’s siblings (cholera, influenza), FMC’s father left when she was a child, unsafe sex practices (butter as lube, pestle from the kitchen used as dildo), on page sex, sensation play (ice), pegging, outdoor sex, “manhood” as euphemism, gender essentialism, casual use of colonialist language, mention of man’s father and brothers who died in a sailing accident
*Love it or Leighve it* (aka cleaning out my Kindle) Purchased: 2019...more
The food descriptions were the best part of this neighbors-to-lovers romance. There’s a great sense of community through the various townspeople and tThe food descriptions were the best part of this neighbors-to-lovers romance. There’s a great sense of community through the various townspeople and the fundraiser. The romance itself needed a lot of time to breathe due to Cella’s unfortunate martyr tendencies. Not my favorite. I wish the characters had had stronger emotional arcs; there was a remove to them that kept me from fully sinking into the story. There were also a bunch of logistical issues ranging from Max’s ability to own the restaurant property despite barely using it to Cella making Max a co-author on the cookbook without telling him.
Characters: Cella is a 32 year old white celebrity chef. Max is a 33 year old reconstructive cosmetic surgeon for nonprofit and chef. He had a beagle named Cujo. This is set in Longport, NC.
Content notes: past divorce, discussion of celebrity chef accused of sexual harassment, past death of MMC’s aunt, weight gain, fatshaming, past unstable childhood, past death of FMC’s father, recent heart attack (secondary character), past Vietnam deployment (secondary character), pregnant secondary character, secondary character pregnant after multiple miscarriages, family pressure for grandchildren, pregnancy epilogue, on page sex, alcohol, inebriation, hangover, cigarettes (secondary character, cigar (secondary character), STI stigma, gendered pejoratives, gender essentialism, ableist language, casual use of colonialist language, use of “drink the Kool-Aid”
*Love it or Leighve it* (aka cleaning out my Kindle) Purchased: 2020...more
What I loved about this historical romance: 1. Jeremy is a treasure 2. Chloe’s plan for revenge on behalf of her dad’s stolen recipe 3. Chloe’s lists 4. What I loved about this historical romance: 1. Jeremy is a treasure 2. Chloe’s plan for revenge on behalf of her dad’s stolen recipe 3. Chloe’s lists 4. Chloe’s daily grief ritual, honoring her mother. 5. (view spoiler)[The whole town knew he was a Duke all along! (hide spoiler)] There’s a clue very early on that this might be the case and I was gratified to be right. 6. Honestly, everything about Wedgeford. The trials, the sizable Asian population, Chloe’s friends!
It’s too bad there aren’t more England Times romances like this; I’d read the subgenre much more often.
Characters: Jeremy is a 23 year old mixed race (Chinese and white) British Duke and virgin. Chloe is a 25 year old Chinese sauce purveyor and a virgin. This is set in 1891 Wedgeford Downs, Kent.
Content notes: reveal about parentage (view spoiler)[FMC’s father is actually her uncle; he raised her after her mom died and her mom never told him who her husband was after they were separated due to war (hide spoiler)], FMC’s father has rheumatoid arthritis, minor horseback accident (horse sprains legs but MCs are okay), racism, colonialism, ableism, ageism, past death of MMC’s father (typhus), past death of FMC’s mother when she was a baby, past death of MMC’s relatives (cholera, horseback accident, pneumonia, heart attack, sunk ship), body commentary, past immigration to England, past stolen recipe, pull out method for birth control, on page sex, masturbation, alcohol, inebriation, hangover, ableist language
*Love it or Leighve it* (aka cleaning out my Kindle) Purchased: 2020...more
That cover though. If this hasn’t been written by Adriana Anders, I probably would have skipped it. Breeding kink isn’t my thing for many reasons and That cover though. If this hasn’t been written by Adriana Anders, I probably would have skipped it. Breeding kink isn’t my thing for many reasons and I especially avoid it when it’s paired with someone actually wanting to get pregnant. However, I also believe there are exceptions to every reading rule and I figured if anyone could make me like this premise, it was Adriana. And well, the story read easily enough but I was left with a few issues.
Kit and Jake are immediately attracted to each other the moment he walks into her diner. But he can only help out for six weeks before his next welding gig starts. He also believes he’s not a family kind of guy or someone people love. At the same time, he can’t help himself from fixing everything around the diner and her house and removing any threats from her life. There was a lot to love about Jake, except for his continued penchant for violence. Especially when that could easily land him back in prison! He refers to himself as a “walking red flag” toward the end but that’s a mixed message. Yes, he needs to learn how to handle his anger differently but up to that point, all we’d seen is him being a great chef, handyman, and lovers. What’s the red flag in those things? I felt the story was trying to cash a check it didn’t write and it left me not knowing what to make of Jake overall.
Similarly, I couldn’t figure out why Kit, an otherwise badass, had stayed married to Clark for so long. He was such a weak mediocre man and it didn’t sound like their relationship had ever been good. I also didn’t care for the Evil Ex subplot. It wasn’t necessary and it only made me question Kit’s decisions. I also would’ve liked to know how she was going to run the diner AND raise a baby as a single mother without any local support. She doesn’t seem to have any friends?
Other than that, the deeper feelings came up out of nowhere and wrapped up too quickly. This would’ve benefited from a developmental edit so that the characterization and plot choices added up better. Not a bad read but not the best I’ve read from her either.
Characters: Kit is a 40 year old Spanish-Puerto Rican American diner owner. Jake is a 32 year old white off-shore welder, cook, and ex-con.
Content notes: child physical abuse (teen secondary character; (view spoiler)[he becomes their foster kid in the epilogue (hide spoiler)]), past parental partner violence (MMC’s stepfather physically abused his mom; she refused to leave him), FMC trying to get pregnant with MMC’s help (view spoiler)[pregnancy epilogue (hide spoiler)], past IVF treatments without pregnancy, past miscarriage, FMC in process of divorcing (ex-husband cheated and got his girlfriend pregnant), harassment by ex-husband, Evil Ex trope, MMC threatens to kill FMC’s ex if he ever contacts her again, FMC physically assaulted by a customer (MMC intervenes and beats him up), physical assault, incarcerated brother (view spoiler)[his friend was sexually assaulted by a youth pastor, the details are unclear after that but it sounds like the police didn’t do anything and so Frank took justice into his own hands and likely killed the guy. This is conjecture based on how long he’s been in prison. (hide spoiler)], past incarceration 12 years ago (view spoiler)[MMC beat up abusive stepfather after he’d brutally physically assaulted his mom. Stepfather was wealthy and connected; he pressed charges and MMC’s mom sided with him. (hide spoiler)], previous cook stole money (substance abuse), employer-employee relationship (he’s only in town for six weeks and didn’t want her to pay him to work at the diner but she does anyway), past death of FMC’s parents (car accident; raised by grandmother), past death of MMC’s parents (cancer), teen secondary characters with unstable homes (including nonbinary teen), cut finger while slicing lemons, secondary character with facial scar (past abuse by father), discussion of baby’s gender (somewhat countered), family planning discussion, on page sex, breeding kink, primal play, praise kink, biting, restaurant sex (closed), public sex, sex schedule, masturbation, alcohol, marijuana (secondary character), gendered pejoratives, gender essentialism, ableist language
Disclosure: I received a free advanced copy from the author. I’ve provided sensitivity reads for her in the past....more
I don't know if the story is just that angsty or if I was simply in need of emotional catharsis but I cried so much while reading this. Josie particulI don't know if the story is just that angsty or if I was simply in need of emotional catharsis but I cried so much while reading this. Josie particularly tugged on my heartstrings. The pining and shame and wanting to run away from the embarrassment of your ex-friend/crush unexpectedly showing up at family Christmas!
However, I don't think this adequately addressed Cameron’s abandonment issues and fear of commitment. After a slow burn, they suddenly hit warp speed (view spoiler)[after having sex. Josie quits her job and pivots straight to pitching herself as executive producer for Cameron’s potential show and then he’s talking to Max about how he’s going to marry Josie. They haven’t really addressed any of her issues and Cameron was still freaking out any time he got close to Josie! (hide spoiler)] I needed him to go to therapy and deal with his baggage in order for me to believe he wouldn’t someday bail on Josie. I did really enjoy this overall but mostly because it had such a chokehold on my emotions.
Notably, this is the kind of book that will make readers think differently about previous characters. Alice and Max are the worst and I don’t think this went hard enough on them. I think much less of Alice as a result. (I skipped Max’s book because it was a double whammy of things I prefer not to read about: cop MC and someone fleeing their abuser.) The Mitchell clan is overly nosy and involved with each other’s lives, which is what led to this whole mess to begin with. I wish that had been dealt with more.
Characters: Josie is a 24 year old white reality TV writer and executive producer and a virgin. Cameron is a 29 year old white chef and YouTube star.
Content notes: dubious consent (FMC initiates kiss with MMC while she’s 17 and very drunk; he knows he shouldn’t kiss her back and keeps trying to redirect her but eventually he kisses her back), fatphobia, FMC’s birth father was a dirty cop who tried to kill her mom (past), past child physical abuse, past juvenile delinquency, cop secondary character, sober secondary character, pregnant secondary character, vomit, past miscarriages (secondary character), past PPD (secondary character), past parental abandonment (secondary character), past death of MMC’s mother, on page sex, alcohol, inebriation, hangover, underage drinking, casual acephobia, ableist language...more
A really enjoyable start to this urban fantasy series. It was info dump-y at first but then hit its stride. Jade is thrown into the deep end when wereA really enjoyable start to this urban fantasy series. It was info dump-y at first but then hit its stride. Jade is thrown into the deep end when werewolves are murdered and she’s the prime suspect. She has to learn up on magic fast, while keeping her cupcake shop running and trying to be there for her foster sister. The villain’s identity was incredibly obvious, to the point where I really questioned Jade’s judgment, but it’s not completely inexplicable given (view spoiler)[how her family kept her in dark about her powers and how it would be hard to face a loved one being a murderer. (hide spoiler)] Still, I had a hard time believing Jade is enormously magically gifted when she’s that willfully ignorant. However, I found her to be really likable and that’s what kept me reading.
This needed much tighter editing. There were also some choices that needed another pass, like the fact that her white mom conceived her during an aboriginal birthing ritual. Or Jade being insulted when one of the guys said her magic smelled like Chinese food. I couldn’t tell if she didn’t want to smell like food (though she was fine smelling like the bakery) or if it was Orientalist. More care should have been taken either way.
I’m curious about whether a love triangle is brewing with Desmond and Kett. Or maybe there’s some other love interest waiting in the wings…
Characters: Jade is a 23 year old white baker and dowser who is half-witch, half-unknown origins. This is set in Vancouver, BC.
Content notes: stalking by vampire, intimate partner violence (view spoiler)[villain kills her boyfriend in a black magic ritual (hide spoiler)], death of (view spoiler)[foster sister when she goes through portal bearing black magic; it’s possible she’s still alive in another realm (hide spoiler)], blood-drinking and cannibalism (secondary character), self-harm for blood magic, panic attack, serial killer of werewolves, murder, attempted murder, stabbing, zombie, body horror (vampire missing chunks of his body; broken bone pops back into place), dismemberment (zombie), corpses, blood, physical assault, potential TBI, skin burns, lacerations (secondary character), vomit, mom became pregnant with her at 16 and doesn’t know dad’s last name, foster sister’s mom left after her dad died (Gran took her in), past death of grandfather, alcohol, inebriation (secondary characters), magic hangover, casual ableism, casual slut-shaming, casual homophobia, casual Orientalism, gender essentialist language, ableist language, hyperbolic language around suicide
*Love it or Leighve it* (aka cleaning out my Kindle) Purchased: 2020 Why did I buy it? Recommended by Lillie on Twitter...more
I couldn’t put this dark romantic comedy down! I inhaled it in one day. About the only time I can read about serial killer MCs is if they’re in it forI couldn’t put this dark romantic comedy down! I inhaled it in one day. About the only time I can read about serial killer MCs is if they’re in it for vigilante justice. Such is the case for Rowan and Sloane who target the worst of humanity and relish every second of it.
Rowan and Sloane’s banter and cat-and-mouse games kept me fully engaged despite the gore. This has a light touch overall regardless of it being about serial killers. At the same time, I’m a wimp and I couldn’t think too hard about any of the murders. This isn’t a completely accurate comparison but it’s like the author crossed ST Abby’s Mindf*ck series with the humor of Abby Jimenez. It didn’t make me laugh out loud but there’s a great dry wit. And again: the banter!
Rowan falls for Sloane almost immediately but she’s slower to come around. I love this sort of dynamic, on top of them figuring out if they can trust each other. Four years pass as they get to know each other and play their “game”. Given their backstories, this felt right. Once they finally give into their feelings, the chemistry was explosive! The sex scenes did tip a bit into fanfic territory ((view spoiler)[cock warming, anyone? (hide spoiler)]) instead of coming across as organic kinks. But since Rowan is basically my dream man (minus the serial killer part), I didn’t mind.
The first 200+ pages made for a 5 star read but the last 100 pages had pacing issues and I found the (view spoiler)[David subplot (hide spoiler)] to be unnecessary. The villains were fairly obvious choices I saw coming a mile away but I didn’t mind it until that last part. I was also puzzled as to how Rowan could take so much time off when he’s a chef and owns restaurants. Must be nice!
If any of this sounds at all intriguing, I’d suggest trying the sample and see how the writing style hits you. This won’t be for everyone but it was perfect for me. I look forward to reading book 2!
Note: to the best of my recollection, this is a white cishet novel. It is a relatively small cast with Rowan’s brothers and Sloane’s best friend, in addition to whoever their targets are. But there was still room to be more inclusive.
Characters: Sloane is a 23 year old white serial killer, artist, and data scientist with piercings (naval, nipples, clit, labia, and fourchette). She has a cat named Winston. Rowan is a white Irish serial killer and chef/restaurant owner. This is set in Boston and Raleigh.
Content notes: past sexual abuse (view spoiler)[The details are kept vague. School director preyed on FMC’s best friend. FMC was possibly abused too but her best friend got it worst. Once FMC learned about this, she killed the director. (hide spoiler)], vigilante justice (pedophiles, serial killers), murder, torture, body dismemberment, gore, skin ornaments, corpses, maggots, accidental and purposeful cannibalism (some characters know what they’re eating while MMC does not), physical assault, stalking, drug assault (laced drink), imprisonment, car accident, heart attack (villain), dislocated shoulder, lacerations, skin graft, vomit, nonconsensual voyeurism (hotel clerk spied on FMC’s room), ageism, lobotomized servant, secondary character using crutches (broken leg), diet culture (secondary character is a CrossFit fanatic), past child physical abuse, MMC’s father was an alcoholic and addict, past fratricide (MMC and brother killed dad), past death of MMC’s mother (childbirth), past emotional neglect (FMC’s parents), health code violation (sex in restaurant kitchen; restaurant hasn’t opened yet at least), unsafe sex practices (no condom for penetrative sex without discussion of STI status; FMC has an IUD and neither MC has had sex with anyone else since they met 4 years ago), on page sex, fluid exchange, edging, cock warming, food play, masturbation, sex toys, alcohol, inebriation, hangover, gendered pejoratives, gender essentialist, ableist language...more
Zoe York’s books are easy enough to read but I almost always want more from them. In the case of this second chance romance, I wanted Rafe to grovel mZoe York’s books are easy enough to read but I almost always want more from them. In the case of this second chance romance, I wanted Rafe to grovel more and bring an actual plan of how he was going to do better going forward. I wasn’t convinced he was actually going to change his workaholic, mama’s boy ways. He and Olivia never really addressed their issues or what changes they would implement, which was frustrating. Rafe at least eventually raised the idea of going to counseling so I hope they follow through on that. Good sex is not enough to undo all the damage from the way their marriage ended; otherwise they never would have divorced in the first place.
Note: this is a cishet white town and Rafe is a cop and in the army reserve. It’s a small town so there are different issues but it’s still pretty pro-police and military. There was also an unfortunate amount of casual misogyny and compulsory sexuality, which rubbed me the wrong way.
Characters: Olivia is a 28 year old white diner waitress and local contact for a movie production studio. Rafe is a 31 year old white police officer and army reserve member. They were together 4 years and divorced two years ago. This is set in Pine Harbour, ON.
Content notes: drug trafficking case, officer-involved shooting (drug bust gone bad), MMC injured in the line of duty (shot in shoulder), murder of FMC’s friend (shot during drug bust), past divorce, sexism, toxic mother, past death of FMC’s father, vomit, family planning discussion, family pressure for grandchildren, pregnancy epilogue, on page sex, mild breeding kink, masturbation, alcohol, inebriation, hangover, marijuana (secondary character), compulsory sexuality, casual misogyny, gender essentialist language, ableist language
*Love it or Leighve it* (aka cleaning out my Nook) Purchased: 2018...more
Promising start but a disappointment in the end. Cherisse and Keiran hate each other, for reasons we’re never told, but they’re forced to work togethePromising start but a disappointment in the end. Cherisse and Keiran hate each other, for reasons we’re never told, but they’re forced to work together when her sister marries his best friend. If I was their friend, I would have locked them in a room a LONG time ago and not let them out until they figured out a way to be civil or embraced the fact that they want each other. Just as we never learn why they don’t get along, it’s not clear what they like about each other beyond sex. They were incredibly immature, to the point where I would have believed this was a YA novel if they weren’t self-employed.
There were shades of toxic masculinity with Keiran. Just because he makes Cherisse soup when she’s sick and cries at the end doesn’t mean he doesn’t exhibit a lot of sexist tendencies, including toward his mom and a guy who asks for her phone number. After what his dad did to her, she should date whatever the hell she wants! It was extra irritating because he called out his dad for being sexist by not giving the company to his sister but then he turns around and is overbearing and overprotective toward his mom.
While I enjoyed the queer friend group, there were way too many wedding crew activities. I’ve been a bridesmaid several times and I never spent time with the whole wedding party outside of the actual wedding weekend. After seeing what all these folks were expected to do, I’m glad my friends got married a long time ago because the obligations today sound exhausting.
I didn’t care for the lie of omission, which had predictable results. More importantly, I don’t trust the HEA. We never got to see Cherisse and Keiran settled with each other, much less happy together, because of how late the low moment and resolution happened.
Characters: Cherisse is a 28 year old West Indian pastry chef. She has a cat named Jello. Keiran is a bisexual West Indian music producer. He has a dog named Scooby. This is set in Trinidad.
Content notes: past infidelity (both MC’s exes cheated, MMC’s ex got pregnant with someone else’s child), fistfight, food shaming (countered), fatshaming by ex, sexism (including by MMC), internet harassment, closeted bisexual MMC (no forced outing), past parental divorce (MMC’s dad cheated and fathered a child), parental pressure for relationship and grandkids, on page sex, alcohol, inebriation, excessive drinking, hangover, diet culture, gendered pejoratives
It’s been a while since I’ve read Rilzy and the hot chef premise sounded like just the ticket. Unfortunately for me, it includes food play, which is nIt’s been a while since I’ve read Rilzy and the hot chef premise sounded like just the ticket. Unfortunately for me, it includes food play, which is not my thing. But outside of that, I enjoyed watching Russ cook for Tempest and the different kinds of eating that occurred LOL.
Characters: Tempest is a 35 year old Black natural hair care product line creator. She has a dog named Scooby. Russ is a Black restaurant owner and private chef. This is set in DC.
Content notes: past death of FMC’s mother, unsafe sex practices (MMC rips condom packet open with teeth; no discussion of STI status or prevention), on page sex, food play, sex toy, alcohol, casual ableism...more
I’m still not convinced about their relationship. Red deserves better than Bad and neither of them did enough to show they were going to work on commuI’m still not convinced about their relationship. Red deserves better than Bad and neither of them did enough to show they were going to work on communicating better (or at all!). I did at least thoroughly enjoy the appearances from Hugh, Truman, and Will!
Characters: Bad/Charles is a 31 year old gay white college security guard, yoga studio owner, and Dom. Red is a 22 year old gay white pizza place employee and submissive. This is set in California.
Content notes: disordered eating/overeating (secondary character), risk-taking behavior (secondary character forgoes condoms and put his address out on the internet for strangers to have sex with him on a livestream), depression and concern of suicidal ideation (secondary character), sex with a secondary character (technically not infidelity but Red kept it a secret from Bad), ageism (countered), misogyny (not countered), lesphobia (not countered), skipping meals, weight loss, recent death of yoga student’s husband, past death of secondary character’s family, past professional ethics violation (employee-student relationship), on page sex, D/s, orgy, partner sharing, menage, CBT, somnophilia, doctor play, degradation play, rough sex, anal fisting, sounding, bondage and predicament bondage, impact play, pain play, fluid exchange, orgasm control, erotic wrestling, sex tape, mask, blindfold, rimming, glass bottle as anal toy, sex toys, Daddy kink (secondary characters), water sports (secondary characters), alcohol, inebriation, marijuana (secondary character), STD stigma, anti-fat bias, diet culture, casual ableism, penis size insults (“little”), gendered pejoratives, ableist language...more
Legitimately hot novella! Wedding planner Paige finally gets together with her engaged best friends Beau and Flora. If you can’t tell your friends howLegitimately hot novella! Wedding planner Paige finally gets together with her engaged best friends Beau and Flora. If you can’t tell your friends how you feel while you’re snowed in at a cabin for NYE, when can you do it?? This was a steamy FFM treat. These three had chemistry for days and it was so satisfying once they finally acted on it. It would have been better—and way more believable—if (view spoiler)[they hadn’t gotten engaged after one day of sex. I didn’t have any issue with the “I love you’s” since they’ve been best friends for so long. But why can’t they date for a while, tell their families, and see what a polyamorous relationship is actually like before they jump straight to marriage? Flora and Beau can obviously postpone their wedding. It just didn’t make any sense to me. Related: I wish Beau and Flora would have talked about why they made a move on each other and not Paige if they’ve all had crushes on each other this whole time. (hide spoiler)]
Characters: Paige is a bisexual white wedding planner. Beau is a bisexual white paramedic. Flora is a bisexual white bakery owner. Beau and Flora are engaged. This is set in Telluride, CO.
Content notes: blizzard, twisted ankle, past infidelity (MMC’s ex-boyfriend cheated, Paige’s girlfriend cheated with Paige’s best friend), on page sex, FFM menage, bondage, champagne play, auditory voyeurism, anal play, rimming, sex toy, masturbation, alcohol, past inebriation, ableist language...more
This second chance romance exceeded all expectations! Hannah and Levi had an all-consuming relationship despite having very different visions for theiThis second chance romance exceeded all expectations! Hannah and Levi had an all-consuming relationship despite having very different visions for their lives. Hannah wanted to stay at Carrigan’s forever, while Levi couldn’t wait to escape. Four years ago, things came to a head and Levi left. Hannah has been recovering ever since. When Levi returns, her life is upended once again while they try to figure out if their connection is enough and what a healthy relationship might actually look like. Plus, their goals haven’t changed: Hannah loves her job at Carrigan’s and wants to stay while Levi does not.
Despite the ways they’ve hurt in each other in the past, Levi and Hannah have an undeniable connection and chemistry. This is likely why Levi stayed at the inn longer than wise. (I was really shocked he stayed until he was 32.) They love each other still but they’ve been locked into unhealthy pattern from when they were younger. Mainly, an inability to communicate because they think the other person should already know. So that’s the focus: figuring out if there’s a compromise and what that might be. Levi has to atone for his past selfishness and show that he’s changed, as well as figure out his career as a chef and reconnect with the family and friends he left behind. Hannah has to understand that Carrigan’s doesn’t hold the same meaning for him and in fact might stifle him, while she continues to go to therapy and work on her anxiety and agoraphobia.
One of the linchpins is Levi sharing a different perspective on Cass. Cass may have welcomed everyone with open arms but that welcome was not extended to Levi, despite him growing up on the property. He never shared that pain, knowing what Cass meant to Hannah and his parents. This answered the questions I had about her from the last book, though her mistreatment of Levi wasn’t exactly what I had imagined. I really appreciated this layer of grief. It’s so easy to idealize a loved one after they’re gone and forget that they were a flawed human being. Levi deserved so much better than a manipulative inheritance and napkin note after Cass died. He still has to make peace with that relationship and everyone else around him has to be open to seeing Cass in a new, more tarnished light.
Hannah was an administrative badass and I was filled with admiration for her, as well as empathy as a fellow agoraphobe. I would have liked more details about how she’s working through that and what the game plan is in therapy but that’s just out of idle curiosity. Levi was my actual favorite, moody feral cat that he is. I very much related to having all the feelings, although I’m not feral like him. It was so interesting to compare the few flashbacks we get of Levi growing up and see how he’s grown and changed since then. He and Hannah are not the same people they were four years ago and that was beautiful to see.
There were so many other things I loved about this: Kringle the cat, the fact that (view spoiler)[they've been secretly married all this time! (hide spoiler)], celebrating Passover, the food descriptions, a transformational haircut (this gave me Felicity vibes), vibrant queer community, counseling with Rabbi Ruth, and (view spoiler)[Levi’s grand gesture via power point! (hide spoiler)]. Plus we get enticing updates from Cole and Tara. I cannot wait for their respective books.
I also appreciated how Levi’s demisexuality figured in. He felt different than other people in town growing up but he didn’t figure out the word for it until he went away and more things clicked into place. He’s only ever been sexually attracted to Hannah and that was only after years of friendship, which could be a lot of pressure for her but he’s great at not positioning it that way. There’s some education of secondary characters about what demisexuality means but everyone is accepting. A few reviewers have dinged this for being closed door and I would like to challenge them to be mindful of their wording. It’s completely fine to prefer open door and/or high heat books but on page sex scenes are not a requirement of romance. Any claims along those lines can quickly become acephobic, which suggests those readers did not pay attention to what Levi shared. Perhaps one day Greer will write an open door book but I personally find it refreshing how horny her characters are in these closed door books. They have more chemistry than some of the erotic romances I’ve read recently. That is a sign of great skill.
Characters: Hannah is a 35 year old fat white Jewish inn co-owner and manager. Levi “Blue” is a 36 year old demisexual pansexual white Jewish reality show chef and inn co-owner who wears glasses. They’ve been estranged for four years. Kringle the cat is a Norwegian Forest tortoiseshell who lives at the inn. This is set at Carrigan’s Year Round in Advent, NY.
Content notes: anxiety, agoraphobia, (view spoiler)[marital (hide spoiler)] estrangement, past death of great-aunt, past homophobia and recounted slur, past parental rejection for being gay (secondary character), past unstable childhood, past emotionally abusive father (secondary character), sober secondary character, secondary character who uses a cane, off page sex, alcohol, inebriation, gendered pejorative...more
4.5. If the first book in this series was “Hallmark movie but make it sexy”, this is “Hallmark After Dark but first let’s dismantle purity culture.” I4.5. If the first book in this series was “Hallmark movie but make it sexy”, this is “Hallmark After Dark but first let’s dismantle purity culture.” I loved it!
Kallum is a go-with-the-flow kind of guy, not thinking too deeply or at all about any of his choices. He runs a successful pizza franchise so he doesn’t have to. He’s a very kind person for the most part but he can be careless and doesn’t always think about the consequences of his actions. Winnie’s whole life, on the other hand, has oriented around other people’s expectations of her, going along with whatever her parents wanted, right down to marrying the man they chose. But when her husband cheated on her, she chose to divorce him in spite of what her parents and religious community said. This paves the way for Winnie to explore what she wants out of life, from her career to her bi awakening.
And that leads us to how Kallum and Winnie get back in each other’s orbit post-teen stardom: they’re starring in a Hope After Dark Christmas movie. Only one problem: Winnie has never had an orgasm and she’s not good at faking one on camera. Obviously Kallum isn’t going to say no to helping his long-time crush experience pleasure!
I loved how this explored the effects of purity culture on Winnie’s life, from her selfish ex-husband to the shame she feels about her lack of experience. There’s no judgment from anyone and no expectation of compulsory sexuality. The scriptwriter takes her to a sex toy shop and gets her to buy her first vibrator. Well before he gets more personally involved, Kallum encourages her to do some research. But the vibrator and porn aren’t enough to overcome the mental block, which is a very common effect of purity culture. Only then does Winnie latch onto the idea of Kallum giving her more hands-on instruction. Their sex scenes were hot and fun. It was great to watch Winnie have a breakthrough, in every sense of that word. The best part of all this was Winnie realizing she wasn’t the problem. No, it was her ex-husband only focusing on his own needs and her parents and church’s patriarchal judgment and sexual shaming. Having great partnered sex doesn’t magically undo all of it but it’s a good start.
My other favorite part was the feeeeelings. (view spoiler)[Winnie hearing Kallum’s careless comments (hide spoiler)] made me cry. I just felt so bad for her. And that wasn’t the only time I cried! Winnie’s plight really tugged on my heartstrings. Kallum was a sweetheart in so many ways but he really needed to learn to think before speaking or acting. The lack thereof really bit him but it led to fantastic growth. The emotional arcs for both characters were fascinating to me.
My enjoyment of this book is all the more impressive since it contains one of my least favorite tropes. (view spoiler)[Frankly, I still don’t think this needed to include surprise pregnancy but it did force Kallum to take stock of his life and grow up and it gave Winnie another reason to finally stand up for herself with her parents and her ex-husband. So can appreciate what it was doing, even if that choice is never going to be my favorite. I also appreciated the acknowledgement that the baby’s sex doesn’t guarantee their gender. (hide spoiler)]
The set up for the next Christmas Notch romance is all kinds of delicious. I can’t wait!
Characters: Kallum is a 30-something white Jewish pizza chain owner, actor, and former boy band member with a dad bod. He has a cat named Bread. Winnie is a 32 year old bisexual white actress with narcolepsy. This is set in Christmas Notch, VT, Kansas City, and Los Angeles.
Content notes: sexual assault (FMC’s ex-husband puts her hand on his clothed dick), past image-based sexual abuse (MMC’s sex tape was leaked by the bridesmaid he slept with who wanted revenge against her cheating fiancé; he has since licensed it), recent divorce (FMC’s ex-husband cheated), estranged parents (reappear in this story and remain toxic), past child emotional neglect, concern of miscarriage (pregnancy is okay, the placenta is resting over her cervix), unplanned pregnancy (used an old condom kept in phone case), options discussion (FMC decides to continue pregnancy), past difficulty getting pregnant with ex-husband, bi awakening, purity culture, sexual shame, slut-shaming by ex, infidelity (MMC unknowingly slept with bridesmaid who had a boyfriend), narcolepsy, past ableism by parents, fatshaming, blood (chipped tooth after falling off stage), past Hollywood diet and recent weight gain, past death of pet dog (cancer), past death of secondary character’s wife, vomit (morning sickness), on page sex, anal play, alleyway sex, masturbation, strip club, alcohol, inebriation, hangover, STD stigma (“clean”), MMC refers to genitalia in gendered terms (e.g. “little guy”), gendered pejoratives, ableist language...more
A light and fun witchy novella from Alexis Daria, which is impressive since Cat and Diego are trying to exorcise a demon out of his possessed brother A light and fun witchy novella from Alexis Daria, which is impressive since Cat and Diego are trying to exorcise a demon out of his possessed brother for most of it. It’s otherwise pretty instalove and light on characterization.
This was originally for Audible Original so I’m glad I got to read it as an ebook. Unsurprisingly, the storytelling style is still best suited for an audio experience but it was still an enjoyable read.
Characters: Cat is a Puerto Rican American fashion designer and witch. Diego is a Puerto Rican American chef and witch. This is set on Isla Bruja, near Miami.
Second chance romances can be hit or miss for me, particularly if it’s about a divorced couple. The reason for the dissolution of the CW: infertility
Second chance romances can be hit or miss for me, particularly if it’s about a divorced couple. The reason for the dissolution of the marriage matters as much as when that reason is disclosed. I will never understand characters who start spending time together again without first acknowledging what went wrong last time—even if they’re not actively working to make amends, I still need to know the who, what, where, when, and why. Preferably without copious flashbacks. This probably explains why this second chance romance worked pretty well for me.
Alice is basically a snarling wounded cat. She doesn’t hide the fact that she’s not pleased when Gabe shows up five years later to ask for a favor. Gabe doesn’t want to talk about what broke them apart. That’s one of the main issues that led to their demise: his inability to deal with the harder parts of life or provide comfort to his grieving wife. They’re stuck in the same cycle of Alice lashing out and Gabe retreating. If he did not desperately need a chef, there would be no reason for their lives to intersect again but he does and her presence at the inn—the very one they used to dream about owning someday—means they have to learn to get along or at least coexist. This was incredibly heartwrenching. Their trajectory back to each other wasn’t perfect, largely because of two authorial choices, but it was gripping.
So what didn’t work for me? First, the depiction of alcoholism. Alice somehow never needs to go to rehab, an AA group, or even therapy. This did not strike me as believable at all given where she started out. Second, a plot choice related to infertility. (view spoiler)[Alice gets pregnant unexpectedly. There are plenty of people who prefer for infertility stories to end in pregnancy. I’m not one of them. This isn’t quite a miracle baby, since Alice was never told that she wouldn’t be able to carry a baby to term. Either way, I really wish Alice and Gabe had had to work through their issues without knowing whether they’d be able to have biological children. That would have helped me see that they will have real staying power no matter what happens. (hide spoiler)] Third, in addition to Gabe and Alice’s POVs, we get chapters from Gabe’s father Patrick’s perspective and I didn’t think that added anything to the story. Particularly since there isn’t a resolution about what will happen with his never-actually-divorced wife Iris after 30 years apart. We either needed Iris’s POV too so there could be a romance subplot for them or it needed to be saved for their own book.
Characters: Alice is a 34 year old white chef. She has a cat named Felix. Gabe is a white inn owner in his mid to late 30s. They divorced 5 years ago after 5 years of marriage. This is set in the Hudson River Valley, NY.
Content notes: alcoholism (FMC), pregnancy (view spoiler)[FMC is in the first trimester when book ends and pregnancy seems to be going well (hide spoiler)], infertility and past miscarriages in second trimester, discussion of adoption, past divorce, past intimate partner violence (FMC threw plates at MMC during their last argument before they decided to divorce), physical assault (MMC hits brother), secondary character was shot in the line of duty (past, retired from the police), past abandonment by MMC’s mom, child neglect (15 year old whose mom left and father is alcoholic), juvenile delinquent character (truancy due to child neglect, moves to group home), scar from emergency C-section, vomit, alcohol, inebriation, hangover, ageist joke, virgin joke, gender essentialist language, ableist language, hyperbolic language around suicide...more
A delightful cozy fantasy about a baker’s apprentice who gets caught up with a bounty hunter, an actual troll (who is my favorite!), and a prince nameA delightful cozy fantasy about a baker’s apprentice who gets caught up with a bounty hunter, an actual troll (who is my favorite!), and a prince named Hapless. Aurelie is a 17 year old baker’s apprentice who has magical gifts she rarely uses when queer bounty hunter Iliana appears at her door. This eventually leads to teaming up with Quad, a troll who is older than some trees and rocks but considered a child in troll years, and enjoys noting what things are mortal inventions. When they rescue Hapless from an attack, Aurelie is not expecting to have a connection with the sunshiney prince that will last beyond their quest. Nor does she know what to make of her new companions.
There’s adventure, palace intrigue, and magic. It touches on classism and the power of names. The banter was impeccable and I adored the found family formed by this unlikely crew. I read it with a giant smile on my face the whole time. Fingers crossed this turns into a series!
A great fit for readers who enjoyed The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna.
Content notes: workplace abuse, missing person, abduction, stabbing (recovers), attempted murder, physical assault, past emotional and financial neglect by Aurelie’s parents, classism, past death of Hapless’s mother, alcohol, inebriation, pipe (secondary character), ableist language
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