The CEO I Hate The Lockhart Brothers #1 by Leslie North ( 3.5/5 Stars)

Tropes: Brother's best friend, drunken encounter, Firefighters, writers, CEO.

Overall it's 3.5/5 stars.

The pluses:
1. Heroine is professional writer/cartoonist
2. Hero is a CEO
3. Heroine has curly hair? I think?
4. Hero helps heroine land a job (on merit, duh!)


The thing that irked me was that the third act break up was extremely stupid. Literally. The hero is like 38 years old so for him to act like a 22 year old pissed me off. Also, there was no discussion about the TV drama that the whole book was focused on. No discussion of what the show was about, what the first season was about, what the second season was about. It was really weird.

And the heroine is so pretty and accomplished that random people hit on her and her CEO BF is crazy about her but her parents are setting her up with the most pathetic losers? Something isn't meshing.

Thanks to Netgalley and Relay Publishing

An Academic Affair - Jodi McAlister (5/5 Stars)

5/5 stars!!!!

Tropes: Competent-heroine, competent-hero, academic-hero, academic-heroine, enemies-to-lovers, he-fell-a-decade-back, Fearless-heroine, found-family, partners.

This is an amazing book. Truly. If you love strong leads, who are equal partners then this is the book for you. The way they look out for each other, despite being competitors and semi-hating each other is so sweet. The hero truly goes out of his way to be her support and the heroine goes out of her way to make the hero's priorities her own.

Absolutely one of my favorite reads of the year.

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria books for this wonderful e-ARC.

Only Between Us - Ellie K. Wilde ( 5 Stars!)

5 stars!

Tropes: fostered-MFC, fostered heroine, Professional-athlete-hero, Lift-each-other-up, equal-partners, supportive-partners, he falls first

This is a really sweet romance. I'm not sure how else to explain it. It is sweet without being overly sweet, although it breaches that boundary a bit. Sometimes authors go too far into the he-falls-first category and this one reaches that, but not quite.

The heroine understands the hero, doesn't hold the hero hostage for his feelings, and unlike most other heroines, is really bold and unapologetic for feeling desire for the hero. That was unusual and unique and I appreciated it. The hero acknowledges how the heroine is different than his ex. He takes care of her and wants to keep taking care of her the rest of his life. They embody partnership and that is a really sweet sentiment. Being there for the other person consistently and being open in communication is super important, and I am happy that this book highlighted that aspect.

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for the e-ARC

Well, Actually - Mazey Eddings (3 stars for story, 4 stars for narration)

Tropes: Second chances, glasses-wearing-hero
Rating: 3/5 for story. 4/5 for narration

I'll rate it separately for the narration and the story line:

Narration:
4/5 I liked how Ms. Ariela Crow narrated it. Especially her emotions for the MFC were well spoke. Her narration for the MMC was muffled and gruff, and sounded fake (just being honest).


Story:
This had the potential to be a great story. Unfortunately, it turned out to be the biggest "Not like other girls" and 'not like other men' energy fest. It was so jarring, too. I was rooting for the MFC to be tough, but she would just lose her mind when the MMC showed up. For his part, he is shown to be a complete ass in the past, but now he's literally perfect?

Their interaction is also super weird. She hates him - no, she lusts after him, no, she hates him, no- she hates him. The fact that she can't even be honest with herself on this, shows no progress for her. She's way past growth. She has had no therapy, has not addressed her trauma. On the one hand, she literally blames her brothers and sisters for isolating her, but then she's super grateful that they were in her life.

I won't comment on how much the book focused on gender and sexual preferences.

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the audio-ARC

Gone Country - Hunter Snow (3/5 stars)

I struggled to read this book because the writing is so contradictory from line to another.

E.g. in one paragraph the MFC says that she absolutely hates the MMC and yet she follows him to his studio to make music with him (without discussing who the song belongs to), then shows up at a bar that he asks her to go to to sing it with him, and is then surprised when he sings it at the bar?

I mean, if you hate him that much, don't do what he is asking to do? Or if you are doing it, give at least a good reason to do it ( and yes, being attracted to him counts!), but she doesn't explain it at all!!!

Also, I'm sorry but the MFC is almost an alcoholic and that makes me really uncomfortable.

Thanks to Netgalley and Tellwell Talent for the e-ARC

Thrown for a Loop - A New York Legends Hockey Romance - Sarina Bowen (4.5 stars)

                                  

                 

4.5 stars

Tropes: Beta-heroes, ice-hockey, figure skater, second chance, humor

Now this is how to write a romance novel with a strong, independent female protagonist. Zoe is strong, run down, sick of her helicopter mom and ready for a change. Even if it means coming to terms with her first love, Chase.

I really liked their story, which started when they were eighteen and nineteen. Chase is now a renowned ice hockey player and Zoe was a silver medalist. FULL DISCLOSURE: I hate books with dual story lines. THEREFORE, I ABSOLUTELY SKIPPED their history chapters!!! I literally just didn't read them. I feel like the story in the present should be indicative enough of what happened in the past and to be honest, I feel like I got the gist of it. MFC's mom was a bitch and she didn't want her daughter getting distracted from getting her medal.

The female friendships were strong in this one. And I loved the camaraderie that the men's team had with each other.

Thanks to Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing)

Review of The Heir by Sophia Travers (3.75/5 stars)

3.75/5 stars

Tropes: Lost connection, old crush, rich hero, not-that-rich? heroine, angst, pining

Honestly this book deserved 5 stars. IF ONLY it had stopped when the going was good. Unfortunately, it just couldn't recognize a good thing and kept going on and on and on.... (you get the idea).

This is a book full of GOOD ANGST. You know the kind...? it makes your heart stop? The kind where you are IN IT. The only problem is... it doesn't STOP.

The story was just too long. I think a good 1/3 of it could have been edited out, and the outcome would have literally been the same. Both the MMC and the MFC are crazy about each other, had decades long crush ON EACH OTHER. TELL EACH OTHER THAT THE OTHER PERSON IS THE REASON FOR THEIR HAPPINESS AND PROGRESS. EVERYONE (including the readers!) CAN ALSO SEE THIS. And yet they distrust each other SO much that they literally act like young adults in their 20s rather than people who are 30. Also, the Hero is like The Heir and Super rich and yet the heroine DONATES 100K to the local high school. And apparently has done so many times before....SO IS SHE NOT RICH?

Also, there was no mention of the MMC and MFC going to work...? Like, Ok the MMC is a rich bastard and yet in all interactions, he's home chilling reading romance books ( I mean, no shade, because same, but I got a day job yo, so I have to manage the addiction, ya know?), hasn't left the house in a year??? I mean there is literally no mention of the winery (is that what it's called, the place where their family made whiskey?) And what happened to MMC's MOM? Did she run away? Abandon the kids - die? (Inquiring minds want to know!)

The MFC's parents are also just a means to an end. There is literally barely any interaction between her and her parents, but when the big conflict happens, they are suddenly there. And everything is ok? Also, yes, we know that the MMC and MFC love each other. That's what the whole book was about. We did not need two different Epilogues about it ( I think?)


Thanks to Netgalley and Sophia Travers for providing the e-ARC. Views are, obviously, my own.

Oaths & Vengeance Realm of Zadyra #1 by Susan Illene (4 stars)

4 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for providing the e-ARC. Views are my own

Tropes: other-world, elves, magic, literal-enemies, MFC is a softie, magical garden, powerful MFC, powerful MMC.

Aella is a powerful, magical elf and an orphan. She's 33 but still under the protection of her uncle, a sadistic elf who's leading the war against other elves. The story revolves around the war between the elves and their world slowly dying unless they find an artefact that gives life to their planet. This is book one.


1. The book took me a long time to read despite not being more than 400 pages long. I think it's because the author made a decent effort to make it action packed.

2. Good world building. I was not too invested in other magical creatures which don't play a role in the story. Wisps, centaurs... it didn't matter to me if they didn't move the plot in some way. I sort of skipped those paragraphs.

3. The story is intriguing. MFC who is under the control of her uncle by being cursed, she falls unconscious any time she leaves his territory. MFC who is cursed by not being able to fall in love.

4. The author allowed a world that allows both male and female elves to express themselves sexually without being judged. The rules are the same for both.

BUT
1. Despite a lot of action, I feel like the book could have been condensed. The number of times Aella went on portal trips but then nothing happened, could have been cut down.

2. The extra magical creatures didn't contribute much to the storyline. I think they could have been cut.

3. I kept thinking that according to the story, the MMC can't fall in love with the MFC, but then he was possessive of her, cared for her, craved her, listened to her limitations and followed them, allowed her liberty of his body, was gentle with her, missed her and lusted after her. What is love, if not this. I don't know what the author defines love as, but this is it.

4. Supposedly, the MFC could roam around wherever in the enemy kingdom without going unconscious so that really confused me.

I'll be anxiously waiting for the next installment when they try to reach earth.

Review of: Say It Out Loud A Novel by Ashley Schumacher (4.5 stars/5)

4.5/5 stars

Tropes: missed-connection, reconciliation, magic, regrets, life-in-a-decade, humor, celebrity, stage, acting, voice-actors, narration, twilight, twilight-is-feminist

BLURB:

"Juniper Green doesn’t believe in magic anymore. Not since her mom died, her dreams of a publishing career fizzled, and her podcast—the one bright spot in her life—was stolen out from under her. Now, at thirty-two, she’s living in her dad’s spare room and wondering if life peaked when she was a teenager with a stack of vampire books and an unhealthy obsession with enigmatic immortals.

Then comes the email: an invitation to audition for the lead role in the audio drama adaptation of The Meadow, the wildly popular vampire romance series that defined her teenage years. It’s a dream opportunity—until she learns her co-star is James Neely, the brooding, talented actor who played Romeo to her Juliet in a one-night-only college show before breaking her heart and disappearing from the stage and her life . . . right along with the magic.

To save the project (and her career), Juniper and James must revive their onstage chemistry, playing The Meadow’s star-crossed lovers for the microphones and social media alike. But as the lines between performance and reality blur, Juniper is left wondering: Can you rewrite the ending of a story you thought was over? Because love, like magic, is a fragile thing to lose . . . and to find again."

Review

Unlike other rom-coms or chick lits, this book portrays MFC in a much more realistic light and you are much more sympathetic to her plight. Usually the formula goes that the MFC is stupid and nothing has gone well her way. In this story, you can see how hard MFC has worked and she has been (somewhat) rewarded for it. She made a mistake and lost the brand she worked so hard for (unfortunate, but happens pretty frequently).

Also deals with the more realistic scenario of doing someone a solid favor and them completely dumping you when they get their chance. That's what MMC does to MFC who helps him be discovered by a talent agent during Romeo and Juliet performance. You'd think that the MFC is bitter and hates him, but she's pragmatic about it and has somewhat moved away, although she can't stop the what-ifs, especially after losing her podcast.

This book was sweet and nostalgic, not in a cloying way, but in a rather hazy summer's day way, where as a millenial, I was in sync with what the MFC felt. I feel like the pacing could have been better, especially when the two MCs meet up again ( hence the 4 stars), but perhaps the pacing is something the editor is responsible for, and not the author? As an intro to this author, this was a wonderful story.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore | Del Rey for providing the e-ARC. Views are my own

Review of People Watching - Hannah Bonam-Young (2.5/5)

 Thanks to Netgalley and Ballantine | Dell for the e-ARC. Views are my own 2.5/5 stars.

This is my first foray into HBY's books. I'm not impressed. DNF at 40%.

Tropes: virgin-heroine, experienced-hero, moustached-hero, small-town-romance, Alzheimer

This book was just a collection of stereotypes. It's like the author made a checklist and checked off all things on it, without any regards to whether they made any sense or not.

1. Bisexual hero? Check
2. Virgin heroine? Check
3. Bi hero who has had 200 partners? AND mentions it to the virgin heroine? Check?
4. Hero who is (INSTANTLY TURNED ON) by the virgin heroine? Check?
5. Hero's (slight. ahem) sexual experience attracts heroine (REALLY, she didn't think that he has commitment issues? Like, at all? She was immediately turned on?)
6. Hero has had threesomes and thinks of them at opportune times, especially when he feels some sort of way about the heroine? Check. This one really made me feel the ick.
7. He speaks russian oh-so-fluently with the heroine's dad? Check


It goes on and on. I literally DNF it at like 40%.

Lessons in Faking - Selina Mae (Rating: 4.5/5)

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Tropes: Semi-enemies-to-lovers, trauma, daddy-issues, brothers-enemy, sweet, men-who-cook, girl-needed-a-confidence-booster

This is my first book by this author, and I was hooked from the first page. This is because I have around 100+ books on my TBR list, and unless something has a strong start, I'm not invested. I read the story as a stand-alone, and only got to know about the history of the author once I finished it. Now, let's be real. Are there things out of the realm of belief in this work? Absolutely. Realistically, there are a lot of things I object to. E.g. why did the MFC start dating her brother's supposed arch-nemesis to get her BROTHER'S ATTENTION? Or why the MMC had to have beef with his dad, because that aspect was literally unexplored and unnecessary. Or that the MMC was supposedly so in love with the MFC from the start that NO ONE SUSPECTED?

However, despite these gripes, the story worked well. It did. And the reason is for that is that it is really sweet without being cloyingly so. It's just sweet enough. The chemistry between the main characters is really strong. Read this as a floating leaf in the wind, without a final destination and without too many expectations, and you will love it, especially if enemies-to-lovers is your trope of choice.(Thanks to Netgalley and LYX publishers for providing the ARC. Views are my own)

He Falls First - Jill Shalvis (3.75/5)

 

Rating: 3.75/5 rounded up to 4.

Thanks to Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca for providing me the e-ARC. Views are my own.

Tropes: sweet romance, beta-hero, trauma-childhood, family-values, siblings, part-of-a-series, sassy-grandma, working-class-hero, working-class-heroine.

This is a sweet romance. I wish there were any other way to describe it, but sweet really does describe it well. The hero, Ryder, is the oldest sibling, takes cares of his family and all the kids were abused by their dad. Now their dad has had 2 strokes and is the sweetest ever, but the siblings are still reeling from the past abuse of their dad. Together, they own and run Colburn Construction.

Penny's mom is unstable and has left her grandma and younger (half?) brother alone. She gives up her job to help them out. She dreams of opening up her cafe, but is so bogged down from day to day, that she can't think straight. She works for the catering company that supplies lunches and snacks to the Colburn Construction.

I will concede that there is no doubt that the hero likes the heroine. All the people around him ALSO know that he likes her. He waits for her delivery and has (supposedly) bumped into walls because he was watching her. My issue is that I wish there were a little more anticipation between the two. The conflicts that each of them took a back seat, where as a reader you sort of discard their issues (they are not highlighted much at all, in my opinion). Because they kiss so naturally and are already so in tune with each other, it seems hard to understand why they aren't together already.

The about-face that Hank (the dad) had... I'm not sure if that was necessary? The relationship between the heroine's mom and herself could also have been explored much more to give more depth.

Rose In Chains - Julie Soto (Narrated by Ella Lynch) 3.5/5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Hachette Audio/Forever for providing me the Audio e-ARC.

Narrated by: Ella Lynch

Tropes: Enemies to lovers, magic users, war-torn, literal enemies, treason

Trigger warning: Human trafficking, auctioning, non-consensual sexual acts, aggression, forced nudity.

I will split this review into 2 parts, the story and the narration.

Narration:
The narration gets a 2.5/5 for me. The narrator was fine. But I feel like this book would have really done so much better with a dual narration style and the male narrator would have suited the story so much more. Any time the female narrator spoke male dialogs, it took me out of the storyline and was absolutely jarring. The narrator was also British ( I believe?) and I had understood Julie Soto be an American writer. I understand that this book was supposedly Dramione fan fic, but if it were being adapted to a wider audience, the book could have been narrated differently

The story:
The story gets a 3.5/5 for me (rounded to 4 because GR does not allow 1/2 stars). I'll share the good stuff first:

1. The outline is pretty cool: Countries fighting right now. They didn't used to. The elite kids went to school together to prevent wars ( clearly this didn't work)

2. MFC is a twin. She has magical gifts that supersedes her male twin, but she has to play nice.

3. MFC is innocent and oh-so-pure, but fantasizes about Toven, the richest boy from behind enemy lines

4. The angst between the leads is nice. There are a couple supposed explicit scenes that were done well. Language alert. Open door explicit

5. The story has a potential to be a block buster.

6. The triggering aspects of this book are thought provoking. It was physically repulsive, but a much needed reminder of how POW have been treated, especially how women have been treated. Made me physically sick to read those scenes.


Problems:
1. There was very little context. From the get-g0 you are thrown into a panic situation with the killing of Rory and the main characters are not given any chance to be developed.

2. The back and forth between present time and the past was super jarring. The panic of the present made me want it to be over and being dragged in the past was like being tortured over and over. I wish the past had been explained in the present instead of as separate chapters. I literally just skipped the past chapters because they added nothing new to the story. You still get the whole context without reading them.

3. The pacing is really, truly BAD. For like middle 1/3 of the book (around 30%), NOTHING HAPPENS to Briony except that she is TIRED, and SO EXHAUSTED, and SO SLEEPY. This literally could have been summarized in ONE PARAGRAPH. As in, "The first month, Briony only slept and BATHED"

4. Which, by the way, HOW MANY BATHS DOES THIS GIRL TAKE? AND IN CAPTIVITY!!!! Too many, if you ask me. It irked me. She is probably the reason why future generations will have a water shortage.

5. The pacing again. Because of Briony's frequent napping and bathing schedule for 300 pages, the last 1/3 of the book is action packed, and (dare I say?) RUSHED. I wish I had gotten more of the last third. It was literally like the author wrote a 2 part series and the editor said, we'll make it a 3 parter and you can insert chapters of MFC just sleeping and bathing.

6. What even is the point of introducing jealousy in the mix, when the MFC and MMC are literal enemies and MFC's life is on the line? So redundant and displeasing (also the MMC and OW is shown to be intimate in front of the MFC -so.... ew!)

7. Why was the OW auctioned? No answers to that. Initially I thought it was because she was gay, but then I guess not?



Overall, it was enjoyable. I wish the story had progressed way more than it actually did. If I had read another novel this long, I'd have expected way more progression in the storyline.