From the bestselling author of the Angel Falls series, two enemies say “I do” in the first irresistible book about Blossom Glen.
Pastry chef Tessa Montgomery knows what everyone in the teeny town of Blossom Glen says about her. Spinster. Ice Queen. Such a shame. It’s enough to make a woman bake her troubles away, dreaming of Parisian delicacies while she makes bread at her mother’s struggling boulangerie. That is until Tessa’s mortal enemy―deliciously handsome (if arrogant) chef Leo Castorini, who owns the restaurant next door―proposes a business plan…to get married.
Leo knows that the Castorinis and the Montgomerys hate each other, but a marriage might just force these stubborn families to work together and blend their businesses for success. The deal is simple: Tessa and Leo marry, live together for six months, and then go their separate ways. Easy peasy.
It’s a sweetheart deal where everyone gets what they want―until feelings between the faux newlyweds start seriously complicating the mix. Have they discovered the perfect recipe for success…or is disaster on the way?
Review:
The Sweetheart Deal was a heartwarming story that had the most wonderful happily ever after. With a bit of an enemies to lovers vibe, elements of Romeo and Juliet and a fake marriage, this book was quickly devoured. If you adore family, friendship, small towns and your romance sweet, then definitely add this one to your tbr!
When their gazes snared, he actually sucked in a breath because she looked worried and a little fidgety and…beautiful. There was no other word. He couldn’t even lie to himself. His nemesis was beautiful.
Tessa and Leo both felt stuck. Tessa was helping her mother’s french style bakery, which was in desperate need of more business. But her dreams were to be a pastry chef, they definitely weren’t baking bread all day or being stuck in a small town where she was referred to as an ice queen. And Leo had so many fabulous ideas to help his father’s struggling Italian restaurant, but his father was set in his ways and refused to listen. To top it all off, their families’ businesses were next door to each other and had an ongoing feud that stretched generations. So when Leo came up with an idea that would help both families get what they want, Tessa was blindsided that it was marriage. Between them.
Living with him in this adorable little place was not playing house. They were on a mission. Project Save the Bakery/Restaurant began tomorrow. And she’d better not forget that.
I liked Tessa right away. Yes she’d been given the name ice queen and spinster, but my heart hurt for her. She was dumped by her cheating ex, who still came into their store. But Tessa was loyal and put her dreams on hold to help the family business. She was also loving, selfless and had huge walls. I loved that anytime Leo was around, she seemed to come alive. Her and Leo had a past as rivalries for academics in High School. There was definitely a little bit of hate going on after all of these years. But there was a whole lot of sparks too.
He knocked elbows with her. That simple, playful gesture slayed her. She was suddenly filled with a longing so intense she felt it might crush her. For love. For a family. For a life.
I loved Leo! He was strong, level headed, thoughtful and knew what he wanted in life. Leo also had walls, but with his easy going smile and charming personality, it wasn’t always noticeable. Until you got close enough to him. He desperately wanted to help his dad’s business now that he was back in town for good. And he knew that teaming up with Tessa was the ultimate solution. But with their two families feuding, the only way they could accomplish their goals and get their families to listen was if he and Tessa got married. And once he got Tessa on board, eeps, it was so delightful!
She met his gaze, and there he was, looking at her with a secretive glint in those big, moony Italian eyes. And just like that, something in her heart broke open.
The fake dating trope is one of my favorites, but when you bump it up to marriage, it took it to another level. And with them moving in together, I loved the forced proximity! So while Leo and Tessa had a lot in common, they still struggled with one another. Their past, their present to even their future seemed to create obstacles between them, but it just added to the entertainment of it all. Their story was heartwarming, emotional, and there was lots of chemistry between them too. But when it came to more, that happened off the pages. Throw in small town characters and two families that felt larger than life, I found this story a lot of fun!
She’d left her scent in his bed and her imprint on his soul. And he was in big trouble. Because he’d gone and fallen for his wife.
The Sweetheart Deal was an adorable story that kept me smiling. It was an easy read with likeable characters and a story-line that kept me interested. This was my first story by Miranda Liasson, and I’m looking forward to the next book in this series!
*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
When your nemesis also happens to be your fiancé, happily ever after becomes a lot more complicated in this wickedly funny, lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy debut.
Naomi Westfield has the perfect fiancé: Nicholas Rose holds doors open for her, remembers her restaurant orders, and comes from the kind of upstanding society family any bride would love to be a part of. They never fight. They're preparing for their lavish wedding that's three months away. And she is miserably and utterly sick of him.
Naomi wants out, but there's a catch: whoever ends the engagement will have to foot the nonrefundable wedding bill. When Naomi discovers that Nicholas, too, has been feigning contentment, the two of them go head-to-head in a battle of pranks, sabotage, and all-out emotional warfare.
But with the countdown looming to the wedding that may or may not come to pass, Naomi finds her resolve slipping. Because now that they have nothing to lose, they're finally being themselves--and having fun with the last person they expect: each other.
Review:
“You’re a demon,” I tell him. “And you’ve been a ghost,” he breathes.
What a balm to my soul, truly. When I was recommended this by not one (though, one was VEHEMENTLY insistent I read it), but two of my best friends, I knew I would have to read this. Upon further inspection, though, I found out that the book is essentially a big fat trigger for me (what did I even think this was about when I read the blurb? I clearly have a sore skimmer-dar) and I knew I needed to wait until I was in the right headspace.
“You stopped seeing me, Naomi. You stopped wanting me. You’re going to figure out one of these days that I can tell when you’re starting to disassociate, and it’s the most heartbreaking experience I’ve ever had. It’s nonstop. It keeps on happening. I try to bring you back to me every time you go to leave, off into your own head where I’m not allowed.”
Was I in the right headspace for this? Not hardly. Especially after having just had a major holiday with my favorite nightmares come to life (in-laws. I mean my in-laws…was this not clear?). BUT. I persevered. I just had read The Spanish Love Deception (my heart. The feels.) and I needed something….different. And, frankly, I do this shit. I get so invested in a genre, which is ALWAYS fantasy, but then I hit a snag and I have to tuck tail and run to my safe place. My sometimes place. My ‘I keep this off to the side until I truly need it’ space, and it inevitably brings me back to life and I literally can’t stop devouring my cozy reads. Don’t worry-I will get my harsh fantasy head back screwed on tight-I can only do sweet and happy so long.
I like the Nicholas who drops everything and runs when I’m freaking out at the side of the road. The one who wraps his coat around my shoulders and eats a bowl of food poisoning with me. But I can’t wait for that Nicholas to pop up every now and then, leaving me a different version of him to deal with regularly: the man who abandons me in more ways than one to placate his demanding mother. That’s the Nicholas I need to be focusing my energy on. I can’t let myself forget.
And I never try to get stuck in my cozy corner, yet here we are. And, weirdly, I’m so happy to be here-at least for now. BUT I DIGRESS-I saved this beautiful, amazing, wondrous piece of absolute WIN for when I would need it most, but I had no idea how deeply it would speak to my chaotic soul.
The one time I need him to dote on his mother after work, and he comes straight home instead like a jackass.
How it would awaken such deep, dark thoughts, but spin them in a light that made it so fun-so ludicrous-that it inevitably made it bearable to bring them softly to the surface, letting them float into my consciousness and allow me to surf through my own torrid moments, even as we witness Naomi and Nicholas work on theirs with the subtlety of a battering ram.
I see that he didn’t wash the dishes like he promised, and I almost admire the evil touch. Neglecting to wash dishes is one thing. Voluntarily saying you’re going to do it and then not doing it is an act of hostility.
What an odd twist of fate that such an outrageous and-some might say-heinous display of issues would help me sort through mine.
My aesthetic is aggressively, unapologetically basic. Some of it stems from a lady at a MAC counter telling me I’m an autumn, because of my amber eyes and long, stick-straight hair the color of pecans, but I know in my leaf-ogling, beanie-loving, pumpkin-gorging soul that I’d be a basic bitch even if I had neutral undertones. It’s in my DNA.
This book, with zero flaws to be seen, was the most calming, beautiful, and aware book I’ve come across. I do NOT think it’s a good thing I relate to this, but, then again, what right is it for anyone to judge me for having a 16 year relationship that formed in High School, fought tooth and nail to keep alive, leading me to an insurmountable depth of happiness I thought I’d never reach (I see Arielle side-eyeing me, and that’s okay-LOOK-INLAWS DO NOT COUNT, OKAY? It’s FiNnNeEe), and I would hold onto it until the end of time. Love is like that sometimes, isn’t it? Messy?But what makes love worth it? What is the draw of fighting though the good AND bad times…especially when the bad is so. Damn. Bad. (Seriously, this book made my relationship seem like child’s play in comparison)
Foam gurgles from my blood-red Babadook mouth and giddiness overtakes me. It’s the closest to joy I’ve gotten in a long time. I’m going to follow this feeling straight down into hell.
I think this book is the perfect example for such a question. That being said…I do believe, if you have big issues in your relationship, it could be oddly triggering. I honestly thought I would be triggered and unable to enjoy it-not so. It was a complete opposite for me, and I think there was a lot of truth in Naomi’s words, no matter how petty they came across. This book is ‘unbelievable’, in a way. But, honestly, that’s what is so funny about it- I actually, truly, did not find it unbelievable, because I’ve been so far down in the dumps about my relationship before, almost all these feelings have come to the surface (yes I have measured my love in percentages, full stop-it happens). So who is to say if it would trigger you? It’s one of three outcomes (trigger, annoyance (rolling eyes because yeah right this could NEVER happen), or pure elation-which is me. I am elated).
Maybe so, but Nicholas has a dramatic streak as well. He got it watching daytime television in grade school, pretending to be sick so he could stay home and avoid bullies who called him Four-Eyes and made fun of the ascot his mother made him wear. Nicholas knows precisely what he would say to his childhood bullies if he ever came across one of them now. He’s perfected his speech in the shower, which he must think is soundproof. Too much One Life to Live in his formative years turned him into a vindictive diva. To be honest, I hope he gets the opportunity to deliver that speech someday. It’s incredible.
Nicholas and Naomi fell in love and found each other by chance, but they found each other when they needed one another most and it is just so…beautiful. I LOVED THIS. But then they began to do what many couples do, which is to say they misunderstood one another, let the other think things that weren’t true, decided to back off and let things go rather than talk about them when the puppy love phase wore off and actual issues arose while actually getting to know one another, and they, essentially, gave up on each other….which is so sad. Enter the Battle Royale of making one leave the relationship first so they don’t incur the costs of their spectacularly large wedding.
Nicholas absorbs my attention so fully that I know I’ll never forget how this feels. It’s a peace and a comfort I haven’t been able to find anywhere. It’s how my heart pounds so loud I’m certain he can hear it. It’s how his closeness makes my knees weak, and his skin brushing mine jolts me like a spray of hot sparks. It’s how he knows me better than anyone else, and I never meant for him to.
I just…who thought of this? I know the author did, I know, but the way this was written-I died. I literally laughed on every. Single. page. OUT LOUD. No joke. The way she would go on in a paragraph talking about things and going on about it nonstop and then just end the sentence with a jab at Nicholas, or a zing about someone-it spoke to my deranged heart, making me cackle into the dark like an evil little goblin incapable of being quiet or discreet about my obvious glee over her derision of all things Nicholas.
Nicholas doesn’t like bangs? Fantastic. I don’t like Nicholas.
The way they go for one another was nothing short of maniacal, hilarious…then, ultimately, sad. And the humor was done so well, because we really never had time to become morose, which is the beauty of this SPECTACULAR author I now love, yet you still felt for them as you saw them secretly pine for one another here or there, sometimes becoming lost in a lovely memory or seeing something that made them remember a warm feeling…only for the fleeting moment to dissipate into thin air when one of their hijinks exploded at the exact moment they were beginning to rekindle or actually see the other or speak to them deeper than on the surface or try to get to know the other again.
I tried to keep him at a safe distance where he could only see the decent parts of me and it made us both miserable. I inadvertently let him in to see the ugly parts but instead of running away like I’d counted on him to do, he wrapped his arms around all of that ugliness and didn’t let go.
I loved this book with my whole heart, and the tenderness with which these two handled one another as they fell in love again, the vulnerability seeping from every pore as they began to bare their soul in a last ditch effort to win their love back from the one person they swore to love the most in the world…it made my heart melt. It’s hard-relationships are hard, end of story. But a true relationship is not measured in years, or by a ring, or even by the standards set by society–its measured by what you do when the going gets tough, whether you are willing to stick by the one you love’s side, what you are willing to do to save them-and even you-from losing themselves, what you are willing to do to keep each other afloat, to stay sane, to stay present, and to ultimately keep each other happy, as a whole, expecting nothing in return-never giving up on one another. It’s a beautiful sentiment, and many relationships don’t have that power. That drive. I’m happy to say that mine does, and I’m so happy this book helped me see that (in a funny and different light, of course). What a beautiful dumpster fire of a book. I think you’re my favorite.
*****
whiny voice You guuuuuuuysssss. I am DYING from the inside out with these amazing contemporaries I saved for a rainy day, when I was at my absolute lowest, when I didn’t feel like reading even though I ALWAYS feel like reading, after 2 starring two books (what the actual fuck even).
I do this. I ALWAYS read fantasy (with that smidgen of romance, of course) and I hear of these amaaaaazing contemporaries that I just HAVE to read (I hear (thank you, friends)) and I pile them all up and wait…
Then, when I need it most….there they all are. A plethora of all things sweet, snarky, enemies to lovers, and well-written novels that I gobble up when I have nothing left to live for (the drama).
I’ll admit I started The Spanish Love Deception to get me out of my woes, but had to try this book that has been raved about to me for as long as its been out (side-eyeing you, Snake) and now I am a complete and utter mess, trash for all things contemporary with all these gems, the cream of the crop, that I horded like a greedy little Goblin.
Who even am I. I sure hope I can write a review on this one. I have to. It sang to my soul and appealed to the deepest, darkest, most sinister parts of me…and I couldn’t have laughed more.
Bestselling authors Sarina Bowen and Lauren Blakely team up for the first time in an enemies-to-lovers, opposites-attract, irresistibly sexy standalone romance between the best man and the other best man!
In my defense, I was left alone with a bottle of single-malt and a life-long penchant for protecting my baby sister. Still, that's no excuse to send ten drunk-texts on why her hasty marriage would be a mistake.
If only I had just texted my sister. But nope. I accidentally sent the message to her, her groom, and his super hot wingman.
I also used the phrase “super hot wingman,” so I’d like to die now.
Instead, I have to plan a wedding with the aforementioned hottie and share a too-small guesthouse in steamy Miami.
Three days in the sun with the cocky, charming former athlete who likes to push my buttons? Fine, two can play at that let’s-infuriate-each-other game.
Until Asher ups the stakes with one wildly sexy suggestion. A no-strings fling, then I go back to my single dad life in New York, and he returns to his star-studded one.
Sign me up.
But the more nights I spend with the other best man, the more I want days too, and that just can't happen. Especially when I find out the real reason why…
Contents Include: First times, a secret to-do list, champion-level flirting, fast cars, #eggplants, and two men who look good in formal wear.
Review
I loved this SO incredibly much. I don’t need to talk about how big of a Bowen stan I am since you all should already know but this is actually my first book by Lauren Blakely–and it won’t be my last! Being a lover of the Brooklyn series, and especially Bombshells, Asher DID leave a mark but I never in my dreams thought it was going to be possible for him to have his own book! Imagine my surprise when this was announced.
Mark and Asher are chosen to both be best men in Mark’s sister’s and Asher’s best friend’s wedding. The problem? Last night Marky Mark got drunk and texted some pretty embarrassing things to a group chat with the four of them instead of just to his sister. OOPS. Asher being the snarky shit that is he is, is NOT about to let Mark live this down. Especially when flirting with him and seeing his unexpected (and is that possibly a reciprocated????) reaction is so much fun.
The two head down to Miami a week early to get everything read for the couple and things immediately heat up. Seriously though, you guys. The dynamic between these two was so hot. Mark is more of a serious guy–a damn good negotiator in the finance world, a single dad, and just overall not as big of a personality as Asher. Asher…is opposite in almost every way. Kind of a flies-by-the-seat-of-his-pants type. The teasing and back and forth between these two because of that was *chefs kiss* Perfection. I loved everything about their dynamic, the story, the romance–ALL OF IT. I will certainly be going back through all of Blakely’s back log to catch up on what I’ve missed out!
Huge thanks to Troliver books for allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for my honest reivew!♥
Beloved New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis begins a new series—Sunrise Cove—set near beautiful Lake Tahoe, with a heartwarming story of found family and love.
During the snowstorm of the century Levi Cutler is stranded on a ski lift with a beautiful stranger named Jane. After strong winds hurl the gondola in front of them into the ground, Levi calls his parents to prepare them for the worst…but can’t bring himself to say goodbye. Instead, wanting to fulfill his mother’s lifelong wish, he impulsively tells her he’s happily settled and Jane is his girlfriend—right before his phone dies.
But Levi and Jane do not.
Now Levi’s family is desperate to meet “The One.” Though Jane agrees to be his pretend girlfriend for just one dinner, she’s nervous. After a traumatic childhood, Jane isn’t sure she knows how to be around a tight-knit family that cherishes one another. She’s terrified, and a little jealous. But an unexpected series of events and a host of new friends soon show Jane that perhaps this is the life she was always meant to have.
As Jane and Levi spend more time together, pretend feelings quickly turn into real ones. Now all Jane has to do is admit to herself she can’t live without the man she’s fallen in love with and the family she has always dreamed of.
Review:
The Family You Make had joy, heartache, laughter and hope laced throughout the pages. With a story that was filled with richness and depth, intricate characters and a happily ever after, this book had it all. Fans of adult romance, fake dating and emotional stories should definitely add this book to their tbr!
“I didn’t want you to get hurt,” he said quietly, sucking in a breath when she applied pressure. She didn’t want to react to his statement, but she honestly couldn’t remember when anyone had done such a thing for her, stranger or otherwise.
The beginning of this story had me glued to every single word. As someone who snowboards on the weekends and lives in the Lake Tahoe area where this story takes place I now have a new fear of gondolas LOL! But the beginning completely pulled me in and I was obsessed. With Jane and Levi finding themselves in a life or death situation on a gondola, I was beyond nervous for them. And even injured, Levi tried to crack jokes and I couldn’t stop smiling. So when Levi called his family to say goodbye, he couldn’t do it. He told them instead that he was finally happy and had a girlfriend named Jane. But then Jane and Levi ended up surviving, and their lives would never be the same again.
His laugh floated down to her. “Thoughts you weren’t afraid of anything.”
Turned out, she was afraid of plenty, including how just looking at him could change the rhythm of her heart.
Jane was the queen of running. She didn’t ever stick around long enough to form attachments, or for her to be told she wasn’t wanted anymore. Which suited her perfectly because that was how her childhood went. She was shuffled from one place to the next and it hardened her heart. So going into this story, I’m so glad Sam @ WLABB told me to have patience with Jane. Because she desperately needed that from not only those in her life, but from us the reader too. Her past had damaged her, and she didn’t see herself worthy in others eyes. Her walls were impossibly high. But as the story started to unfold, Jane realized that others did care for her, and want her in their lives. That she had formed friendships with Charlotte, Cat and even Levi. She just wasn’t sure what to do with that, especially when it came to Levi.
“Maybe another time.” “Why?” “You’re not ready.” And then he walked off. She found herself watching him go. “When will I be ready?” He turned and caught her staring at his ass, and the smile hit his mouth. “Maybe sooner than I thought.”
I loved Levi right away. Even when he was fighting for consciousness in the beginning, he cracked me up. He was so charming, but like Jane, he also felt alone. Levi was different from his family. Even though they loved him deeply, he hadn’t ever fit in. And with a heartache past, he tried to distance himself from those that cared for him. So Levi had a lot of healing to do too. But being back in Sunrise Cove, he started to find life again and mend relationships with his mom, dad, sister and even an old best friend. I loved every single thing about Levi. He was patient, kind, sweet, caring, thoughtful and considerate. Sigh.
She put her hands on her cheeks. “Are you always such a flirt?” “No.” “So why me?” He smiled at her. “Because when I’m with you, I feel like . . . me.” Everything inside her softened at that.
I couldn’t stop smiling when Levi and Jane were together. They were both outcasts in a way, and understood one other. And with a life or death situation pushing them to a friendship, I loved watching how they progressed. They were comfortable around each other and it all felt so seamless. So when they continued “dating”, to keep up the lie to Levi’s family, I absolutely loved it! Throw in Levi’s in your face family that pulled some funny antics, and friends that cared deeply for them, this story rounded out so well. There was a side story about Jane’s good friend, Charlotte, who she stayed with when she was in Tahoe. And their neighbor/coworker Mateo, who had a tie into Levi’s life. I absolutely loved their story too and was rooting for them to have a HEA since we got a few povs from them also.
“This is just a kiss,” she informed him, her voice annoyingly soft and breathy. This had him laughing softly against her as he nibbled her lower lip, then sucked it into his mouth. Someone gasped. Her. Dammit.
Redemption in yourself comes in so many forms. Whether it was Levi, Jane to even Charlotte, they all needed that desperately. The Family You Make showed their emotional path to healing, friendship and love. This story was an emotional journey, I cried multiple times, and it took some longer than others to get there. But it ended with a fabulous epilogue years in the future and I closed the book oh so happy. I just love happily ever afters, and this book too!
She lifted her head again, suddenly having trouble drawing air into her lungs. “But you promised. You promised not to fall for me.” His gaze met hers, his own warm and loving. “Some promises are meant to be broken.”
PS The peaches…..I was dying laughing and had tears pouring down my face. Peyton, Levi’s niece, is the cutest!
*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
Three weddings. Three funerals. Alessa’s gift from the gods is supposed to magnify a partner’s magic, not kill every suitor she touches.
Now, with only weeks left until a hungry swarm of demons devours everything on her island home, Alessa is running out of time to find a partner and stop the invasion. When a powerful priest convinces the faithful that killing Alessa is the island’s only hope, her own soldiers try to assassinate her.
Desperate to survive, Alessa hires Dante, a cynical outcast marked as a killer, to become her personal bodyguard. But as rebellion explodes outside the gates, Dante’s dark secrets may be the biggest betrayal. He holds the key to her survival and her heart, but is he the one person who can help her master her gift or destroy her once and for all?
Emily Thiede's exciting fantasy debut, This Vicious Grace, will keep readers turning the pages until the devastating conclusion and leave them primed for more!
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Choose a Fonte.
Do not kill them.
Aplify their magic to save everyone and everything on Saverio—or become the first to die.
Forgive me if this review is a wonky, as I’m trying to shake off the rust. It’s been a minute since I wrote a review (family life and work really suck up all of my time and energy), but as soon as I finished this book I knew it was time to get back at it.
This Vicious Grace was the first book finished book of the year for me and what I imagine will be one of my favorites. It was a breath of fresh air in the YA fantasy realm, where I feel I’ve gotten much more picky and have a hard time being impressed. The fact that was by a debut author makes it even more surprising (and better)!
From the very first lines, I knew there was something about this book. The Finestra, Alessa, was mourning her third Fonte, who she had accidentally killed with her powers. As a chosen Finestra, her calling is to amplify a Fonte’s (partner) powers, in so to ward off a deadly attack on their country. Alessa’s touch is deadly to almost everyone else, and because of this, she is incredibly lonely. She is essentially royalty, but she is not respected or loved, and with a third Fonte’s death, support is waning for her.
She’d give anything for a hand to hold. Or a hug. She would kill for a hug. Literally.
After an attempt is made on her life and her guards help her attacker escape, Alessa decides to make some changes. It is during a trip out of to the seedier parts of her city that she meets Dante. Dante, with his tough exterior and slightly less tough interior, eventually agrees to be Alessa’s bodyguard until it’s time for her to take her next Fonte and face the evils headed to test them.
And for the first time in an incredibly long time, Alessa is no longer lonely. She is making connections and remembering how to feel again. Slowly, her personality comes out and she grows into her role as Finestra. Alessa’s growth as a character was really lovely to read. Her struggles, her vulnerabilities further solidified just how strong and caring she is. This really shines as we meet a host of side characters and I couldn’t believe how much I came to enjoy them as I got to know them.
“I can’t blame anyone for keeping their distance.”
He gave her a level stare. “Then let them walk around you.”
There’s some twists and turns as the final battle nears and I found myself desperate to get to the end. I needed to know who was going to be OK and who wouldn’t be so lucky. It honestly reminded me a lot of Mockingjay – a battle leaves a lot of scars (physically and emotionally) and sacrifices can have a lot of unintended consequences. I think the author really scraped the surface of the fallout from the main battle and set up the next book quite well.
“You’re the hero. I’m just asking a girl to hold my hand.”
Sorry I’m getting vague here, but I don’t want to spoil anything. But if you’re looking for a unique world, a slow-ish burn romance, a soft yet fierce MC, a snarky and tortured main boy, lovable side characters and a found family trope, then you’re in the right place. I’m super excited to see what happens next. I truly hope this isn’t another series where I loved the first book and am totally disappointed by the sequel. I know only time will tell. But overall I was a huge fan of Alessa, Dante, all their friends and of this book as a whole. I know I’m writing this book review in January and it doesn’t even come out until June, but don’t sleep on this book.
The Sweetheart Deal (Blossom Glen #1)
You Deserve Each Other by 
The Best Men (
The Family You Make (
This Vicious Grace (
