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BOOK REVIEW: Blush (Black Rose #1) by Helen Hardt

January 27, 2023 / Jen / 0 Comments

Blush (Black Rose #1)
by Helen Hardt
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
What he wants from you will make you…Blush

Amanda Thomas is hopelessly in love with Jackson Paris, but he will never see her as anything more than his sweet and innocent bestie. After being virgin-adjacent for too long, Mandy is officially ready to move on. She wants to learn about hot, dirty sex, so she joins an online dating app where the enigmatic Mr. Dark promises to fulfill all of her wicked fantasies...

Jackson Paris has been keeping secrets from his stunning, too-innocent best friend―like forbidden sexual proclivities and his membership at the exclusive Black Rose Underground club. But Mandy has decided she needs an education―the filthy kind. As Mr. Dark, Jackson can safely give her a taste of what she wants―and deter her from pursuing more―without revealing his identity.

But in the dim, provocative atmosphere of Black Rose Underground, there are no secrets. Here, every wicked appetite is satisfied. And for the first time, Mandy will discover who her best friend really is...just in time to shock him with a secret of her own.

Review:

Blush was an extremely seductive friends to lovers romance. Amanda Thomas had been in love with her best friend Jackson Paris for forever. With her sister getting married, Amanda was ready to change her life around. I was so excited for Mandy’s journey and for when Jackson would lead her into his world. Yet I never found a connection to Mandy, Jackson or their romance. The friends to lovers had all of the angst from Jackson, since he didn’t want to corrupt what they had. Or what he perceived was her innocence, even though Mandy was completely ready to go all in! So while there was a lot of push and pull, it wrapped up nicely with a one month look down the road and a happily for now. While the sex was erotic and the embodiment of empowering woman and their sexuality was shown, the nickname Jackson gave Mandy didn’t work for me at all. But so many other people fell head over heels in love with this book! So if you’re looking for an erotica that is friends to lovers, Blush may just be the book for you!

She’s going to be the undoing of me.
And it dawns on me.
I’m not afraid that she won’t like my dark side.
I’m afraid that she will.

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this publisher, provided by the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

BOOK REVIEW: The Backup Plan (Sunrise Cove #3) by Jill Shalvis

January 24, 2023 / Jen / 2 Comments

The Backup Plan (Sunrise Cove #3)
by Jill Shalvis
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
When Alice receives a call about an unexpected windfall, she’s stunned to learn the gift is a falling-apart-at-the-seams old Wild West B&B she once considered home—and she’s inherited it along with two strangers. Except they weren’t always strangers. Once upon a time, they were friends. One is her ex-BFF Lauren. The other is Knox, the only guy to ever break her heart, all while never even knowing she existed.

It turns out their lives are unknowingly entangled because they once separately helped the same woman without expecting anything in return. Years later, Alice, Lauren, and Knox are broken in their own way, with their own history—and secrets— causing them to start out on the wrong foot with each other. But according to the will, they must renovate and be partners in the inn for one year or else lose their inheritance.

Stuck together, they make a list of rules to keep the peace—rules that end up doing the opposite, but by some miracle they find what they didn’t even know they were looking for—acceptance, true friendship, and in a case (or two!), true love.

Review:

“And we are a trio, whether you like it or not,” Lauren said and pointed to Knox. “One.” She pointed to Alice. “Two . . .” She pointed to herself. “Three. See? A threesome—”

Knox choked on a soda.

“Not that kind of threesome!” Lauren turned back to the rules and wrote rule number twelve, all in caps:

NO FALLING IN LOVE!

The Backup Plan was a tale of friendship, love, forgiveness and healing. Three lost souls came together and filled this story with letters, a list of rules that you just knew were going to get broken, secrets and a dog named Pickle that will completely steal your heart! With emotions running high, memories around every corner and secrets that refused to stay buried, this book had so much going for it! If you love women’s fiction mixed with romance and friendship, then you may want this one on your tbr!

Her usual mantra was an automatic “I’m fine,” but she could pretend all she wanted, the truth was that deep down she wasn’t fine and she wasn’t living her best life.

Alice inherited one third of the Wild West B&B from Eleanor, which was where she grew up. Along with Knox, who she had crushed on in her younger years. And her ex-bff Lauren. Yet each of them were filled with secrets, and haunted by their pasts. There were so many unspoken words and at times it seemed like everything would just fall apart. Especially since they were so different from one another. But differences and pasts aside, they had to work together to fix up the inn and have it running in 30 days. This story alternated between the three of them, and it was an emotional, messy journey that was filled with tons of heart!

Alice: Warning— sleep with one eye open tonight.

Knox: Sorry, can’t hear you. We’ve got a bad connection.

Alice: THAT DOESN’T WORK WITH TEXTS!

Lauren let out a horrified laugh and covered her mouth. “You like poking at the bear?”

“I’m the bear. He’s poking at me.” She turned on a heel and went back to painting.

Alice could be hilarious with her dry humor, yet she was extremely closed off. She wanted to get the job done and leave this town behind. There were too many ghosts hanging around and things she didn’t want to face. So Alice was the most challenging one to like or click with. She didn’t want feel. She didn’t want to heal. She just wanted to keep going with her head barely above water. Yet that was no life to live. And as she spent time around Lauren and Knox, I saw that she could still care. That she could still feel. She remembered why Lauren was the way she was for certain things, and in moments like that it felt as though she was giving us the tiniest bit of connection between them. It was a fight with Alice from start to finish. But I was so happy to watch her grow!

Knox looked Alice over for a long moment, then reached out. And as if her hand were a part of someone else’s body, it latched onto his.

He gave her a small but warm smile and a squeeze, and for a moment she held on. He didn’t ask her if she was okay, for which she was grateful. Because she wasn’t. Not even close.

But maybe she could get there.

Lauren was Eleanor’s grandniece and I never understood why she wasn’t at the inn, or had a relationship with Eleanor. Especially since she was bffs with Alice in her younger years. But that wasn’t the first thing I wanted to know. I desperately wanted to understand what happened between Lauren and Alice. And as we got pieces of their past and it all came together, hold onto your heart. There was so much healing that needed to take place and things that needed to be aired out. Their road was extremely challenging. But I loved who Lauren was. Her pink, vegan ways will always stick with me. So I wished for her happily ever after too! I was cheering her on every step of the way!

“Are you baiting me for a reason?”

“Is that what I’m doing?”

He smiled at her innocent tone, not fooled for a second. “It’s that, or you’re flirting with me.”

That shut her up.

Then there was Knox who ran a successful contracting company. He was one of my favorites. I loved that he remembered Alice, and that you knew he wanted her. His actions and words towards Alice made me smile again and again. He was such a hard worker, kind and so easy to fall for. And his patience with Alice and her struggles was mind blowing amazing! But his past hurt my heart too. So when him or Lauren would click, or he could make headway with Alice, I was so happy for Knox!

Lauren’s To-do List

Water succulents.

Ask Ben out on date (I know this was you, Alice, and it’s not funny!)

It felt as though Alice, Lauren and Knox were alone and each of them was against the world. Yet when they came together, there was so much possibility. For a fresh start. For friendship. And love. I loved how they all bickered together. I loved how they started to feel like a family. But as things from their pasts came out and truths became known, there was so much to unpack. But with each obstacle, it slowly pulled them closer together. I even shed tears in a moment between Alice and Lauren. And I was grateful when there was laughter, like with that lipstick lol. Or when their Ground Rules grew! The story ended with a wonderful epilogue and a fabulous happily ever after for all. The Backup Plan was filled with so much heart and emotion, and I can’t wait to see what Jill Shalvis writes next!

Pickle chewed the vegan burger, then froze, the whites of his eyes showing . He made a “gak” sound and spit out the food.

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

BOOK REVIEW: The Curse of Ophelia (The Curse of Ophelia #1) by Nicole Platania

January 19, 2023 / Arielle / 3 Comments

The Curse of Ophelia (The Curse of Ophelia #1)
by Nicole Platania
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
The war is over.
The curse is lifted.
Malakai is gone.

It’s been two years since Ophelia has seen the boy she loves. When a treaty was signed ending the war and lifting the curse on Mystique Warriors, Malakai left to attempt the sacred ritual known as the Undertaking.

He never returned, and the Undertaking was forbidden. Ophelia’s world crumbled around her.

Since then, she has pursued a fruitless search for answers. When the deadly curse resurfaces only on her, Ophelia finds solace in the idea that when she dies, she may finally be reunited with her lost love. Then, a messenger appears, telling her that she alone may be the one to save her people.

With her closest friends by her side, Ophelia embarks on a race against death—one that will not only challenge her physically, but make her question the Mystique leaders, the Angels, and her belief in love.

Can she win the fight against fate before the curse takes her life, or will the betrayals exposed along the way kill her first?

With influence from Greek Mythology, this debut is the first in a New Adult Fantasy Romance series full of heart-wrenching love, shattering betrayals, and fighting for what you believe in. Fans of Throne of Glass, From Blood and Ash, and The Bridge Kingdom will love it.

Review

I’m back and ready to flail. As most of you know I have been reading Dramione NONSTOP for the past, ohhhhh, year and a half now. For all of December and the first half of this month I have been back to actual books and I am not stopping any time soon. I forgot how much I missed walking in the shoes of all of these different characters in all of these other worlds, so, so much. This book was no exception.

As the first of a series, I was gladly thrust into an entirely new world full of complex governing structures, territories where people excelled at different things, and even other kinds of beings. Honestly there’s still a bit I don’t quite understand in the bigger scheme of things but I think that was intentional as the journey we went on with our main group of characters was to a specific place with a specific purpose. I have a feeling that we’ll be seeing other lands and many more new characters as the series progresses.

Speaking of, while this story as a whole was a great balance of both plot and character-driven, I think the characters were my favorite part. I have always been that way. Obviously, a unique and well-developed plot (which this book definitely has) is very important but to me, having characters who are easy to relate to or even easy to love and hate is super important–always has been and always will be. Ophelia, our main character here is perfectly imperfect. She is a warrior at heart and because of that, she can be hot-headed and stubborn to a fault. Because she is still in a state of grief and mourning (a few different things) for the majority of this book, we get to see her as more than a larger-than-life Warrior figure–we see her humanity. We see her friends surrounding her, trying to help her and keep her sane. Cyph, Tolek, Rina, and even her sister Jezebel each play different roles in her life and keep her from breaking as best as they can. The found family trope is something that has always appealed to me because it means that these characters have CHOSEN to be a family. They don’t feel obligated because they are blood-related. they want to be there because…they just want to. I feel like I’m getting too deep into this but I just really love these characters so much, lol.

Anywayyyy this book has it all. Badass characters, romance that will make you ache, writing that I can’t believe came from a debut author, and a plot that I’m dying for more of. You won’t want to miss out on this one!

Huge thank you to Nicole Platania for allowing me to read an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!♥

BOOK REVIEW: Wake My Heart (Jasper Falls #1) by Lydia Michaels

January 17, 2023 / Jen / 4 Comments

Wake My Heart (Jasper Falls #1)
by Lydia Michaels
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
From bestselling and award winning author, Lydia Michaels, comes a small town romance readers will want to visit again and again!

Ryan Clooney moves to the outskirts of his small town and the last thing he expects to find is love, but once he meets Maggie, the beautiful, young widow next door, his plans change.

Maggie O’Malley is not looking for romance. Since losing her husband, she has withdrawn from small-town life and prefers to be left alone. But her new neighbor doesn’t seem to understand personal privacy, and the more he intrudes on her solitary world, the less control she has over her heart.

Determined to charm Maggie, Ryan pulls out all the stops. But once real emotion gets involved, things go too far and Maggie has a difficult decision to make.

Review:

Wake My Heart was an emotional tale of loss, hope, friendship and love. This adult romance was an emotional powerhouse set in a heartwarming small town setting. This was my first book by Lydia Michaels, and once I finished that last page I went and added her other books to my tbr! She’s an author who I’m looking forward to reading more of in the future!

Everyone was so concerned about her progress and closure, as if it were that easy.
Didn’t they know her heart had been ripped to shreds? Sometimes things were too messy to simply close.

Maggie O’Malley had lost her husband in a car accident two years ago. And was still drowning in her grief. She visited his grave-site every morning, tried her best to push those she loved away, and was struggling to survive each day that she was still alive. The sorrow that seeped out of her was so intense and I kept my fingers crossed she would get some counseling or help. Because she desperately needed it. So when she met her new neighbor, Ryan Clooney, she was cold and short with him. He was just trying to help her, but she wanted no part of it. Yet there was something special about Ryan, and his arrival marked the beginning of Maggie’s life starting to change.

“But I’m not. When Nash died, I died with him.”
“That’s not true.”
“You don’t know me enough to argue otherwise.”
She was right, but Nash was dead and she was very much still alive.

Maggie was such a multi-faceted character. Her depression was consuming. Her life choices made me want to shake her throughout this story. Yet even though I struggled with her a lot, I loved Maggie. I wanted her to find happiness. I wanted her to be able to live again. Because she definitely wasn’t living. And I hoped Ryan would be the goodness that she needed to make her see that she desperately needed to make changes in her life. I was grateful that she had a kind boss and a loving sister who tried again and again to connect with her. So when Maggie started to make a few decisions that were for the better, I was cheering her on every step of the way!

“Where did you come from?” she whispered, her thoughts jumbled and lost somewhere between her memories and reality, between here and outer space.
“I just got here.” His stare held hers like a hug, warming her from the inside out.

I absolutely loved Ryan! He was my favorite character. He was helpful, sexy, kind *his offer to walk with her, cries* and I loved his huge family. But that man had no game when he ran into Maggie at her job lol! He made me smile, laugh and fall so hard for him. He tried countless times with Maggie, whether it was to help or be friendly, even though she would shut him down so many times. Thankfully he was persistent and had a kind heart. So he didn’t give up easily. So when he got Maggie to have fun or even smile, I felt Ryan’s joy flying from the pages!

“…. Not all emotions hurt, Maggie.”

The beginning of this story started out a little slow as we got to know both Maggie and Ryan, along with their town and families. And getting that solid foundation, wow, that led to an extremely powerful effect. It felt like we knew them and their world inside and out. That they were a part of us. So their emotions bled through the pages with an intensity that was consuming. As the story progressed and Maggie and Ryan had friendly moments together, oh my heart it was breathtaking and emotional. I still felt like they were walking on eggshells. But it was all part of the process. There was still so much healing that had to take place. And I hoped Ryan would continue to have all the patience in the world for Maggie, because she needed it!

“I have this fear that you’ll erase him.”
“What?”
Her brow pinched with regret. “The more time we spend together, the less I think of him.”
“Maggie, you can’t put that on me.”
“I know. But it’s what’s happening. I like this. But I feel like I’m losing pieces of myself the more we do this.”

This book was rounded out with so many fabulous side characters. Ryan’s family and extended family was humongous! And I realized that a lot of his relatives were in a completed series, The McCullough Mountain Series! So of course I went and added that first book, Almost Priest, to my tbr! Those people were heartwarming, boisterous, hilarious and I loved how much they loved each other but were also completely in each other’s business ha! That’s a series I’m looking to dive into!

When she pulled away, she looked up at him and whispered, “If you keep rescuing me like this, I’m going to forget how to save myself.”
“Who said you have to do it alone?”

Wake My Heart was filled with being brave, making amends, fresh starts, jealousy, friendship and love, this book was so fabulous! I loved the emotional side and it was impossible not to shed tears. I loved the laughter the large family brought. And I adored the small town this story was set in. I picked this book up because Lydia Michaels will be attending Apolllycon this year and I’m so happy I did. I can’t wait to meet her in person and read so many more of her books!

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

BOOK REVIEW: The Unhoneymooners (Unhoneymooners #1) by Christina Lauren

January 16, 2023 / Jen / 6 Comments

The Unhoneymooners (Unhoneymooners #1)
by Christina Lauren
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Olive Torres is used to being the unlucky twin: from inexplicable mishaps to a recent layoff, her life seems to be almost comically jinxed. By contrast, her sister Ami is an eternal champion...she even managed to finance her entire wedding by winning a slew of contests. Unfortunately for Olive, the only thing worse than constant bad luck is having to spend the wedding day with the best man (and her nemesis), Ethan Thomas.

Olive braces herself for wedding hell, determined to put on a brave face, but when the entire wedding party gets food poisoning, the only people who aren’t affected are Olive and Ethan. Suddenly there’s a free honeymoon up for grabs, and Olive will be damned if Ethan gets to enjoy paradise solo.

Agreeing to a temporary truce, the pair head for Maui. After all, ten days of bliss is worth having to assume the role of loving newlyweds, right? But the weird thing is...Olive doesn’t mind playing pretend. In fact, the more she pretends to be the luckiest woman alive, the more it feels like she might be.

Review:

The Unhoneymooners was a fun enemy to lovers that was so easy to binge. It was laugh worthy, smile worthy and the majority of the story took place in a beautiful tropical destination. This book would make the perfect beach read!

Ethan slides his gaze to me, clearly unconvinced. “I’m not going to kiss you again, just in case that’s what you were thinking this would lead to.”
Whowhatnow? The jackass. Gaping at him, I whisper-hiss, “I would honestly rather lick the bottom of my shoe than have your mouth on mine again.”

Olive constantly believed she had bad luck. Yet all of that changed on her twin’s wedding day. Olive and her nemesis, who was her future brother-in-law’s brother, were the only ones who weren’t violently ill from the wedding buffet. With an all-expense paid vacation to Maui, Ethan and Olive found themselves jetting off on their sibling’s honeymoon. Together.

“Look.” I nod to the horizon. “We aren’t lost at sea.”
He lets out a quiet “Wow.” And there, for a single breath, we give in to a really lovely moment of enjoying something together. Until Ethan decides to ruin it: “I hope you don’t drown out there.”
I smile down at him. “If I do, the husband is always a suspect.”

I have to talk about Ethan, because I was obsessed with him! Yes even Olive could acknowledge he was gorgeous. But there had always been this hate vibe going on between the two of them. It started from the first moment they met. Yet from the moment he pretended they were married on their vacation and kissed her forehead…. swoon. So when extenuating circumstances led them to continue the charade, I loved every minute of it. Pretending that they didn’t hate each other?! Yes please! Olive herself couldn’t even stop from swooning when Ethan turned on the charm. And in those moments, my heart was so happy when they would click at times. Especially since we would get to see how well he paid attention to her. But behind closed doors….ohhhh their bickering was addictive! They could be so hilarious without even trying!

“I can hear you thinking about that one word and reading more into it than I intended. You look great.” Once inside, he presses the button for the lobby and adds, “You always do.”
These three final words bound around my cranium before they absorb. I always look great? To who? Ethan?

I loved watching Olive go from hating Ethan to second guessing him, when they got along. Their relationship progressed in a way that left the reader more than invested and having to know what happened next. We got this story in just Olive’s voice and I loved watching her change from the beginning of the story to the end. She always seemed to think the worst of everything and I loved how distance from her life, the vacation and even Ethan allowed her to grow and made me so proud of her! Olive had a lot of obstacles on her way to happiness, but I loved how she became her biggest champion and her large family always had her back every step of the way.

Squinting, he says, “You’re a real seductress.”
“I hear that a lot.”
He coughs, and I swear I see Ethan Thomas battling a genuine smile.
And I get it. As much as I hate him… I think I’m starting to like us.

With paintball fights, sexy massages, boat trips, and the beautiful scenery, The Unhoneymooners was a blast and absolutely hilarious! Between their charade, banter and deals made, I constantly found myself laughing every few pages. It was a book that will put a smile on your face, while also having deeper, emotional moments too. But the emotional side of it, ugh it wrecked me. So while this was easily five stars for the majority of the book, I struggled deeply with the conflict. It’s a personal preference and I have an extremely hard time when it happens within books. So hence the four star rating. But I loved the ending! With a grand gesture and an epilogue that gave us a look into the future, this book ended wonderfully.

Ethan and I are starting to build more of these good moments than bad; it sends the balance swinging into an unfamiliar direction.
And I think I really like it.
Which makes me incredibly uneasy.
“I still hate you,” I tell him, pushing a dark curl of hair off his forehead.
He nods. “I know you do.”