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BOOK REVIEW: Set on You by Amy Lea

May 13, 2022 / Jen / 8 Comments

Set on You by Amy Lea
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
A gym nemesis pushes a fitness influencer to the max in Amy Lea’s steamy debut romantic comedy.

Curvy fitness influencer Crystal Chen built her career shattering gym stereotypes and mostly ignoring the trolls. After her recent breakup, she has little stamina left for men, instead finding solace in the gym – her place of power and positivity.

Enter firefighter Scott Ritchie, the smug new gym patron who routinely steals her favorite squat rack. Sparks fly as these ultra-competitive foes battle for gym domination. But after a series of escalating jabs, the last thing they expect is to run into each other at their grandparents' engagement party.

In the lead up to their grandparents' wedding, Crystal discovers there’s a soft heart under Scott’s muscled exterior. Bonding over family, fitness, and cheesy pick-up lines, they just might have found her swolemate. But when a photo of them goes viral, savage internet trolls put their budding relationship to the ultimate test of strength.

Review:

Set on You was a heartwarming debut! With a fun take on the enemies to lovers trope, I devoured this book in two sittings. And this slow burn romance had humor, romance and heart in the pages, making it a fabulous combination! If you love adult romance and enemies to lovers, you may want to have this one on your tbr!

“What’s your name?” The words tumble out of my mouth before I even register what I’m saying. Why do I care to know his legal name? Squat Rack Thief suits him just fine.

I hold my breath, awaiting his answer.

Amused, he opens his mouth, but no words come out. Instead, he just strides away.

Crystal Chen was a curvy fitness influencer whose content was uplifting while also trying to smash gym stereotypes, which I loved. After dealing with a bad breakup, Crystal kept running into a man at the gym who not only ruined the videos she was recording, but seemed to antagonize her at the same time. It was hate and lust at first sight. But after multiple run-ins at the gym, Crystal and Scott ended up meeting at their grandparents engagement party. Saying they were both shocked was an understatement! And that moment led their relationship down a different path, where I couldn’t wait to see what happened next!

The universe is officially conspiring against me. I must have done some seriously messed-up shit in a past life.

My first impression of Scott Ritchie was that he was a a complete and total douchebag, ha! But when Scott got Crystal back in that first chapter, I was laughing so hard I couldn’t help but be intrigued by him! Especially when we saw that he could be nice……just not to her lol. I should have hated Scott, for Crystal’s sake, but that wasn’t happening. He made me crack up way too much. And the more we got to see who firefighter Scott was, it was impossible not to fall head over heels in love with him!

It might be evil, but I want to break him. I want to watch him lose all restraint.

Crystal was strong willed and tried her hardest! I absolutely loved how she was so positive about her body and health, but it shocked me that she could be so negative about males and love. So because of that, her little faith or trust in men definitely made me nervous if she would let Scott in all the way. And while she did stumble at times, it was heartwarming to watch her grow by the end of this novel.

I walk ahead a few paces, forcing my mouth into a neutral state. I’m smiling like a child at Disneyland and I refuse to let him see it. I’m enjoying non-hate-filled banter with him far more than he needs to know.

Crystal and Scott together were addictive. I loved the games they played with each other, they were laugh out loud worthy and it made their enemies to lovers romance so much fun! And when they did get physical, oh wow, it was smoking hot. But as the story progressed, mistakes were made. So I was happy to see that apologies happened and allowed me to forgive and move on. I also loved how we got to read Crystal’s Instagram posts and see a few of the comments on each of her posts. And I absolutely loved both of their grandparents with my whole heart. They were so adorable!

There’s a fragility in the way he’s looking at me, truly at me. As if he’s inviting me in, allowing me to see into the depths of his soul. Every guy I’ve ever been with would already have my pants off right now, but he’s treating me like I’m something to be cherished, savored.

Set on You was a wonderful debut! With enemies to lovers, steamy scenes, fun banter and wonderful side characters, this story was fabulous! While I did have some hiccups with Crystal, I was so happy that by the end of the book we got to see how far she had come and grew! Plus we were given an epilogue that gave us a happily ever after! I closed this book excited to read whatever Amy Lea releases next!

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

BOOK REVIEW: Daughter of the Pirate King (Daughter of the Pirate King #1) by Tricia Levenseller

May 6, 2022 / Chelsea / 4 Comments

Daughter of the Pirate King (Daughter of the Pirate King #1)
by Tricia Levenseller
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
There will be plenty of time for me to beat him soundly once I’ve gotten what I came for.

Sent on a mission to retrieve an ancient hidden map—the key to a legendary treasure trove—seventeen-year-old pirate captain Alosa deliberately allows herself to be captured by her enemies, giving her the perfect opportunity to search their ship.

More than a match for the ruthless pirate crew, Alosa has only one thing standing between her and the map: her captor, the unexpectedly clever and unfairly attractive first mate, Riden. But not to worry, for Alosa has a few tricks up her sleeve, and no lone pirate can stop the Daughter of the Pirate King.

“This would be the key I so carelessly dropped,” he says.
“Strange, that.”
He sighs. “Alosa, what are you even doing out here?”
“You’ve kidnapped me. What do you think I’m doing out here?”
“The rowboats are over there.” He points to the opposite side of the ship. “So why would you be lollygagging around my door?”
“I wanted to kill my captors before I left.”
“How’d that work out for you?”
“Still working on it.”

Here’s the thing: Not every book has to be transcendent to be addictive to you, to make you love it and think about it tirelessly. This book was just that. I have been wanting to read DOTPK for years and just never could commit. Turns out, I just love a good ‘pirate’ romance. They are legit (the good ones) so far and few between. I have yet to find the level of obsession I found with Fable and To Kill a Kingdom, but I’d like to think that’s simply because those books are virtually impossible to copy or do better. I know one friend (the best, actually) didn’t care for TKAK as I did, but such is life and she can

*her*

The more you know, eh? Well, either way, these books are hard to mimic and I found this to be a lighter (until it’s not (book two ew, wtf)) version with variations of those favorites. I’m picky and I like what I like.

“I am me because I choose to be me. I am what I want. Some people say you have to find yourself. Not I. I believe we create ourselves to be what we want. Any aspect of ourselves that we do not like can be altered if we make an effort.”

I’ll admit I feel clinical, atm, about reviewing. I want to do it-I want justice for these books I’m reading, but I am having a very rough time and I find it hard to produce anything other than what is required, and for that I’m sorry. But here are some of the things I loved about this one:

-The Male Lead (obviously)
-The Banter
-The way our heroine was just a little shit but I loved it
-The scene at the end involving the bad guys and our two mains (okay, probably the main reason this got a five-I am nothing if not consistent with loving terrible things happening)
-The Slow-Burn with little payoffs
-The day to day feel. I just love that. I always have. Not overly rushed.

And really, honestly, that is the sum of its parts, for me. And-my GOD-the way my two year old is CLANKING AROUND in the background with my already tired eyes is too much so I will end it here. This book was very good without taking itself too seriously. We got the funny, the dialogue, the more serious moments, and the author didn’t shy away from somewhat intense situations (I love that and I really need this attention to detail to like a lighter story). So, if you are looking for a fun read, this is it.

View all my reviews

BOOK REVIEW: The Awakening (Zodiac Academy #1) by Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti

May 4, 2022 / Chelsea / 2 Comments

The Awakening (Zodiac Academy #1)
by Caroline Peckham, Susanne Valenti
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
You have been selected to attend Zodiac Academy, where your star sign defines your destiny.

If you're one of the Fae, elemental magic is in your blood. And apparently it's in ours. As twins born in the month of Gemini, we're a rare breed even in this academy of supernatural a-holes.

Changelings were outlawed hundreds of years ago but I guess our birth parents didn't get the memo. Which means we're totally unprepared for the ruthless world of Fae.

Air. Fire. Water. Earth.

No one has ever harnessed all four of them, until we arrived. And it hasn't made us any friends so far.

As the rarest Elementals ever known, we're already a threat to the four celestial heirs; the popular, vindictive bullies who happen to be some of the hottest guys we've ever seen. It doesn't help that they're the most dangerous beasts in the Academy. And probably on earth too.

Our fates are intertwined, but they want us gone. They've only got until the lunar eclipse to force us out and they'll stop at nothing to succeed.

We never knew we had a birthright to live up to but now that we do, we intend to claim our throne.

We can't expect any help from the faculty when it comes to defending ourselves. So if the dragon shifters want some target practice, the werewolves want someone to hunt or the vampires fancy a snack then we have to be ready. But we've been looking after each other for a long time and fighting back is in our blood.

Today's horoscope: totally screwed.

I took a slow breath as I tried to process it all. “So what do you think me and Tory are, sir?” I asked, nervous of the answer.
He drummed his fingers on the desk then swallowed the last of his drink. “Trouble,” he muttered and I stiffened.

I think it goes without saying that I’ve lost my mind because this is exactly everything I avoid in a book or series when I have said head on shoulders correctly. That’s not to say I never WOULD have read this back in the day, perhaps when I didn’t know any better, but this is so far out of my realm right now that even I am shocked that I chose to go this route.

I won’t lie and say I’m feeling normal again-because I’m not-but I will say that I am desperate for some normalcy and sometimes digging deep and finding something that works for you in that particular moment in time is of paramount importance for personal defense and mental health. Do I condone this sort of bullying? I mean, no. Do I find this realistic whatsoever? No. Is the writing everything I cringe about on a daily basis and avoid at all costs? Yes and No. Does that make this any less entertaining or addicting? Hell no. And here we are, me knee deep in the series and complete and utter trash for it.

He leaned an inch closer to me and the space between us burned hot with raw energy for a moment and I suddenly felt like I was caught in a hunter’s snare. The worst thing of all was that I didn’t even want to break free. He had me and in that second we both knew it.

I will admit I’m a writing snob and I do like certain types of writing more than others-I generally avoid the more childish narrative (this is borderline, to be fair, as I don’t find it childish as much as having horrid sayings, but that’s a slippery slope as only I know writing styles that bother me). When I saw this pop up, though, I immediately decided I needed to read it. I think I have passed on it 100x because, as I said-Snob. But sometimes….ya just gotta let the reigns go-And I’m having literally the best time binge reading and it’s helping me get through these rather rough days as of late.

“Do you have a pirate fetish or something?” I blurted, eyeing the coins and gold with confusion.
“What?” he asked, his scowl somehow defying the laws of physics and finding a way to deepen.
“Well you’re half naked in a bed full of coins so either you’re doing something with them or putting them somewhere… inaccessible while fully dressed or I missed the memo about your enrolment in Captain Silver’s new fleet.”

^^DYING at the way these two GOAD these monsters.
I LIVE FOR IT >.<

It also helps-mind you-that I asked my bestie who the endgame ships are (I MUST KNOW OR I RAGE) so I could focus on the subtle nuances, the way certain characters interacted so I could lap it up instead of doing the age old ‘ah man, I wish I had known all this so I could have immersed more and now I have to re-read it’. We never re-read it. Never. Not hardly, anyway. Such is life and it’s an absolute fucking tragedy.

“You really don’t know anything do you?” he asked. “This is how my kind regenerate our power; from gold.”
“Oh.” I frowned at the coins again as I processed that. “So are you Order of pirate then? Do you transform into a one legged man with an eyepatch, a hankering for rum and a pet parrot?”

^So much joy.

THAT BEING SAID-I am LIVING for the moments between x and y because they are horrendous but oh so steamy (yes I am almost done with book two, so I can almost look past the murderous vibes (don’t judge me))

and moments between y and z because they clearly were meant to be, okay, and he’s not quite as abhorrent-though I am loving his absolute childish snark and off-handed way of barking orders at people.

And this is so important. I am finding more and more that for the nourishment of my health I need a good monthly or bi-monthly dose of sticky, ooey-gooey, passionate, and sickly-sweet trash. I don’t know where this came from-and so suddenly-but I blame covid wholeheartedly as that DRAGGED me out of my two year YA fantasy/fantasy win streak and threw me into a two month long contemporary streak and then, inevitably, led me to Crave (which I have avoided for years) (talk about a childish book , and yet, I loved it, too until I SAW MY GUY I FELL FOR GOT FUCKED OVER DIE A FIERY BURNING DEATH YES THIS IS WHAT I WAS REFERRING TO ABOVE I DO NOT GO IN BLIND FOR THIS REASON EVER DO YOU SEE WHY)…and now to this abomination of absolute fucking obsession that I did not want nor did I prepare for but I’ve chosen to embrace it. I think it’s going well.

So no, I do NOT care that the girls embrace others than they are meant to be with and NO I do not care that there are murderous moments without actual murder and NO I do not care that there is bullying I JUST WANT TO LIVE IN IT and thus is why I needed to know things ahead of time because now? Now I get to sit back and relax and enjoy this drama. I am cool as an icy demented cucumber.

And, I must say, though it’s not the level of fantasy writing I generally enjoy or strive to find, I don’t find it all that bad-I actually kind of enjoy the writing style and I don’t even get turned off by the cheesy horrendous catch phrases because it’s not horribly written in the least surrounding them. See? I can be civil and I can be fair. I can see reason. Where Crave had a definite ‘juvenile’ written feel, though extremely enjoyable, this series seems to have a higher level of footing, in my opinion. I do so love my toxic sludge, sometimes.

What’s the worst that can happen in a library anyway?
Tell that to the guy who was killed by Colonel Mustard with the candlestick.

So. Thus is my crazy life and this series is breathing life into it. I can’t say if I will love them all…but for now, they are my life force and they are addicting as all get out. I have a feeling that if these stay even A LITTLE close to the momentum they’re at now, I may very well be a fangirl by the end of the month. You’ve been warned.

FRIEND SCALE:

aRiElLe-You know.
Cassie-I don’t think so. Not because you couldn’t love it, but don’t think you like toxic or bullying. I do lol
Anna-You don’t like Toxic but man I’d laugh at your reactions.
Jen-Probably lol I’d say if you knew ahead of time you’d like this as much as me.

RELEASE BLITZ & GIVEAWAY: Fauxmance by Cookie O’Gorman

April 28, 2022 / Jen / 6 Comments

I absolutely adored Fauxmance! You’ll definitely want to enter this giveaway, and you can also can check out my Five Star Review here. Enjoy ♥!

Fauxmance
Cookie O’Gorman
Publication date: April 28th 2022
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult

Fauxmance (fow-mans): Term for a romantic relationship that is fake. Real feelings, like love, are strictly prohibited. See also: Why would anyone enter a fake relationship?

Eighteen-year-old Magnolia believes in true love.

Or she did.

When her boyfriend dumps her the day before her sister’s wedding, Maggie is devastated—but her broken heart is only part of the problem. Maggie is the maid of honor, and her sister insists: Every member of the bridal party must have an escort. No exceptions.

Thank goodness for Hayden Davenport.

Sarcastic, cocky, a surprisingly good listener and self-professed player, when Maggie gets stuck in an elevator with the handsome stranger, she thinks she’s found the perfect wedding date. Unfortunately, Hayden hates weddings. Like really hates them.

But one soul-shattering kiss changes everything.

Maggie needs a fake boyfriend. Hayden wants to prove he’s changed his playboy ways. Faking it should be easy. The hard part?

Remembering it’s all pretend and not falling in love for real.

This book features two opposites with sizzling chemistry, a sweet, hopeless romantic and a cynical bad boy who’ll steal your heart. Elevators, fake romance, and weddings, oh my! Get ready to swoon, laugh, and say ‘I do’ to this heartfelt YA romance.

Goodreads / Amazon

Excerpt:

“Want to know the worst part?”

Hayden nodded, and I laid my head against his shoulder. There was no way I’d be able to say this next bit while looking at him. Even without eye contact, I didn’t know if I’d be able to admit it out loud.

“He’s the only guy I’ve ever kissed,” I whispered.

“Seriously?” Hayden asked.

I gave a short nod. “Yep. We were so young when we got together. I thought he was the one. But today, when he let me go, there weren’t any tears. There was no regret in his voice. He just looked relieved.”

It was silent for a moment.

“I guess it doesn’t matter anyway. Kissing is overrated.”

Hayden leaned away, lifting my head so I had to look at him.

“Why do you say that?” he asked.

“People always make it sound so amazing,” I said. “Kisses are supposed to cause fireworks, make you hear symphonies, touch you on a soul-deep level. I used to believe all the hype. I was a hopeless romantic through and through.”

I shrugged.

“But my first kiss wasn’t like that. Actually, no kiss I had after was like that either. Like I said, it’s overrated.”

Hayden shook his head, his eyes suddenly serious.

“That’s awful,” he said.

“No, they were pleasant enough, just nothing to write home about.”

“I kind of want to find Sean, so I can kick his ass.”

I laughed. “Oh, it wasn’t him. Sean liked kissing fine. I always figured it was me. That I was defective or something.”

Hayden put a hand on my cheek.

“It wasn’t you, Magnolia.”

I nodded but didn’t really believe it. Hayden couldn’t know that. He was just trying to make me feel better.

“I’m serious,” he said.

“Yeah okay.”

“Let me prove it to you.”

My brows pinched together. “How are you going to do that?”

“I’m going to kiss you,” he said.

Anything I was about to say left me. My brain went totally blank. What were words again?

“If you still think kissing’s overrated after that, okay. I’ll retire my player card for good.” Hayden’s eyes went to my lips, and they tingled in response. “That won’t happen, though.”

I swallowed to clear my throat. “How can you be sure?”

“Because I’m going to do my best to please you.”

He nodded.

“And between you and me, Magnolia, I’m a very good kisser.”

I sent him a soft smile. “You’re so conceited.”

“Not conceited if it’s the truth,” he said.

“Some of the things you say should annoy me, but for some reason I find it charming.”

“That’s good. You have to be at least a little attracted to me, or this won’t work.”

No problem there, I thought.

Hayden seemed to be reading my mind, but I hoped he didn’t know just how attractive I found him. It was way too much for the short period of time we’d spent together. And I was pretty sure the attraction was one-sided. Although…he wasn’t opposed to kissing me. That meant he must’ve found me somewhat desirable, right? Still. He might just be doing this because he saw it as a challenge.

“Well, I wouldn’t get your hopes up,” I said. “Sean once told me I wasn’t very responsive.”

Hayden scoffed. “Don’t worry. Unlike your ex, I actually have skills.”

I felt my breath hitch as he slowly leaned forward.

“I just don’t want to disappoint you,” I breathed.

Hayden’s gaze locked on mine. “This isn’t about me. It’s about you.”

The air between us grew thick as his eyes went back to my lips.

“And you could never disappoint me,” he said. “I’ve wanted to kiss you ever since we got on this elevator.”

About Cookie O’Gorman:

Cookie O’Gorman writes YA & NA romance to give readers a taste of happily-ever-after. Small towns, quirky characters, and the awkward yet beautiful moments in life make up her books. Cookie also has a soft spot for nerds and ninjas. Her novels ADORKABLE, NINJA GIRL, The Unbelievable, Inconceivable, Unforeseeable Truth About Ethan Wilder, The Good Girl’s Guide to Being Bad, The Kissing Challenge (YA novella), WALLFLOWER, and CUPCAKE are out now! She is also the author of NA sports romances, The Best Mistake and The Perfect Play. Her newest release FAUXMANCE is coming on April 28, 2022!

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BOOK REVIEW: Fauxmance by Cookie O’Gorman

April 27, 2022 / Jen / 4 Comments

Fauxmance by Cookie O'Gorman
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Fauxmance (foh-mans): Term for a romantic relationship that is fake. Real feelings, like love, are strictly prohibited. See also: Why would anyone enter a fake relationship?

Eighteen-year-old Magnolia believes in true love.

Or she did.

When her boyfriend dumps her the day before her sister's wedding, Maggie is devastated—but her broken heart is only part of the problem. Maggie is the maid of honor, and her sister insists: Every member of the bridal party must have an escort. No exceptions.

Thank goodness for Hayden Davenport.

Sarcastic, cocky, a surprisingly good listener and self-professed player, when Maggie gets stuck in an elevator with the handsome stranger, she thinks she's found the perfect wedding date. Unfortunately, Hayden hates weddings. Like really hates them.

But one soul-shattering kiss changes everything.

Maggie needs a fake boyfriend. Hayden wants to prove he's changed his playboy ways. Faking it should be easy. The hard part?

Remembering it's all pretend and not falling in love for real.

This book features two opposites with sizzling chemistry, a sweet, hopeless romantic and a cynical bad boy who'll steal your heart. Elevators, fake romance, and weddings, oh my! Get ready to swoon, laugh, and say 'I do' to this heartfelt YA romance.

Review:

Fauxmance was absolutely adorable and so much fun! With laugh out loud and sigh worthy moments, this heartwarming story became a quick favorite! And with a fun and flirty vibe, this was YA at its best! If you’re looking for a young adult romance that will keep you smiling and laughing, you definitely need this book in your life!

“Let me prove it to you.”
My brows pinched together. “How are you going to do that?”
“I’m going to kiss you,” he said.
Anything I was about to say left me. My brain went totally blank. What were words again?
“If you still think kissing’s overrated after that, okay. I’ll retire my player card for good.” Hayden’s eyes went to my lips, and they tingled in response. “That won’t happen, though.”
I swallowed to clear my throat. “How can you be sure?”
“Because I’m going to do my best to please you.”

After Magnolia got dumped by her longtime boyfriend, the day before her sister’s wedding, she was lost without an escort. And her sister was a stickler for how she wanted her wedding to run. Thankfully fate intervened and Magnolia found herself stuck in an elevator with Hayden. And while there was definitely a connection, and lots of chemistry with a swoon worthy kiss, Hayden was completely against weddings. Except Hayden needed to prove he was no longer a player and Magnolia desperately needed a date. What could be the harm of fake dating each other to get what they both wanted?

As he leaned back, Hayden gave me a soft smile. “Don’t sound so worried. I’m going to be the perfect fake boyfriend.”
I didn’t tell him then— but that was exactly what I was worried about.

You will passionately fall in love with Hayden! He was beyond sigh worthy. With a bad boy, cynical vibe, I loved his cocky ways! But he could also make me laugh so hard. Messing up names, comparing Magnolia to his grandma, honestly there was so much uniqueness to Hayden that I loved learning everything there was about him! Especially his sweet side, like how he would stand up for Magnolia or say wonderful things about her. He could be such a good guy. Cookie O’Gorman created another book boyfriend that I was completely obsessed with!

“I couldn’t stop thinking about you,” he said, and my heart tried to escape my chest— right up until he added, “Your strange fear of peeps and how you refuse to eat without a napkin really made an impression.”
“Ha ha,” I said.

I loved Magnolia with my whole heart! She was definitely someone you would want to be bff with. She was so honest, but at the same time she cracked me up. With always having her sister’s back and her heartfelt dreams of being a bridesmaid, Magnolia was so adorable! I loved the relationship she had with her mom, I loved that she went to therapy and I loved what a good, kindhearted person she was! So watching how far she grew from that first page to the last warmed my heart!

I caught myself staring at Hayden’s hands as he drove— the same hands that had gripped my waist and tucked my hair behind my ear. My gaze moved to his lips, and I shivered. I could still feel the imprint of them on my skin.

Magnolia and Hayden were definitely opposites in quite a few ways. I loved how she tried her best to be positive whereas Hayden no problems putting it all out there and being realistic. But their interactions together had me laughing so hard at times I couldn’t breathe. So with gestures that were smile inducing, second hand embarrassment that made you feel everything, and moments that will make you gasp out loud, this is the type of book that you can easily devour in one sitting! And with fake dating laced throughout the pages, just try your hardest not to smile from beginning to end!

But what if it could’ve been more? my mind whispered.
Shaking the thought off, I got back to work.

Fauxmance was swoon worthy, giggle inducing and impossible to put down! I literally squeaked, gasped, laughed and screamed out loud while reading this story. It was entertaining, captivating and the epilogue was the cutest! If you adore young adult romance, or the fake dating trope, you definitely need to meet Magnolia and Hayden!

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