Author: Sarina Bowen (Page 2 of 5)

BOOK REVIEW: Shenanigans (Brooklyn #6) by Sarina Bowen

March 15, 2022 / Arielle / 1 Comment

Shenanigans (Brooklyn #6)
by Sarina Bowen
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
What I meant to do in Vegas: Let my hair down for once and celebrate winning a medal at my first women’s hockey all-stars competition.

What I actually did: Got senior prom drunk and woke up married to Brooklyn’s star winger, the great Neil Drake.

He’s the heir to a billion dollars, and I barely survived my childhood. Our friendship is based strictly only on hockey, takeout food and smack talk.

And now holy matrimony. Although we both know it can’t last, especially once his evil family gets wind of our Vegas shenanigans…

Contains: Meddling teammates, meddling parents, ugly jewelry and a pretend-kiss that nearly sets the world on fire.

Review

I have been salivating over this book now since I finished the last page of Bombshells. The dynamic that Charli and Neil have had since their very first meeting TOPPED with a drunken marriage in Vegas? Perfection. Sign me the hell up.

What I had not anticipated exactly was how fucking dreamy Cornelius Drake III was. What a King. And Charli? I knew there was always going to be more to peel back from that gruff and tough outer layer that no one has yet been able to see behind and I couldn’t wait to find out what that “more” was.

One of the real kickers in their relationship, too, was their financial situations. The one thing that is consistently known to cause the most stress in a person’s life and relationships of all kinds. Neil was an ACTUAL billionaire while Charli was used to just barely scraping by her entire life. Pile on a family of old money who is used to burying “embarrassing” or “unsavory” headline producing incidents and we’ve got some good fuel for the angst fire part of this story. But one thing you need to know is that Neil is generous. That man. He may use his billionaire powers to get what he wants sometimes but he’s also a guy who was refusing to get new furniture even though the stuff he currently owned was unbearable to sit on, because he’s a person who hates waste and wants to try to minimize it as much as he can (which you know, since he actually has the resources to help make those kinds of changes in the world, I’m sure he’ll do everything in his power to actually achieve it).

ANYWAY what I’m trying to say is that Neil Drake is a stand up guy. The things he does to win over Charli in this book….and even then some of the things she does for him..made my heart ache in the best way. Charli has lived a pretty hard life and has been surrounded by some pretty terrible people so the fact that Neil was able to worm his way into her softer interior until he was able to burrow his way into her heart should be pretty telling. I’m over here PRAYING for a Vera book because I just can’t be done with the Bruisers or Bombshells yet–I really can’t.

P.s. The scene where the guys are watching the Bombshells’ game is my favorite.

Huge thanks to Tuxbury Publishing LLC for allowing me to read an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!♥

BOOK REVIEW: The Best Men (The Best Men #1) by Sarina Bowen, Lauren Blakely

January 18, 2022 / Arielle / 2 Comments

The Best Men (The Best Men #1)
by Sarina Bowen, Lauren Blakely
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
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!♥

BOOK REVIEW: Boyfriend (Moo U #0) by Sarina Bowen

October 14, 2021 / Arielle / 1 Comment

BOOK REVIEW: Boyfriend (Moo U #0) by Sarina Bowen Boyfriend (Moo U #0)
by Sarina Bowen
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

A new hockey player to steal your heart this fall...

The dreamiest player on the Moo U hockey team hangs a flyer on the bulletin board, and I am spellbound:

Rent a boyfriend for the holiday. For $25, I will be your Thanksgiving date. I will talk hockey with your dad. I will bring your mother flowers. I will be polite, and wear a nicely ironed shirt…

Everyone knows it’s a bad idea to introduce your long-time crush to your messed-up family. But I really do need a date for Thanksgiving, even if I’m not willing to say why. So I tear his phone number off of that flyer… and accidentally entangle our star defenseman in a ruse that neither of us can easily unwind.

Who knew that Weston's family was even nuttier than mine? He needs a date, too, for the most uncomfortable holiday engagement party ever thrown.

There will be hors d'oeuvre. There will be faked PDA. And there will be pro-level awkwardness…

Boyfriend is a full-length book for Weston and Abbi!

Review

It should come as a surprise to ABSOLUTELY NO ONE that I absolutely loved this book. I was lucky enough to read every other Moo U book as an eARC and when I saw that the Queen of True North herself was going to be making an addition to the series???? Well, I was ecstatic.

You see, The Year We Fell Down was my first foray into the world of hockey romances and I have not looked back since. ALL of Bowen’s characters feel like home and family to me. Whether it be the entire town of Colebury, the Brooklyn Bruisers organization, or even Moo U. I know that if I’m going to be immersed into one of these stories, I WILL be leaving them fully satisfied.

And how come someone not? Abbi is a relatable, hard working college student just trying to work long enough to get a fat bonus at work to help with her rent. Weston is a pretty typical college jock– charismatic, hilarious, but also kind and willing to go the extra mile to make sure a person in need of a Thanksgiving date, has one LOL. Fake dating man. Who doesn’t love fake dating?

The best part about this book, in my own humble opinion, is that they start out purely as acquaintances from both of their time spent at the Biscuit, to partners in crime as a fake couple trying to deal with their respective families during the holidays, to friends, to so much more than that. They laid the best foundation they possibly could have for themselves, ESPECIALLY for someone like Weston who had seen first hand how messy a relationship and ship ensuing divorce could be. Then both just naturally fell in love and there wasn’t anything either of them could do to stop it. Serious love talk aside though, this book also had me howling with laughter as is typical of a Bowen book. She has some of the best banter and dialogue in romances that I’ve ever read. Top of the line stuff. HIGHLYYYY recommend.

Huge thanks to Sarina Bowen and Heart Eyes Press for allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion. ♥

BOOK REVIEW: Wildflower (Speakeasy Taproom #5) by Mae Wood

August 3, 2021 / Arielle / 0 Comments

Wildflower (Speakeasy Taproom #5)
by Sarina Bowen
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
When the prize is love, sometimes you get stung. But if you’re lucky, you just might hit the sweet spot…

Juliana Burton needs a medal at Speakeasy's beer festival to push her brand-new brewery into the spotlight. She thinks she knows how to do it, too--with a beer made exclusively from Vermont hops, barley and the best honey in the state. Too bad the only thing standing in her way is a six feet tall, smokin’ sexy, and her secret high school crush.

After a very public disaster in Boston, Riggs Lyon is home with his teenage son in tow. Riggs is taking over the family beekeeping business with an eye to offload it and start life over somewhere where "Lyin' Lyon" isn't a joke. Selling honey to Juliana doesn't make business sense. She can't afford the high prices Lyon honey fetches in specialty shops and farmer's markets. But somehow, he’s having trouble saying no to anything she asks for, whether it’s in the hive or in the bedroom.

Review

I am OBSESSED with this one!

I have always been a sucker for those stories when one of the characters has had a crush on the other for YEARS but things didn’t work out and they are able to come back together, years later, and finally connect. And actually even then it’s usually just a few years while they were away at college, whereas with these two it’s been about 20. I’ve actually read a few books/fics lately that feature characters who get a second chance at love when they’re in their 40s and I love it. Even if kids are involved, at that point they usually are old enough that they just want their parent to be happy and for the character themselves, they just know what they want out of life and they usually don’t want to waste time.

The two may get off to a semi-rocky start, mostly involving old family drama, but it doesn’t take long for things to come to a head. And when it does–phew. It’s hot. Again, at this point in both Juliana and Riggs’s lives, they know what they want (in this case in bed) and are not afraid to ask for what they want and give as good as they’ve got. That first scene between them was way hotter than I anticipated and I was very happy about it, lol.

Of course I did also enjoy seeing life on the Lyons’ apiary and Julie’s brewery coming to life and learning about what it means to be a solely woman run business, especially in an area that ALWAYS predominantly features beer-bros. Those ladies were so badass and I loved the process of naming the beers (EXCEPT I WANTED VERMOST TO STICK SO BAD LOL), brewing them, bringing them to the competitions, etc.

Once again a great addition to The World of True North!

Huge thanks to Heart Eyes Press for allowing me to read an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion ♥

BOOK REVIEW: Waylaid (True North #8) by Sarina Bowen

July 20, 2021 / Arielle / 4 Comments

BOOK REVIEW: Waylaid (True North #8) by Sarina Bowen Waylaid (True North #8)
by Sarina Bowen
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

It’s a tale as old as time: the bad boy meets the good girl. He makes a daring proposition. Then the boy gets a mysterious head injury and loses a year of his life…

The first time I meet Rickie, I don’t know what to make of him. The second time we meet, he doesn’t remember the six hours we spent together. Or standing me up afterward.

I’m not the same, either. I’ve got secrets. I’ve told lies. Bad boys aren’t my type, anyway. Even the ones with troubled gray eyes.

But now we’re roommates. Cue the awkward moments in the hallway when he’s wearing only a towel and a smile. He’s determined to win me over, and his talented hands weaken my resolve.

It’s all fun and games until my past rears its ugly head and his secrets come to light, shaking our fragile connection, maybe even breaking it…

Note: this is Daphne Shipley's story. Contents include Vermonty ice cream flavors, nerdy awkwardness, tattoos, and a playboy grandpa.

Review

I knew I needed a book about Rickie from the first time we laid eyes on him in Heartland. He was such an enigma to me and I knew that if we were to get a glimpse into what him, him that I would consume it in a day (I did).

I have said this in just about every True North review to this day but every time I start these books, I remember how good it feels to be back on the Shipley farm with one of my favorite fictional families in the entire universe. Right from the get go we see Rickie almost dying bc his poor body isn’t used to farm work quite yet (lol) and we see Daphne acting quite strange. Speaking of enigma’s, I have ALSO been dying to get Daphne’s story because she has always been the Shipley that I have feel the least connected to. I think it’s because when we first met Griffin she was still younger and she was in the background and then away at school ever since.

There was a tension between these two that we eventually find out stems from a meeting and budding friendship that Rickie knows nothing about. He went through some kind of traumatic injury years ago and just straight up can’t remember about an entire year of his life. I just KNEW right then and there that there was going to be some very delicious twists and turns in this book.

Boy was I right. As certain memories and even parts of Daphne’s past at Harkness start surfacing I began to have some suspicions about not only why Rickie’s memory was like it was, but who might be involved. I was right on somethings, wrong on others. The important part was how amazingly intricate it all was and how beautifully Bowen tied it all together. I was downright obsessed with the chemistry that Daphne and Rickie had, too. It was so hot and palpable.

The cherry on top was Daphne mending fences with her family after the entire truth came out AND of course Grandpa Shipley gettin’ some. LOL Love, love, LOVED this book and I don’t want my time with this family to ever end.

Huge thanks to Tuxbury Publishing LLC and Sarina Bowen for allowing me to read an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.♥