Author: Victoria Denault

BOOK REVIEW: Dauntless (In Vino Veritas #6) by Victoria Denault

BOOK REVIEW: Dauntless (In Vino Veritas #6) by Victoria DenaultDauntless (In Vino Veritas #6)
by Victoria Denault
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

He’s everything I’ve ever wanted, at the worst possible moment.

One and done. That’s always been my motto when it comes to guys, because I’m not about to pull someone else into the closet my parents have locked me inside. I’ve been waiting years to claim my inheritance and live the life I want to live–out, free, and oh yeah, rich.

So why is the universe dropping the sexy farm boy with the lazy smile into my life right now? When Bowen Whitlock says he’ll join my band, and later my bed, I know one time won’t be enough.

But loving Bowen is dangerous for me. And he has his own struggles, like keeping his family afloat and trying not to get fired from his job at Vino and Veritas. But he lives his life with an authenticity that gives me a tantalizing taste of living my truth.

My secret relationship with Bowen is everything, until someone betrays us in the worst possible way…

Review

WHAT A WAY TO END A WONDERFUL SERIES! Oh my gosh this was such a great addition and Bowen and Chase completed this series in the best way. (Also yes I was cackling at the fact Bowen’s name is Bowen and that there was a reference to Him while Chase was visiting the bookstore side of Vino & Veritas LOL). I was lucky enough to get my hands on an advanced listener copy of this one which worked out great because I had a long drive yesterday and was able to finish almost all of it in one go! The narrators were PERFECTION. It’s crazy how that really can make or break my experience with a story sometimes but it’s true. Teddy Hamilton and John Lane you did great, sweeties.

Not like I even need to mention this in yet another review for this series but I WILL just to get the point across. The chemistry that Bowen and Chase had was off. the. freaking. charts. Bowen is the “sexy hemp farmer” that we first heard about back in Wildfire who was selling buns to Joss and Chase is first seen for tiny bit in Wonderland when he offers to help the Meadows family with the old amusement park. During one of Bowen’s many disastrous nights at V&V, Chase has his own disaster. The drummer for his cover band flakes and what do you know? Bowen knows how to play drums and knows several of the songs that the band had already planned on playing.

Apart from these two getting to know each other more through band practice and the occasional gig, we also see conflict in the form of Chase not truly being out with his sexuality because of his shitty family who are all knee deep in politics and because he doesn’t want to lose access to a trust fund he plans on using to better their community. Bowen’s brother is also trying to run for Mayor during the book and his main opponent is a family friend to Chase’s. So really, the two are dealing with a lot in this book, both together and separately. Without spoiling anything, I will say that Chase does have a moment towards the end where he makes a choice during a very pivotal scene and it is SO good, you guys. I love love love how the ending turned out so much. It was such a treat to be able to come back and spend more time with both new and old characters!


Huge thanks to Heart Eyes Press for allowing me to listen to an ALC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

BOOK REVIEW: Blindsided (Moo U #1) by Victoria Denault

BOOK REVIEW: Blindsided (Moo U #1) by Victoria DenaultBlindsided (Moo U #1)
by Victoria Denault
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

What if Romeo wore hockey skates, and Juliet was raised on a farm next door?

As a life-long Vermonter, there are three beliefs I’ve always held true:
1. Our family farm is everything
2. Hockey is a close second
3. The Todds next door are our sworn enemies

But this season will test everything I stand for.

I have an illicit side job that could cost me my hockey scholarship. And now Maggie Todd knows my secret. She’s waiting for the right moment to use it against me. But every time I face off against her, I learn things I shouldn’t want to know. Like how deeply her competitive streak runs, and how sexy that is. And how easy it is to make her blush… everywhere.

An Adler and a Todd cannot be lovers. Breaking that rule is like pulling a pin on a grenade--everything in my life could blow up. Can we surrender to these feelings… or will our families’ feud make us its next casualty?

Review

How can books about a sport I know nothing about be so comforting to me? I have no idea but here we are all the same. It felt like it had been a while now since I had read any book about college hockey players and when I was presented the opportunity to request some eARCs for the Moo U series in Sarina Bowen’s World of True North, I jumped for joy. Not only that but this in particular had hockey AND Vermont farmers. What more could I want?

Maggie Todd and Tate Adler’s families have been at it for YEARS. No one remembers why the feud started and no one is interesting in ending it. THAT IS…..until these two are forced to work together and find out that fierce dislike can easily morph into burning passion if they’re not careful (spoiler alert, they’re not). I really enjoyed the dynamic between these two and the push and pull that never ceased, even after they form a tentative truce that evolves into a whole lot more.

As family dramas tend to, this one unsurprisingly featured some twists and turns and secrets to be uncovered that kept me on my feet until the very end (though I had my suspicions, I did NOT figure things out correctly). I personally have never experienced that level of family chaos and am so thankful for it.

Overall I thought this was a solid start to the Moo U series and a great introduction to certain characters that I’m sure we will see in future books!

Huge thanks to HeartEyes Press and Sarina Bowen for allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion!♥

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