Tag: Adult (Page 1 of 51)

BOOK REVIEWS: How to Fail at Flirting by Denise Williams & The Five Year Lie by Sarina Bowen

BOOK REVIEWS: How to Fail at Flirting by Denise Williams & The Five Year Lie by Sarina BowenHow to Fail at Flirting by Denise Williams
Purchase on: AmazoniBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

One daring to-do list and a crash course in flirtation turn a Type A overachiever’s world upside down.

When her flailing department lands on the university's chopping block, Professor Naya Turner’s friends convince her to shed her frumpy cardigan for an evening on the town. For one night her focus will stray from her demanding job and she’ll tackle a new kind of to-do list. When she meets a charming stranger in town on business, he presents the perfect opportunity to check off the items on her list. Let the guy buy her a drink. Check. Try something new. Check. A no-strings-attached hookup. Check…almost.

Jake makes her laugh and challenges Naya to rebuild her confidence, which was left toppled by her abusive ex-boyfriend. Soon she’s flirting with the chance at a more serious romantic relationship—except nothing can be that easy. The complicated strings around her dating Jake might destroy her career.

Naya has two options. She can protect her professional reputation and return to her old life or she can flirt with the unknown and stay with the person who makes her feel like she's finally living again.

Review:

With an adorable cute meet cute that ended in disaster, How to Fail at Flirting, snagged me from that first chapter.  The characters stood out and were easy to root for.  The angst and drama were wonderfully done.  There were serious moments and an emotionally abusive relationship that was handled in a thoughtful way.  And I loved Naya’s found family, her best friends were so supportive.  With a fun and flirty vibe, along with some deeper moments, How to Fail at Flirting was a hit!

 

BOOK REVIEWS: How to Fail at Flirting by Denise Williams & The Five Year Lie by Sarina BowenThe Five Year Lie by Sarina Bowen
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

She thought it was love. Then he vanished.

On an ordinary Monday morning, Ariel Cafferty's phone buzzes with a disturbing text message. Something’s happened. I need to see you. Meet me under the candelabra tree ASAP. The words would be jarring from anyone, but the sender is the only man she ever loved. And it's been several years since she learned he died.

Seeing Drew’s name pop up is heart-stopping. Ariel’s gut says it can’t be real. But she goes to the tree anyway. She has to.

Nobody shows. But the text upends everything she thought she knew about the day he left her. The more questions she asks, the more sinister the answers get. Only two things are clear: everything she was told five years ago is wrong, and someone is still lying to her.

The truth has to be out there somewhere. To safeguard herself—and her son—she’ll have to find it before it finds her. And with it, the answer to what became of Drew.

For fans of Laura Dave and Julie Clark, but with a heart-stopping romance that only Sarina Bowen can execute, The Five Year Lie is a page-turning, spine-tingling thriller that will have you guessing until the very end.

Review:

The Five Year Lie was a mysterious thriller that gripped me from the first chapter.  This story was an easy one to devour, especially since we got moments from the past too.  It painted a bigger picture, and I loved watching Ariel and Drew fall for each other. Trying to put all of the pieces of the puzzle together had me turning those pages faster.  And while I got a good portion of it right, I loved how intricate this story became!  This one also hit emotionally hard, and I shed a few tears.  If you’re a fan of thrillers that have romance laced throughout the story, definitely add this one to your tbr!  I’m excited to see what Bowen writes next in this genre!   

Three weeks ago, my biggest problem was which summer day camps Buzz might enjoy – would he prefer Mad Science? Or the one at the arts center?
Then a text message from a dead man blew our lives apart with the force of a grenade.  Now I know what it means to be scared.

 

BOOK REVIEW: House of Burning Frost (The Kingdom of Crows #5) by Olivia Wildenstein

BOOK REVIEW: House of Burning Frost (The Kingdom of Crows #5) by Olivia WildensteinHouse of Burning Frost (The Kingdom of Crows #5)
by Olivia Wildenstein
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

FAKE AN ENGAGEMENT TO THE ICE KING TO TRAP AN ENEMY.

END THE SHAM BETROTHAL ONCE THE FOE IS CAUGHT.

WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG?

If I were mortal, the epitaph on my tombstone would read: 'Here lies Isla Ríhbiadh, cherished daughter of Fallon and Lorcan, crown princess of Luce, and blunderer like no other.' Luckily, I'm an immortal shifter sorceress, so my countless slipups haven't resulted in my untimely demise. Yet. When my latest blunder lands me in the steam chamber of a very naked and very irritable Faerie king, I worry the pointy-eared Glacin will dispose of my body under six feet of solid ice. Instead, he suggests we get married. Our betrothal is purely strategic, meant only to trap King Konstantin's shifter-hating enemies. He's uninterested in finding love, and I'm uninterested in falling for a man who isn't my mate. A fool-proof alliance. Obviously, I'm a fool for thinking this, since nothing I ever do goes right. What starts as a friendly ruse soon turns into a perilous game. One that blurs the line between scheming and desire. Between childhood fantasies and adult realities. Between the Ice King and me. House of Burning Frost is a tale of peril, passion, and the power of love to transcend the confines of fate.

*This spicy standalone romantasy can be read without reading books 1-4, but, for more enjoyment, it's suggested to read the prior books.

Review:

House of Burning Frost was a steamy romantasy that was impossible to put down.  With the most fabulous slow burn, sexual tension that was palpable, and moments that had me laughing out loud, I fell madly in love with this book. Mystery swirled within these pages, so I was always nervous for what would come next.  With bargains, traitors, love, secrets, and friendship laced throughout this story, this book went straight onto my favorites list!

“Define little spell.”
“I could chop the tip off one of your fingers. I’d grow it back immediately.” His lips remain crooked.
“Tempting.”

Isla was someone I absolutely adored.  She could be so brave and fierce, yet she could be uncertain and struggled at times with her blood casting.  So when Isla had the most memorable meet cute with King Konstantin, I was nervous for her.  They started off on the wrong foot, even if they had this beautiful chemistry between them.  Yet with tension thrumming, I was waiting for the fireworks to explode. 

When he lowers his hand, amusement has softened his own expression. “You will end up being the death of me, Miss Ríhbiadh.”

Konstantin had me from the moment he met Isla.  He was charismatic, fair, protective, and logical.  And when we got his point of view a little farther into the story, I was screaming!  His thoughts…..oh you wouldn’t realize what they were underneath his icy facade.  His country was in turmoil, and there was so much unrest, so we got to see how much he struggled with all that was on his plate.  But we also got to see his thoughts towards Isla.  And I absolutely loved them!

“Let the ruse begin,” the Ice King murmurs.

Watching Isla and Konstantin work together and try to find trust was so much fun!  Especially when you throw a marriage of convenience on top of it.  The fact that there was some animosity there, while they were pretending to be engaged, will keep you smiling.  Their banter was fabulous and I loved how they messed with each other!  At times it felt like they were going to explode.  So with rejection, hope, and the kindling of more, I fell right along with them!

He guides my head down toward his and silences me with a kiss that streaks fire down my throat and into my chest.

While this book can definitely be read as a standalone, I can’t recommend reading the previous 4 books enough.  You get to watch Isla’s parents fight for their happily ever after, and there’s so many characters from the past who make an appearance in this story.  So I was cackling with delight each time a new one would appear haha.  Also, the political intrigue kept us on our toes!  With the mingling of fae, shifters, and humans, there was still a lot of tension and discrimination.  The way it played into the storyline definitely kept me surprised!

“I don’t fucking trust anyone, Isla! I don’t even fucking trust my own general!”
Oh. That’s… unexpected. “Well, you should trust me. Or rather, you should have, for I want nothing from you. Nothing. Not your crown. Not your affection. Not your admiration. Not your coin. Nothing.”
“And I want everything!” he exclaims.

House of Burning Frost was a forced proximity, marriage of convenience that will keep you smiling from that first page to the last.  And this steamy romantasy made me cry all the tears!  Along with screaming with laughter too.  I think this is definitely Wildenstein’s funniest books.  So with the most fabulous ending ever, and getting to see so many favorites, I closed this book so happy!  If you love romantasy, definitely add this one to your tbr!

“You, Isla Ríhbiadh, have set fire to my kingdom of ice and torched your way into my frozen heart.”

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

BOOK REVIEW: On the Slopes of Tahoe (Love Along the Way #2) by J.A. Forde

BOOK REVIEW: On the Slopes of Tahoe (Love Along the Way #2) by J.A. FordeOn the Slopes of Tahoe () by J.A. Forde (Love Along the Way #2)
by J.A. Forde
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Wanting each other is easy…
It’s everything else that’s hard.

Breck Kylie’s perfect life unravels in a squall of betrayal, leaving him and his seven-year-old daughter reeling. Choosing to retreat from the sunny shores of Sydney, Australia, they embark on an extended vacation to Lake Tahoe in hopes they’ll find a new ‘normal’ on the snowy slopes.

Rory Anderson had big dreams once, but years of living in a blizzard of impossible expectations has beaten her down. Stuck in a cycle of fear and self-doubt, she’s living a life she’s unsure she truly wants. So, when her brother asks her to help his best friend get settled in Tahoe, she agrees with a renewed sense of purpose.

When Breck’s personal hurricane meets Rory’s frozen fears, they find themselves in the eye of the storm—a quiet place where connection and clarity finally break through. For Rory, it’s a chance to focus on her own dreams. For Breck, it’s a glimpse of the future he thought was shattered.

Finding solace in each other is supposed to be a short-lived thing, but what happens when they find themselves feeling more than they bargained for?

Will they walk away, or will they fight to hold onto the peace they’ve only ever found in each other?

Review:

From that first page, I fell in love with On the Slopes of Tahoe.  With a beautiful location, characters that were so easy to love, and an ending that had me smiling long after I closed the book, I loved this story!  If you’re a fan of romance, older brother’s best friend, single dad, forced proximity, or found family, definitely pick this one up!

Unfortunately, sometimes life gives you something incredible, but it’s only meant for a season. Meant for a space in time.

Rory was someone you’ll instantly like and was so easy to click with.  She was a Tahoe local, who worked at one of the ski resorts and had a passion for photography.  When her brother asked her to help his best friend and daughter get situated for their extended vacation, I loved how she jumped right in.  She fit in so effortlessly with Breck and his daughter Willow.  But Breck had a lot of healing to do.

I jog upstairs to pull on a T- shirt. Rocking black joggers without a shirt doesn’t feel appropriate around my best friend’s little sister.
I keep calling her that in my head, as if it will somehow keep me from recognizing just how beautiful she is.

Breck stole my heart.  With his fierce love for his daughter and a past that haunted him, it was so easy to fall in love with this single dad.  He had a heart of gold, but he was definitely jaded when it came to anything more than friends with a woman.  It didn’t matter that he was attracted to Rory.  She was his best friend’s little sister, there was 8 years between them, and he needed to figure out where to go from here.  Yet, he couldn’t stay away from her.

He lifts me off the counter and I slide against him until my feet find the ground. Too close. We’re too close.

By not even 100 pages in, I already had tears in my eyes.   And oh my heart I cried so many more times reading this story!  Breck and Rory’s journey was an emotional one.  While they both tried to find their footing, I loved how they could talk out their problems.  They could be open and honest with each other.  It was refreshing and warmed my heart!  And while this story was a fade to black, there were so many scenes that had me fanning my face. That tequila shot?!  So hot!  And their kisses were so steamy!  

“Life never leaves us unscathed; it changes and molds us. But, I promise, you will get through this,” she says and presses a light kiss to my lips.

In this story was the most adorable little girl, Willow.  I loved how she warmed up to Rory so quickly. From snowboarding, to making pizza, to everything in between, I loved their time together.  Their bond formed so effortlessly.  And surrounding them was the most beautiful found family.  From Rory’s bestie, Jamie, who needs his own book please!  To Rory’s brother and his significant other.  I loved them all so much!  So while this can easily be read as a standalone, you do get to see and spend time with the couple from the previous book.  Their life updates made me sooooo happy!

Tonight, I don’t want to be Wes’s little sister. Or Jamie’s best friend or my parents’ biggest disappointment. I want to be a woman with a man looking at her like he doesn’t want to look anywhere else.

On the Slopes of Tahoe will make you laugh out loud and fall in love.  This is easily one of my top favorites and I can’t wait to reread it!  Plus since it takes place where I live, I couldn’t stop smiling.  From the magic carpet ride we taught our kids to snowboard on, to the dock we bike to every summer, to even my commute to take my youngest to soccer every week lol, this story takes you to so many stunning places in and surrounding Tahoe!  With blizzards, friendship, snowboarding, love, and sledding, this winter wonderland of a book will whisk you away and capture your heart!

I can’t move my eyes from Breck’s. They’re filled with that same look from this morning. It’s tender. It feels like more.

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

BOOK REVIEW: PS: I Hate You by Lauren Connolly

BOOK REVIEW: PS: I Hate You by Lauren ConnollyPS: I Hate You by Lauren Connolly
Purchase on: AmazoniBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

In this splendidly bittersweet romantic comedy, enemies forced together by a mutual loss are led on a cross-country journey toward a second chance.

Maddie Sanderson would be proud to honor her older brother’s dying wish, that she scatters his ashes over eight destinations that the adventurous 29-year-old never got to visit before he died from cancer. But in his will, Josh assigned her an impossible partner to help complete the mission—Dominic Perry. Seriously, if Maddie weren’t already at her brother's funeral, she would have killed him for this.

Sure, Dom was Josh’s life-long best friend. He’s also the infuriating man who broke Maddie’s heart back when she was naïve enough to give it to him. But since Dom insists on following the rules and Josh didn’t leave much room for Maddie to argue the matter, they embark together on a series of farewell trips that span thousands of miles, exploring new places and revisiting their complicated history along the way.

After a snowstorm leads to a shared bed, Maddie starts to wonder if her brother might be matchmaking from the grave. But when grief also reopens old wounds between them, Maddie will need more than Josh’s ghostly guidance to trust Dom again.

Review:

PS: I Hate You was an emotional powerhouse.  With forced proximity and a second chance romance swirled together, I loved the journey this book took us on.  It dealt with grief, healing, friendships, forgiveness, and trying to figure out how to proceed with a future that you’re uncertain about.  This is a must read if you love adult romance, I can’t recommend this book enough!

My brother is gone.
Forever.
Gone.
I stop breathing.

When Maddie found out that she was supposed to scatter her brother’s ashes in the 8 states he hadn’t visited, she was hit by so many emotions.  Especially since she was to do it with her brother Josh’s best friend, Dominick.  Their past was challenging, to say the least.  There was so much hurt and anger there.  So Maddie’s sarcasm could be harsh and cutting.  Her anger felt like a living entity inside her.  I felt everything she did, and kept hoping it would all lead to her healing.  She desperately needed it.

Last goodbye.  This is the last goodbye.

I didn’t understand why Dom did what he did in the past, but I wanted to hold out hope there was a good reason.  Especially since he could be so kind, compassionate, and thoughtful when it came to Maddie.  While he seemed to hold a world of secrets, I loved how loudly his actions spoke.  I loved that he always seemed to be thinking about Maddie.  And I easily fell head over heels in love with him.

Even though my hands shake, I manage to spray the medication into my airways.  But recovery is slow and painful.  Especially with no one here to distract me or comfort me or simply reassure me that I’m not alone.
But that’s exactly what I am.  What I always seem to be.
Alone.

Their on and off again road trip was filled with all of the bumps.  And you’ll run through the gamut of emotions.  How can you laugh, feel the most beautiful sexual tension, and cry at the same time?!  That was this book time and again.  I loved watching Dom work through his grief for his best friend, and Maddie for her brother.  It wasn’t an easy process at all.  And it made me cry all the tears.  I don’t think I could go two chapters without bawling my eyes out. But mixed within that was also happiness and some fabulous steamy moments too.

If I have one day left, or thousands, I want you to be in every one of them.

PS: I Hate You had the perfect combination of joy and heartache.  This beautiful journey towards healing will make you laugh, cry all the tears, and even fall in love.  With a fabulous epilogue that will leave you elated, this story easily became one of my top favorites.  If you’re a fan of romance, definitely add this one to your tbr!

BOOK REVIEW: Quicksilver (Fae & Alchemy #1) by Callie Hart

BOOK REVIEW: Quicksilver (Fae & Alchemy #1) by Callie HartQuicksilver (Fae & Alchemy #1)
by Callie Hart
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Do not touch the sword. Do not turn the key. Do not open the gate.

Twenty-four-year-old Saeris Fane is good at keeping secrets. No one knows about the strange powers she possesses, or the fact that she has been picking pockets and stealing from the Undying Queen’s reservoirs for as long as she can remember. In the land of the unforgiving desert, there isn’t much a girl wouldn’t do for a glass of water. But a secret is like a knot. Sooner or later, it is bound to come undone.

When Saeris comes face-to-face with Death himself, she inadvertently reopens a gateway between realms and is transported to a land of ice and snow. The Fae have always been the stuff of myth, of legend, of nightmares…but it turns out they’re real, and Saeris has landed right in the middle of a centuries-long conflict that might just get her killed.

The first of her kind to tread the frozen mountains of Yvelia in over a thousand years, Saeris mistakenly binds herself to Kingfisher, a handsome Fae warrior, who has secrets and nefarious agendas of his own. He will use her Alchemist’s magic to protect his people, no matter what it costs him… or her. Death has a name. It is Kingfisher of the Ajun Gate. His past is murky. His attitude stinks. And he’s the only way Saeris is going to make it home.

Be careful of the deals you make, dear child. The devil is in the details...

Review:

Quicksilver was a forced proximity, found family, enemies to lovers romantasy that I absolutely devoured!  With a fascinating world and characters that had you rooting for them, I easily got lost in these pages.  If you like fierce heroines, shadow daddies, and political intrigue, then definitely add this one to your tbr!

It isn’t disease that’s contagious in my ward, Captain. It’s dissent. Anarchy and rebellion spread like a wildfire.

Saeris Fane was smart, brave, cunning and I liked her instantly!  Especially since she could be fierce and would fight till her last breath!  She lived in a harsh world that constantly pushed her down.  But she tried her best to survive.  Listening to her thoughts, they made me laugh and had me cheering her on!  When she reopened a gateway between realms, I was so excited to see what happened next!

Death had come for me, with wavy black hair and wicked green eyes.

Kingfisher, oh I have so many thoughts on him.  He was a shadow daddy, who had absolutely no qualms about letting his a**hole side shine brightly haha.  I was constantly searching for clues that he did have a heart.  Those tiny moments of kindness he would show us, it proved that his black heart could beat!  So while he could be kind…it was when he wanted to.  But I loved his sneaky ways, his smartass comments, and most of all his filthy mouth!  

Every time I thought I’d reached the limit of how much one living being could detest another, he went and proved to me that I was capable of so much more.

The banter and animosity between Saeris and Fisher was fabulous!  They made me laugh out loud.  And I loved how much they both would mess with the other.  They were so entertaining!  And when they crossed the line to more, they were scorching hot!  I don’t want to say more, but the further we got in the story, the more and more obsessed I got with the two of them!

Fisher drew his bottom lip into his mouth, eyes the softest I’d ever seen them. Gently, he gathered the flyaway hair that had escaped my braid and carefully swept it behind my ear. “Breathe, Little Osha.”

With swirling secrets, blood oaths, battles, and obstacles that seemed insurmountable, Quicksilver held me in the palm of its hands!  I even cried while reading this story.  And shockingly Carrion even wiggled into my heart, I adored him!  Plus I heart Onyx with my whole heart!  Also, the ending left at the perfect stopping point.  Yes there was a lot up in the air, but we were left at a point where we could breathe and be so excited for what is to come!

Other favorite quotes…

I was going to shank him in the neck with my very dull butter knife. Then he’d see how proficient I was with a blade.

“You don’t have a clue who I am,” he rumbled.
And maybe he was right about that. But I was beginning to. Beginning to figure him out.

A part of me knew that Fisher himself was the trap, and I was well and truly snared…

He buried his face into the crook of my neck, groaning, and the thought rose to my mind unbidden. Dangerous.
Bite me.

War was at the doorstep. Tomorrow was uncertain. Hell, today was uncertain, but this tiny moment was real.

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