bribreez's reviews
681 reviews

Nine Month Contract by Amy Daws

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funny hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

*Thank you so much to The Hive, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Amy Daws for providing me with an ARC of this story. I greatly appreciate it! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4.5⭐️/ 3-4🌶️

I’ve read my fair share of romance books, but never have I read a story quite like this one. Usually when wanting to start a family, traditionally it follows with someone having a significant other to help make that a reality. For Wyatt Fletcher, he was ready to become a father, and a single father at that. With the hopes of having a baby, Wyatt went to an agency to help him find a surrogate. For Trista, the last thing she ever wanted in life was to be a mom, but when finds herself stumbling upon the opportunity to potentially become a surrogate, especially considering the money she could get from it, it would be the best chance to secure the funds needed for her own animal rescue center. Wyatt needed a surrogate, Trista needed the job to secure her dream rescue center, and so the two of them embarked on the journey of pregnancy and becoming a parent. 

I’ve read stories where it’s been a single parent trope, but never have I read a story where a man wanted to be a single parent right from the beginning. The premise of the book already caught my attention when I read it, but to actually read about it was fascinating, enjoyable, and addictive. This was also my first time reading a book by, Amy Daws, and omg I see why so many people love her books. The way Amy wrote Wyatt and Trista’s story really expanded on the different views of parenthood, the different approaches to starting a family, and even not necessarily wanting children, but willing to help others achieve that dream of having kids. 

The other things I liked about this book was that it didn’t hold back on the whole topic of surrogacy, as well as the reasoning behind why Wyatt wanted to become a father. I found myself becoming endeared to Wyatt especially because, most men (at least from my assumptions) don’t willingly take matters into their own hands of starting a family on their own. Wyatt was use to his solitude, but with the hope of having his own child, it was a way of extending his family legacy and in a way also honoring his father. The story hinted at Wyatt’s past in how he was a bit of a wild bachelor especially in his younger years, but now as a thirty-eight year old, he had a sturdy sense of what he wanted in his life, and was responsible. Sure Wyatt tended to be “a bit” overprotective and as Trista would call him, a psycho with his smothering ways haha. In Wyatt’s defense he was just caring take of Trista in every way possible. Wyatt was a doting, overprotective, possessive, and increasingly obsessed papa bear to be alongside Trista.

Now, I’m not an outdoors type of person, but with the way Trista was living in a comfortable, relaxing, and picturesque place on Fletcher mountain, and being surrounded by gorgeous flannel wearing hunks…IMMEDIATELY YES FOR ME! Trista was throughly enjoying living on Fletcher mountain especially with the accommodations that allowed her potbellied pig, Reginald to live in the barn, as well as the additional animals that Trista kept bringing haha. I felt myself throughly immersed and having fun while reading. Trista and Wyatt had great chemistry, great tension, and together it made for the best time when they eventually got together and had their own types of fun *wink, wink IYKYK! Give me a man like Wyatt Fletcher and I will gladly lay back and relax as he does the absolute most for me, and I’ll be ready to give him my whole heart (sigh) that Mountain Man sure had me loving him. On top of that, also add in Luke and Calder, and oh boy, I already want to read their books once they get released!!!

As much as I enjoy a spicy romance book with lighthearted humor, I also appreciate the way stories such as this one illustrate the different ideals when it comes to having a family, the idea of love, and opening yourself to another person. Trista went into becoming a surrogate with eyes wide open, and she knew from a young age she never wanted kids of her own. I also liked how unapologetic Trista was in how she originally saw her future kid free and wanted to focus on her career. Plus, the fact that Trista said that not everyone needs kids to live a fulfilling life stood out to me as her being her authentic, honest self. As I later saw in the story, Trista’s views on becoming an actual parent to the baby she was having for Wyatt changed which was also perfectly fine as well. I think the biggest takeaway from this book aside from the lovable characters and the humor was also getting to see some of the reality behind surrogacy and how it isn’t an easy process as seen by Wyatt’s initial struggle in the beginning. In addition to seeing how Trista felt and dealt with the role of being the surrogate too. All in all, this story had a great balance of entertainment, swoon worthy romance that had good spice, laughter, and some unexpected depth that really intrigued me. 

Awww this was a really good story! I loved Wyatt and Trista together, they had good chemistry, tension, some obstacles to overcome, but nothing like a bit of time to work through them. Trista went into the whole surrogacy thing with the mindset of just doing a job, but instead she found herself falling for a mountain man, and finding her place with his family. There was also glimpses of the other Fletcher family members who I’m really intrigued to read about, namely, Calder and Luke. For this being my first Amy Daws book, let’s just say it won’t be the last, and I’m looking forward to reading more books by her. This romance book was unique, humorous, lovely, spicy, and amazing. Trista and Wyatt got their happy ending together, and formed their little family together which was a heartfelt moment to see. Highly recommend if you’re looking to read a unique romance book. 
The Stars Are on Our Side by Jennifer Hartmann

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dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

5⭐️/ 3🌶️

*Check trigger warnings before reading.

Quick note before reading this book. This story is connected to, “Still Beating” and “Lotus” as the characters and storylines are connected to Tabitha and Gabe’s. If you read this book without having read the previous two, it won’t make sense so, it’s highly recommended you read the other books before jumping into this one. Also, the other books are great and those characters appear a lot in this book as well.

Gabe and Tabitha have been characters who we have met and gotten to know over the course of the previous two books written by, Jennifer Hartman. Gabe and Tabitha were no stranger to trauma, grief, loss, and experiencing emotional rollercoasters within their lives. Gabe’s own father was the man who planned his stepbrother, Oliver’s abduction and tried to kill him and his best friend, Sydney in a house fire. Tabitha experienced torture, sexual assault, and other horrors when she was taken by the Matchmaker alongside her professor/ father of her baby daughter. This story expanded on Tabitha’s past and how even years after all the horrific abuse she experienced still remained a present thing in her mind and her emotional state which subsequently affected her from moving on. Gabe was head over heels in love with Tabitha, but while she was still dealing with everything that happened to her, Gabe remained patient and stood by her side as a friend no matter what. 

I had been saving to read this story for quite a bit, and I’m glad that I did. First off, I’m glad I reread, “Lotus”, because I LOVE OLIVER AND SYDNEY, but also because it jogged my memory on Gabe and a bit about Tabitha. Before Tabitha, Gabe lived his bachelor life to the fullest from partying, casual hookups, and doing what he wanted. The moment Gabe met Tabitha it was an instant attraction and that man instantly became enamored by not only Tabitha’s beauty, but also how he couldn’t stray away from her. Tabitha felt a similar feeling towards Gabe, but it was a bit more subtle since she was still trying to acclimate herself to going out and potentially in the dating world. As much as Gabe and Tabitha then started to spend time together and their chemistry together was clear as a sunny day, there was still a roadblock preventing them from fully moving towards a romantic relationship. Tabitha’s trauma was always a lingering presence in her mind, and its hold hadn’t lessened despite the monster who tortured her being gone. In order for Tabitha and Gabe to go from friends to lovers, it was a long journey and process that involved patience, and understanding which Gabe wholeheartedly put his every fiber into showing Tabitha how much he cared for her and her wellbeing.

(Sniff) I’m sorry, but why did I think I would make it through this story without being able to cry?!?! Jennifer Hartman always has my gripped and unable to stop reading her stories because, not only are they full of emotional depth, but it’s also the way I find myself caring so much about the characters. Reading this story was an emotional rollercoaster (no surprise there) that took me from Tabitha’s past and present as she recounted the most horrific moments from her abduction to losing the man she loved, Matthew. The more I read, the more I felt a sense of urgency, a need to protect Tabitha as she delved back into her memories, which wasn’t easy for her. Tabitha’s account on what she went through was heartbreaking, but it also shed light on the man I never really knew which was, Matthew. Matthew was an unexpected character who I found myself curious to see as Tabitha recounted her experience. Matthew was the one character who I also found myself genuinely liking despite not necessarily being an actual main character in the story. Matthew and Tabitha’s story was an unexpected part of the book that had me sobbing my eyes out, and feeling the heartache, the loss, and grief that Tabitha experienced. Aside from feeling like I got wrecked and broken apart by all that I read, specifically in the chapters that included Tabitha and Matthew, my heart broke reading that certain chapter. (Sigh) I’m still reeling from all that I read, but it was truly a visceral feeling I felt while reading. I genuinely felt connected to Gabe, Tabitha, Matthew, and all that they had endured. This story also connected back to the previous books by including, Dean, Cora, Sydney, and Oliver which I was happy to see them, but it also helped in shedding more light into Tabitha and Gabe’s story.

This story was an automatic five stars for me, and I couldn’t stop myself from reading. From the moment I started reading, to waking up as early as possible, and reading throughout the day, this book became my priority because, I needed to know more about Tabitha, seeing how Gabe progressed in his pursuit of Tabitha, and the general direction of the story. In addition, this story also had some suspense, and danger that made the story more dramatic, but also give Gabe and Tabitha a sense of urgency with all that they were already dealing with. I cannot recommend this book enough, and a part of me wants to read this book again! I literally just finished it and I already miss Tabitha and Gabe! Goes to show how well Jennifer wrote this story as I already want to do a re-read. I love Gabe and Tabitha and to be honest, I didn’t expect to have such strong feelings for them, but I really do love those two. Gabe and Tabitha’s story was perfect as they went from being friends to lovers, and finding the ultimate happiness with each other. The book ended on the best note, and I loved seeing how all the characters were connected as they had their own found family together. Please, read this book after reading, “Still Beating” and “Lotus” not only will it make more sense, but it will make the story so much more gratifying to see all the characters together! Wonderful job Jennifer! As always you captured my heart with your book!
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Catch the Sun by Jennifer Hartmann

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dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

4.75⭐️/ 3🌶️

*Check trigger warnings before reading.

Ella Sunbury once lived the perfect life with her family until one day, her big brother, Jonah did something that changed Ella and her family’s lives forever. Fast forward to the present, Ella is now shunned by everyone and bullied due to her brother’s actions that caused an uproar everywhere. For Ella, life wasn’t easy, she just kept her head down, and tried to avoid drawing more attention to herself. Max Manning was once Ella befriended in the first grade, but now as a teenager, Max was reserved, focused on bigger things like taking care of her dad, and apparently distance with Ella. As Max and Ella reconnected their friendship it brought heartfelt moments, memories of their childhood, and a love they shared for each other. Jennifer Hartman wrote a young adult romance with her brand of emotional depth, heartbreaking moments, and a story that will keep you on a rollercoaster of feelings. 

This story wasn’t the happiest of stories, but it did have some equally heartfelt moments shared between Max and Ella. Before Ella’s life changed, she actually befriended Max when they were kids and were the best of friends. Cut to Max and Ella being seventeen/ eighteen years old, and initially it seemed like Max just didn’t acknowledge Ella’s presence. Until, one day Max started to befriend Ella, and from there their friendship slowly, but surely got back to a place they felt comfortable around each other once again. My favorite thing about Max and Ella aside from seeing their friendship come together again was also the way Max was so patient and understood that Ella was hesitant to trust others especially with what she was going through throughout the story. Plus, Max calling Ella, “Sunny” was not only sweet, but a callback to their childhood when Max first called her that, awww. 

The more I read, the more I loved this book. Ella and Max were no strangers to living through difficult times, but as they reignited their friendship, it also gave way to their heartfelt romance. I genuinely loved seeing how Ella and Max transitioned from friends to lovers, it all felt organic, and taking into account Ella’s initial promise to not fall in love or look for any close relationship(s) she inevitably felt a deeper connection to Max than ever before. Max had his own responsibilities at home, but when it came to Ella, he was the one that showed her he truly cared deeply for her, put her feelings first, and gave her the space to be open, vulnerable, and have the opportunity to let out all her feelings that she kept bottled up. There were quite a few quotes that really stood out to me that further made me love both Max and Ella such as, when Ella asked Max what would he want to do if he could do anything in the moment and Max responded, “I’d be kissing you, Ella.” 
Or how Ella told Max, “Your eyes, they make me feel seen.” 
(Sniff) those quotes just hit me right in the feels, and they felt significant in a way that truly encapsulated the affection, trust, and growing love between Max and Ella. (Sigh) really made me happy to see Max and Ella find each other again, but also expand on their already close relationship in a new beautiful way. 

Round of applause for Jennifer Hartman for ONCE AGAIN having me go through an emotional rollercoaster, but also loving the characters and story. Like I mentioned previously, Max and Ella didn’t have the easiest time in their lives, but through their friendship it gave them the support they needed as well as the foundation to build their romance on. Once the friendship between Ella and Max went into the romance portion, I was swooning and aww-ing over the sweet sentiments shared between the two. Max and Ella saw each other in their most vulnerable moments, and it highlighted how much they provided a safe space for one another. I didn’t see the turn of events happening towards the middle portion of the book that had me on edge!!! Like what?! For a second there I thought I lost either Ella or Max?! Nooooo! Thankfully the story didn’t go in the direction I thought it would, phew. Jennifer wrote Ella and Max’s story to perfection and she didn’t hold back on showing all the aspects of young love especially with the circumstances both Ella and Max were faced with. This story was full of emotional depth, sweet, swoon worthy romance, a lovely friendship, and moments that left me borderline wanting to jump into the book to protect Ella and Max. I loved how the story all came together especially on the note it ended on. Jennifer Hartman’s stories always have me loving the characters, and I can attest that I genuinely loved both Ella and Max so much that I stayed up midnight unable to stop reading because, I NEEDED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED NEXT! Definitely recommend this book if you’re looking for an emotional romance with friends to lovers, raw, vulnerable moments, and lovable characters who also found solace with each other. 
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Two Can Play by Ali Hazelwood

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funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

3.75⭐️/ 3🌶️

I decided to dip my toes into the audiobook world especially feeling like I hit a reading slump. So, why not listen to a person narrating the story as opposed to me reading it, sounded like a good idea. Although, I’m going to be completely honest, while it was nice to listen to the story as I did some cleaning, organizing and other stuff around my house, I could not tell you exactly details about the main characters, Viola and Jesse. Yes I understood the plot line of Viola and Jesse being from different video game companies having to now work together, and a sort of misunderstood impression of Viola thinking Jesse didn’t like her, that was pretty much all I got. I think personally for me, when it comes to audiobooks, even having the physical book in front of me to follow along is best. Maybe since I’m still new to audiobooks it’ll get easier for me, but yeah still not use to it completely. Definitely did like listening to the story as I went about my day, but wished I could have been more focused as I listened. I will say, towards the half way mark, I did start to pay a little bit more attention if that makes any difference. Sounds like a bit of a conundrum, but that was my experience while listening to this audiobook. Good story to listen to, but hopefully my next audiobook will be better and I’ll be more hooked in by it. 
Hideaway Heart by Melanie Harlow

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funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

3⭐️/ 3🌶️

As much as I had high hopes for this book, and it had been on my TBR for quite a while, it unfortunately didn’t give me the serotonin I was hoping for. The first book in this interconnected series gave me the butterflies, the swoon worthy romance, the grumpy/sunshine trope that I love so much, and more. I had imagined that when I read this book, it would be like jumping back into the small town I really adored and would also fall in love with Austin’s brother, Xander and Kelly the FMC in the story. Unfortunately, I think the fact that I might have hit an all time low on a reading slump, greatly affected my reading experience of this book. I think if I was in the right mood or mindset, I would have given this book a higher rating. I honestly found myself skimming the last couple of chapters, just wanting to see what happened and get to the end of this book. I feel like maybe later down the line, I might reread this book in the hope that I’ll actually enjoy it, but for the meantime, I just wasn’t really interested in this plot line. Hopefully next time around, I’ll enjoy it or maybe continue with the rest of the series, and enjoy those books more. 
The Final Rose by Amy Oliveira

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funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

4⭐️/ 3🌶️

YESSSSS! First off, I have previously read a book by, Amy Oliveira before, and I really enjoyed the book. To find this book as well, I was excited to read it too. This story had, a British hero, Bachelor vibes, spicy, romcom, workplace romance, Latina representation, and an easygoing romance to read. Amy wrote a story that was lighthearted, entertaining, and showing an MMC who fell for his producer who was sassy and equally fell for him.

I really liked the fact that this story was fast paced. If this story had been longer, I think it would have been dragged out and unnecessary. Thankfully, the way this book was written in pacing, it the mark perfectly. 

Callie and Sebastian went into working on the season of, “The Final Rose”, with different objectives, but ultimately came out having fallen in love with each other. This was a fun, spicy, romcom romance that literally took me a day to read, one that I enjoyed the vibes of the story, and the characters too. While I wasn’t head over heels obsessed with Callie and Sebastian, I do think they were likable characters, had good chemistry together, and I found they had some sweet moments together in between their spicy moments too. Even though I’m not a fan of the reality show, “The Bachelor”, the fact that Amy wrote this book is the only exception to me enjoying anything that is reminiscent of that show. 

Overall, if you’re looking for a fun, lighthearted, fast paced, romcom with some spice, likable characters, and an interesting plot line, then you should check out this book. 
Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros

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adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful lighthearted sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

5⭐️/ 3🌶️

WOO! YESSSS! THE MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR! OMG OMG OMG! Violet, Xaden, and the gang are once again back, and you best believe THIS BOOK BROUGHT EVEN MORE ACTION, DRAMA, PLOT TWISTS, ROMANCE, AND DRAGON GALORE! In, “Iron Flame”, we were introduced to new characters as well as familiar faces, but it also set the stage for a grander story in which Violet and her friends at Basgiath were inevitably drawn into higher stakes than before, and certainly considering Xaden’s predicament following that plot twist cliff hanger in the previous book. There was a lot in store with this book, and I was more than excited to jump back into one of my all time favorite series! Violet and Xaden and the rest of the characters weren’t necessarily the same characters they were at the beginning of book one, they were stronger, more determined, and by far ready to do whatever it took to save those they cared about. Remember, “a dragon without its rider is a tragedy, a rider without its dragon is death.” 

Literally this book not only picked up where we left off on, “Iron Flame”, but there was plenty of action and discoveries within the first couple of chapters that had me so HYPED UP! This book (and pretty much every book in this series) has been phenomenal and so fascinating! I cannot begin to explain just how much I love reading this series, but also how immersive it is! I love all the characters, but Xaden and Violet have a special place in my heart. Now aside from being excited to read this book, it left me anxious to know how Violet and Xaden would handle the next set of problems they faced. From the aftermath of the dramatic plot twist concerning Xaden , the wards being fixed, trying to negotiate a peace treaty between different nations, and being back at Basgiath, there was never a dull moment while reading. 

I think it’s so wild to look back and remember that Violet, Rhiannon, Sawyer, Ridoc have all grown in their own ways, as well as introducing new characters into their squad. At the heart of these stories, the characters not only have had important roles, but they have instilled a deep rooted relationships over the course of action, drama, and revelations. As much as I adore all the characters, Violet is still my number girl, and my goodness, in this book she was really honed into her lightning abilities as well as coming into her own fiercer than ever Violence *wink. Violet may have originally been destined to become a scribe, but with her intelligence and her new found abilities, she was both a dragon rider and had the mentality of a scribe. I love Violet so much, and there was plenty of moments that had me cheering for her like, “WOOO YASSS BADDIE!” Violet really grew into herself, and my girl was lethal, powerful, strong, and by all means the most unique dragon rider ever! 

Of course, as much as I love Violet, we cannot forget about, XADEN! Now, quick reminder, if you’ve read, “Iron Flame”, you’ll know what I mean with the whole cliffhanger regarding Xaden. Xaden wasn’t necessarily the same guy he use to be, but it was more so he tapped into something he shouldn’t have, and it had dire repercussions that changed him in ways that could result in…execution. Aside from the big problem Xaden was faced with, there was still plenty of time for him to be an absolute over protective, alpha male, love struck man over Violet! Xaden has always had Violet’s safety and wellbeing at the forefront of his mind, but seeing it in this book elevated the ways that showed HOW MUCH HE LOVED HER! Let’s not forget about some of the iconic moments in which Xaden once again made me swoon and gasp in excitement when he was with Violet. (Sigh) Xaden can do no wrong and even when he did wrong things like…unaliving a bunch of people who wanted to unalive Violet….I FOLDED FOR HIM! OMG! 

…I’m…flabbergasted, in shock, in awe, and floored by the amount of things that went down in this book! This book has plenty of action, danger, and no short amount of truth bombs that truly revealed a lot about the things we had been wanting to know about! From the search of finding Andarna’s kind, which breed of dragon she was, more about Violet’s backstory that even she didn’t know about, Xaden’s fight to not fully become what he was inching towards, and the occasional plot twist that blew my mind! Even seeing some of the first years develop their signets was significant in a way I didn’t see! The core friend group was pushed to their limits, and forced to face off in one of the hardest battles that had been in up to date, but thankfully they prevailed! The politics side in this book was more prevalent which was interesting, but oh my it also had moments in which Violet, Xaden, and the gang were left with some losses that were devastating. (Sigh) I feel like there was a lot that happened in this book, and I’m so sad that the book is finished! Once again, Rebecca Yarros took me on an emotional rollercoaster that had me at the edge of my seat, crying, shouting, cheering, and fully immersed the whole way through! There was never a dull moment, and seeing Violet and Xaden trying to navigate their missions, trying to save others, and their relationship it wasn’t easy by any means, but it showed they had plenty to fight for. This book ended in such a wild way that the only thing I can of think is, “I NEED ANSWERS!” Needless to say, this was an automatic five stars, and well worth the wait! Violet was on another level of being a total baddie, while even being lowkey ruthless which I enjoyed seeing. Xaden was still the man I fell in love with, but ugh MY HEART BROKE FOR WHAT HE WAS DEALING WITH! The friend group was amazing as always, and yet again I was sobbing my eyes out in scenes I didn’t see coming. Highly recommend and read the previous books in the series! 
The Striker by Ana Huang

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funny hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

4.25⭐️/ 3-4🌶️

Ana Huang introduced me to some of the most unique and memorable characters from her past books, but with her writing a sports romance book, I was so excited to read her take on it. If you happened to have read, “Twisted Hate”, you might remember a little cameo from a certain soccer player who was introduced by the name of, Asher Donovan. Asher was a well renowned soccer player (*in British terms a, footballer) and beloved by all, except for his now teammate who he has had a bigger rivalry with for many years. For Scarlett Dubois, she was an instructor at a prestigious ballet academy, the one where she once performed and was well on her way to becoming the next prima ballerina. Scarlett and Asher were from different worlds, but when the rivalry between Asher and his teammate reaches an all time high that results in them losing the World Cup, their coach puts them in rigorous training…in ballet and Scarlett would be their instructor. As if things weren’t going Asher’s way, he then finds himself attracted to Scarlett, but oops! SCARLETT WAS ASHER’S TEAMMATE’S SISTER! This sports romance had, forced proximity, brother’s teammate/rival’s sister, tension, a protective MMC, a strong FMC, great chemistry, banter, and the occasional little Easter eggs from Ana’s previous books!

I don’t know what others had big issues with this book, but I actually enjoyed it. Maybe it was because I hadn’t read a book by, Ana Huang in quite some time, but I found this story to be enjoyable and entertaining. I will say, it did seem a bit lengthy for a romance since it bordered on 500 pages. Even with the book being long, it wasn’t too big of an issue for me while reading since I found myself really interested in Scarlett and Asher’s story. 

I love a sports romance book, and to read Ana’s take on it was one I was throughly looking forward to. Asher was obviously a highly talented and famous soccer player, but with his transfer to a new team some people *ahem people from his town, his fans, and even his dad weren’t happy with the change. Being on a new team can take some getting use to, and for Asher it seemed like he took it in stride, but his now teammate, Vincent, wanted nothing to do with him. Despite the animosity between Asher and Vincent, if it wasn’t for them having to be forced to train together, then Asher wouldn’t have had the chance to spend with Scarlett. I liked seeing how Asher started to fall for Scarlett going from attraction to something deeper. Scarlett wasn’t a woman who immediately fell for Asher’s charms and I think that partly played into the initial interest Asher had towards Scarlett. Asher was used to having things or people falling over him, but Scarlett wasn’t an easy person, she made him work for it, and rightly so! 

Scarlett was a strong FMC and one who dealt with inner insecurities, and a past experience that changed the trajectory of her ballet career. I have always admired ballet and the attention to discipline a ballerina must have when executing the choreography and training. Scarlett had grown up in the ballet world from a young age, but after a terrible accident left her injured, her chronic pain and fear of dancing again held her back from trying again. Until, one day she found herself tasked with not only training her brother, but also his rival turned teammate, Asher! When Asher came into the picture, Scarlett had this idea of him being a player and a total flirt without any regard for others, but that wasn’t true. Sure, Asher had his fair share of hookups and the occasional tabloid about him, but the more Scarlett spent time with him, she got to see the real side of him. The thing I also liked about Scarlett was how she was able to differentiate between Asher being this famous soccer player to being his normal self. As much as Asher was famous and well known, at his core he just wanted to be acknowledged as himself without the glitz and glamour of his career. Scarlett was someone who saw passed all that and often times put Asher to work (which was good haha). For all that Scarlett experienced when it came to her career in ballet, she felt a renewed sense to try again after a much needed talk with Asher that inspired her to take another chance on ballet. Scarlett had her own hurdles to overcome along the way, but she became better from it. 

Like I previously stated, it had been a while since I read a book by Ana Huang, and it was nice to jump into a new story written by her. I found Scarlett and Asher’s story enjoyable and it kept me interested along the way. My favorite part of this book was, obviously the romance between Scarlett and Asher, but also how they supported one another in different ways. From Asher being mindful of Scarlett’s chronic pain and finding ways to help her with it in the most subtle ways was really sweet to Scarlett treating Asher like a regular person as opposed to the famous soccer player that he was. Another thing I loved was seeing cameos of other beloved characters from Ana’s other books like, Isabella, Kai, Jules, Josh, and even getting hints at the new character that’ll appear in Ana’s other current series! Needless to say, Ana had some goodies stored in this book. As much as this story kept my attention and I liked reading it, I do think it was a tad too long especially when taking into consideration the plot line. I feel like if the story had been cut down, it would have saved time and been better for the sake of the book. Aside from that, I didn’t see any other issues with this book as opposed to other readers who may not have liked it. I do think Ana’s take on a sports romance was fun and I’m interested to keep reading this series to see what else she’ll come up with especially with the next book centering on, Scarlett’s brother who’s also Asher’s teammate. If you’re looking for a sports romance, lovable, diverse characters, a fun loving friend group, rival’s sister/ brother’s teammate, then you should consider reading this book. 
The Kings of Kearny by Navessa Allen

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 0%.
Thought an MC book would be a good one to read since I had a few before, but unfortunately this didn’t land the mark. I couldn’t really connect with the characters and from the beginning I felt like the characters got together too quickly. I liked some aspects to it like, how the FMC was former Air Force and had a speciality that made her so strong. The MMC was grumpy and unapologetic about his blunt ways which was ok. Made it to 62% and just thought, “is this story even worth finishing?” I even contemplated skipping ahead to see the spoilers, but even that didn’t seem worth it to me. (Sigh) sadly this book wasn’t for me, and maybe the fact that I read this after my reread after “Iron Flame” was not the move to make, but oh well. Maybe others might like it, but it wasn’t my favorite. I would like to read Navessa’s other book, “Lights Out” or her other works and maybe those will interest me more.
The Kiss Lottery by Ilsa Madden-Mills

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funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

4⭐️/ 1🌶️

*Thank you to Greys Promotions and Ilsa Madden-Mills for providing me with an ARC to this story, greatly appreciated and love you Ilsa!

In Ilsa Madden-Mill’s newest release, it’s a spicy novella centered around the Valentine’s Day, but with a twist! In the small town of Rose, Tennessee, there is the kiss lottery which is essentially a match making game where couples are paired up. For Everly Davis, coming back to Rose was filled with some nerves in seeing familiar faces, but mostly one bringing back memories of the past. Beckett Whitfield had always lived in Rose, now a well known thriller author he spent his time writing his books, but also still thought about the girl from his childhood and the friendship they shared, until things went downhill in high school. Now, with the kiss lottery once again taking place, Everly received an invitation to come back to town for it by a mysterious admirer. With the small town vibes, a mystery admirer who sends gifts and letters to the FMC, grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity, and more, this was the perfect novella to read.

This was the perfect novella to read especially with Valentine’s Day coming up. Whether you’re looking for a story that’s short and sweet or a little lighthearted romance, this novella is perfect for that occasion. With Beckett and Everly having a long held history of once being close friends to years in between they didn’t speak to now speaking to one another, this novella illustrated the strong connection they had. I liked the way the novella was set up in which it combined the tradition of the kiss lottery (*which was a cute thing to include in the story) as well as the characters themselves. Ilsa wrote Everly and Beckett’s characters perfectly in a way that left me wanting more of them and honestly part of me wouldn’t have minded if the story was a bit longer so I could have gotten to know more about Everly and Beckett. Everly and Beckett were great main characters and I liked seeing them reconnect after so many years apart. Beckett was the man whose feelings for Everly never went away despite his initial reaction when they were in high school. If you love a MMC who’s secretly had feelings for his friend and reconnects with her, and anonymously sends her gifs, you’ll like Beckett in this book.  

Overall, I thought the book was cute, sweet, had a tiny bit of spice, lighthearted characters, and humor. Ilsa Madden-Mills also managed to write a novella that surprisingly made me wish it was a bit longer so I had more time with the characters. This type of novella was perfect to read with the Valentine’s Day theme being sprinkled throughout the story, and it was a straightforward plot line. I can never go wrong with a book written by Ilsa Madden-Mills, she just knows how to write romances that are fun, have some depth, lovable characters, and interesting storylines. I would recommend this book to read this upcoming Valentine’s Day, and if you’re in the mood for a short and quick novella.