emileereadsbooks's reviews
1113 reviews

Poppy is trying to best a high school bully in line at the local coffee shop when he claims the man in front of her is her boyfriend. But when he turns around and is Dallas Burke, the "bad boy of hockey", she is flabbergasted. And she is even more flabbergasted when he plays along. Take that Margot! 

But when Dallas' spunky grandma and matter-of-fact manager get wind of what has happened, they convince Dallas and Poppy that continuing this fake relationship would be mutually beneficial for them. So a contract is drawn up, terms negotiated, and fake dates (and PDA) is planned. 

But as they spend more time together, Dallas and Poppy both have to remind themselves this is only fake... Or is it not?
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This is one of the most realistic fake dating set ups I have read. It's not an instantaneous decision. They really contemplate why and how, which made the tension ratchet up and made reading more enjoyable. Plus in a lot of fake relationship books only one character benefits externally from the arrangement. Here they both benefit in a public facing way which adds so much interest. 

I highlighted so many funny one liners and quips, as well as poignant and sweet moments while reading. Some right after each other. I was there with the characters experiencing every emotion, good or bad. 

Poppy and Dallas will live in my brain for some time. Their chemistry and vulnerability with one another juxtaposed with their cheesiness and awkward comments made them relatable and oh so loveable.

Also, so many bonus points to this book for having a curvy heroine who doesn't make her identity about her weight. It was the perfect balance of acknowledging her size without obsessing over it. 

More bonus points because Poppy's dad is deaf and the characters communicate in sign language which was well written and didn't feel forced. I loved this representation.
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This is a closed door, kisses only rom com.

Content warning for: incarcerated parent, car accident, bullying

Nora let her friend convince her she needed more fun in her life, and that turned into her agreeing to a date with some guy she met online. But really, she's just there to go to the basketball game. If she has to go on a date with this less than stellar dude, at least she gets to see her team in person. 

But when her date gets up to get some concessions, and she ends up on the kiss cam with the man she's been flirt fighting over the arm rest all night with, her night takes a turn. 

Nora learns the impact of one decision and the ripple effect it can have in your life. And that maybe magic can come from the unexpected.
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I was supposed to review this months ago but every time I sat down to write the review, I was so intimidated by how much I loved it that I couldn't make myself put sentences together.

This book is the kind of rom com that you want to sink into like a good bubble bath. But this is a magical bath where the bubbles never pop and your fingers don't get pruny. You just get to luxuriate in it's foamy delight.

But this story isn't just fluffy goodness, the character arc of both of these characters is so powerful as they each deal with overcoming the hands that life has dealt them. Their relationship is real. They deal with their baggage, they argue, and they do high caliber flirting. The chemistry is just so good. 

In a stretch of time where I read a large amount of rom coms, this one felt fresh and sweet and makes me want to read more Cindy Steel for sure. 

I wish I could read this again for the first time. It was such a delightful and unique experience.
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This is a closed door, kisses only rom com.

Content Notes: Brief mention of Dementia, deadbeat parent

Thank you to the author for a gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Heather is a single mom, a coffee shop manager, a hometown girl, and she has written off love. 

Rene is a ladies man, a real estate mogul, a Frenchman and he's written off finding a deep relationship.

But when Rene comes to North Carolina to visit his best friend and his wife (who is Heather's sister), his flirty ways have Heather's icy resolve melting. He is NOT her Valentine, but maybe she is being a bit tempted on him...
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What a sweet rom com about giving love another shot, leaning into the marvelous messy nature of relationship, and embracing the beauty that life has to offer.

I was unsure about Rene and his flirty ways, but I came to love his heart and how tender he was. 

This book will have even the Valentine's skeptics swooning. 
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This is a closed door, kisses only rom com.

Thank you to Savannah Scott for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.

Gillian is happily divorced. And she is about ready to write off dating apps after dealing with all the less than stellar matches it has provided. She instead finds enjoyment in her garden and prepping it for the annual garden competition.

But when Noah moves in next door and doesn't see eye to eye with Gillian about how their gardens border one another, they get into some serious clashes around the garden competition.

Both Gillian and Noah feel a magnetism towards one another that is at odds with their garden war. With they both be able to bury the hurts of their pasts to be about to allow a relationship to flourish?

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I was excited about the premise of this one. I like a neighbor enemies to lovers romance. But this one was just okay. I feel like the build up to them getting together was much better than once they got together. Once they were together, their relationship lost any sparkle the banter of their pre relationship flirting had. 

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This is a closed door romance. There is implied intimacy and language. 

 Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for the book that I read along with the library audio. 

Jude Camden is a straight laced FBI agent who doesn't only take his job seriously, but his life as well. So when he has to pose as Gemma Clare's boyfriend on an undercover operation, her bold exuberance and the way she embraces messiness throws him off kilter, even if he doesn't want to admit it. And as he's drawn to her, he has to keep reminding himself that the FBI takes a hard stance against romances on operations. But as much as Jude likes following rules, this one may be worth breaking.  
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What an excellent second edition to this series. Let's address the side characters first. I loved the continuation of storylines introduced in the first book, as well as the debut of new side characters and their stories. The way all the points of view are presented makes you immersed in every facet of everyone's story without you feeling overwhelmed.

Now the main story... Jude and Gemma are the sweetest match! Their differences play nicely together and they compliment and need each other. I loved how she teased out his playful side and he made her a bit more contemplative. Plus the way their relationship went from fake to real had me giggling and turning pages to see what happened next. 

I loved how faith played a bigger role in the plot of this one while still serving the story.

This book can be read as a stand alone, but I really recommend reading Memory Lane first because there are side storylines that are a continuation of those in the first book.
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This is a closed door, kisses only rom com.

Content warnings: Alzheimer's, stroke, alcoholism, gun violence, incarcerated parent, infidelity, family strife

Thanks to Netgalley and Becky Wade for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.

Finola Shanahan lives her life based on shame. She's is haunted by the death of her sister, leading her to believe she doesn't deserve a family of her own. So she is seeking to become a nun and sabotages every marriage match her parents try to make.
Riley Rafferty is know as Saint Riley in St. Louis for his heroic escapades. He is also running for mayor, and at the dying wish of his father, agrees to let the matchmaker find him a match.

When the matchmaker pairs Finola and Riley, tensions are high as Finola's schemes are at odds with their chemistry. And when cholera breaks out, these two much contend with their compulsions to duty as they navigate making decisions for their personal lives as well.
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I have complicated feelings about this one...

This book is published by Bethany House and is labeled as Christian fiction. But my oh my this there a lot of objectification here. I read a lot of closed door rom com that aren't labeled as Christian that are not so lustful.  And to make matters worse, this objectification feel shoe horned in. I feel like 

this book catering to the masses who like some "spice" in books. And why is Bethany House publishing a book that I would not label Christian fiction? There is no gospel message in this one. What is the point of Christian fiction if there is no Christianity in it?

Not to say this isn't good historical fiction. It's fine. But the Christian fiction label is just a token at this point.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bethany House for the eARC. All opinions are my own. 

Iris has been blind for 7 years since that awful accident and in those 7 years, her and her father have tried to appease everyone of the gods to restore her sight. But when a chance encounter with Valentine, a Christian, gives her glimpses of hope for regaining the life she desires, she starts seeking more answers by seeking Jesus.

Valentine is a public notarius and the leader of an underground church, and he becomes the most wanted man in the empire when he defies the emperor's marriage ban because of his personal convictions. 

As "the cupid" becomes more popular among the people and more wanted by authorities, Valentine's safety is more threatened. And when Iris and her father's debts are called in, the safety of their little congregation is further at risk. 

How do these believers cling to their faith when the entire empire seems against them? 
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At the urging of @RobertsonReads and @EmilyLovesReading I picked up this book and I was not prepared to be sucked into the world of ancient Rome like I was. I binged the audio of this book over 2 days and I was so captivated by the array of characters that I could easily picture them in the marketplaces and gardens and homes around Rome.

As a Christian I loved all the messages in this book about holding firm to faith, living in community, and the sacrifices we are called to in the name of Jesus. This book is one I will likely always think of at Valentine's Day and has made the holiday that much sweeter for me. 

I will add that although I really enjoyed the audiobook, some of the accents for different characters read a little more southern than ancient Roman. But that didn't take me out of the story. 
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Content Warning: This book deals with the persecution of Christians and features the Roman Colosseum and atrocities that happened there.

Thanks to Netgalley and Tyndale House for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.

Ben is a flirty guy, and charm is his currency. He uses those powers to bring more joy into the world. Women cannot resist him, until he meets Summer. She is not impressed with him, and at their first meeting his powers short circuit and he's flopping around like a fish out of water.

Summer is on Marbella Island for a fresh start. She is shedding the drama of her past to try to break into the manufactured drama of Hollywood. And she has landed a part as a mermaid an island production so all is going swimmingly. Until meeting Ben throws her off her axis. Every one loves him, but all Summer can see are red flags with his fake charm. 

But maybe Ben's charm isn't fake and his doggedness begins to wear away at Summer's resolve. As her walls come down she has to decide what she is willing to trust Ben with, her heart, her past, and maybe her future. 
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A flirty book boyfriend is always fun to read when written well and Ben is the most fun. He is like a giant golden retriever puppy, just doing anything he can to make you smile. 

Contrasted with Summer's very structured and methodical approach to life, this love story thrives in the tension of opposites.

Perhaps the most deep rom com I have read from Scott so far, this book balances that depth with humor and wit and a lot of sunshine. A great read anytime of year, but I suggest adding to your summer TBR to read hopefully with your toes in the sand.
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This is a closed door, kisses only sweet rom com.

Thank you to Savannah Scott for the book. A review was not required. All opinions are my own. 

Emily's family has hit some rough financial times, so she desperately needs a scholarship for college. So, along with 11 other prep school students she loads a private plane to Paris to compete in an elite scholarship competition. 

But in their luxury transatlantic flight, it becomes evident that the competition is the least of their worries as competitors begin turning up dead. 

Who can Emily trust when everyone has secrets they are trying to contend with? And how is she going to get to Paris alive? 
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Whew that was a WILD ride. I binged this audiobook in a single day, because I had to know what happened. And I did not see that conclusion coming. I loved all the misdirects and red herrings and how they served the plot. This mystery was so compelling!

Emily isn't the most likeable character in theory, but despite the fact I did not feel like I should root for her, I still was this whole book. So points to the author for winning me over.

I did this one on audio and while it was excellently done, it was a bit hard to keep all the characters straight. I may have had an easier time with that in print. 

This book is YA and is actually appropriate for teenagers. The characters act like teenagers, but mature during the book. There is no language and no sex. 

The murders in this book are gruesome, but most all of the violence happens off the page. There is a lot of blood on the page though. 
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Content Warning: MLM Victim, infidelity, homeliness, murder, suicide, anaphylaxis, blood, and cheating

Reading this you will feel like you too are a chef living in Paris and drinking in all that life has to offer. 

Claire was relatable in that she is just trying to figure out her life. And James being a secret cinnamon roll was just too precious. I wanted to walk along in the market with them each day. 

This was a SLOW burn with a delectable payoff and overall a delicious treat of a book. 

Content note: This book is closed door but does contain language and innuendo

Thanks to Waitlyn Andrews and Netgalley for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.