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freyafaithfull's reviews
386 reviews
Roommate Arrangement by Saxon James
4.0
Roommate Arrangement by Saxon James ⭐⭐⭐.5
A sweet romance about a quirky author whose had a crush on his brother's best friend since childhood. Beau is an unconventional guy and often finds himself getting lost in his thoughts and writing and struggling with social cues and dating.
Payne is looking to start his life over after finding out his husband has been cheating on him. He's not looking for love, just somewhere to live whilst he gets his life sorted.
Payne and Beau become roommates and help each other grow in different ways. Payne helps Beau come out of his shell and face the world and Beau starts to make Payne believe there could be more good left in his life than he thought.
There are definitely some fun moments such as pretend sword fighting and cute moments including Payne letting Beau colour in his tattoos to help with his anxiety. However, overall I found that the story felt a little slow and lacking. I love Saxon's work but this wasn't my favourite of her books.
A sweet romance about a quirky author whose had a crush on his brother's best friend since childhood. Beau is an unconventional guy and often finds himself getting lost in his thoughts and writing and struggling with social cues and dating.
Payne is looking to start his life over after finding out his husband has been cheating on him. He's not looking for love, just somewhere to live whilst he gets his life sorted.
Payne and Beau become roommates and help each other grow in different ways. Payne helps Beau come out of his shell and face the world and Beau starts to make Payne believe there could be more good left in his life than he thought.
There are definitely some fun moments such as pretend sword fighting and cute moments including Payne letting Beau colour in his tattoos to help with his anxiety. However, overall I found that the story felt a little slow and lacking. I love Saxon's work but this wasn't my favourite of her books.
Platonic Rulebook by Saxon James
4.0
Platonic Rulebook by Saxon James ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I was so excited for this book after seeing glimpses of Griff in Roommate Arrangement. He's just as flirty and funny as I remember but we also see a more vulnerable and insecure side to him too. He worries about his age and appearance and whether or not he can run his business without his ex-wife.
Luckily for him, his best friend Heath is always there to pick up the slack. He's such a good friend to Griff, always putting him first and going above and beyond his job role to help him out. Heath struggles to balance giving Griff everything he needs with being there to support his elderly mother after his fathers passing.
Felix was also so much fun and I loved seeing more of his background after reading his story - The Dating Disaster.
I love the best friends to lovers trope in general and the way this book utilises it is perfect. There are no years of pining from one of the MC's, both Griff and Heath fall for each other at the same time. This is a nice change compared to the dozens of books I've read with the same trope that focus around unrequited love and pining.
The epilogue was so sweet and rounded out their story nicely and overall the book was a fun, low angst read.
I was so excited for this book after seeing glimpses of Griff in Roommate Arrangement. He's just as flirty and funny as I remember but we also see a more vulnerable and insecure side to him too. He worries about his age and appearance and whether or not he can run his business without his ex-wife.
Luckily for him, his best friend Heath is always there to pick up the slack. He's such a good friend to Griff, always putting him first and going above and beyond his job role to help him out. Heath struggles to balance giving Griff everything he needs with being there to support his elderly mother after his fathers passing.
Felix was also so much fun and I loved seeing more of his background after reading his story - The Dating Disaster.
I love the best friends to lovers trope in general and the way this book utilises it is perfect. There are no years of pining from one of the MC's, both Griff and Heath fall for each other at the same time. This is a nice change compared to the dozens of books I've read with the same trope that focus around unrequited love and pining.
The epilogue was so sweet and rounded out their story nicely and overall the book was a fun, low angst read.
Cali Boy by Charli Meadows
5.0
Cali Boy by Charli Meadows ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Once I started this book I couldn't stop reading. I loved the grumpy/sunshine dynamic and the hurt/comfort themes and possessiveness Finn has towards Oliver.
Even though the book deals with heavy themes it's still the epitome of a super sweet instalove story and my only wish was that it was longer. Ollie and Finn are so good for each other. It's a shame the next book in the series is going to be completely new characters as I would have loved to see more from many of the secondary characters including Ethan and Jared. This is a definite re-read for me!
CW: death, grief, homophobia, bullying, swearing, injury of an MC
Once I started this book I couldn't stop reading. I loved the grumpy/sunshine dynamic and the hurt/comfort themes and possessiveness Finn has towards Oliver.
Even though the book deals with heavy themes it's still the epitome of a super sweet instalove story and my only wish was that it was longer. Ollie and Finn are so good for each other. It's a shame the next book in the series is going to be completely new characters as I would have loved to see more from many of the secondary characters including Ethan and Jared. This is a definite re-read for me!
CW: death, grief, homophobia, bullying, swearing, injury of an MC
The Trouble with Trying to Date a Murderer by Jennifer Cody
2.0
Dnf'd at 64% and to be honest I'm surprised I lasted that long. I liked the two main lead characters and some of Romleys' humor which is why I've given it 2 stars. Overall though the book was just very confusing and everything happened with no context at all. Definitely seems like a marmite read - you either love it or hate it!
Melody of the Snow by Blake Allwood
3.0
Melody of the Snow by Blake Allwood ⭐⭐⭐.5
Hunter’s trying to forge a new path in his life after being unfairly fired from his job as a deputy. This leads him to working a job for his Aunt in the mountains as a ski patroller and to meeting Cam, whom he had a previous one night stand with.
As their lives change and progress over the winter and spring seasons, they find themselves drawn back to each other and start a long distance relationship.
Despite Hunters job and family commitments and Cams burgeoning new career and inheritance worries, they still manage to keep their relationship alive and eventually find their way back home to each other.
This book was a middle of the road read for me. At some points it felt like there was almost too much packed into the story. Cam has a music degree but also a nursing qualification and after leaving his job as a nurse, becomes a successful singer whilst also inheriting a ski resort and mansion, which he then wants to turn into a museum with all the expensive art he also inherits.
Having so much going on made the story a little muddled and confusing at times, which took away from the overall enjoyment of the book. At times it felt like less of a romance novel and more the story of Cam's career.
Overall, however, I did enjoy Hunter and Cam's story. It was a low angst, easy read with plenty of love and snow.
CW: Racism
Hunter’s trying to forge a new path in his life after being unfairly fired from his job as a deputy. This leads him to working a job for his Aunt in the mountains as a ski patroller and to meeting Cam, whom he had a previous one night stand with.
As their lives change and progress over the winter and spring seasons, they find themselves drawn back to each other and start a long distance relationship.
Despite Hunters job and family commitments and Cams burgeoning new career and inheritance worries, they still manage to keep their relationship alive and eventually find their way back home to each other.
This book was a middle of the road read for me. At some points it felt like there was almost too much packed into the story. Cam has a music degree but also a nursing qualification and after leaving his job as a nurse, becomes a successful singer whilst also inheriting a ski resort and mansion, which he then wants to turn into a museum with all the expensive art he also inherits.
Having so much going on made the story a little muddled and confusing at times, which took away from the overall enjoyment of the book. At times it felt like less of a romance novel and more the story of Cam's career.
Overall, however, I did enjoy Hunter and Cam's story. It was a low angst, easy read with plenty of love and snow.
CW: Racism
The Geek Who Saved Christmas by Annabeth Albert
4.0
The Geek who saved Christmas by Annabeth Albert ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Paul Frost and Gideon Snow are the epitome of grumpy and sunshine. Paul lives a solitary life with his dog Jim, focusing on work and staying away from anything too social or festive. Gideon is a social bunny, constantly involved with neighbourhood events and loves everything about Christmas and the holidays.
When Gideon offers to help Paul decorate his house for his brother's last minute visit, they both start to realise how each other differs from their original preconceptions. As they both connect over nostalgic memories from their childhoods and decorating for the holidays, they grow closer and the lines of neighbours or more start to blur.
Although the book started a little slow, after a few chapters it was easy to get invested in the characters. I loved how joyful this book was, packed with lots of Christmas cheer, childhood nostalgia and plenty of snow.
If you're looking for a low angst, sweet, holiday romance then The Geek who saved Christmas is for you.
Paul Frost and Gideon Snow are the epitome of grumpy and sunshine. Paul lives a solitary life with his dog Jim, focusing on work and staying away from anything too social or festive. Gideon is a social bunny, constantly involved with neighbourhood events and loves everything about Christmas and the holidays.
When Gideon offers to help Paul decorate his house for his brother's last minute visit, they both start to realise how each other differs from their original preconceptions. As they both connect over nostalgic memories from their childhoods and decorating for the holidays, they grow closer and the lines of neighbours or more start to blur.
Although the book started a little slow, after a few chapters it was easy to get invested in the characters. I loved how joyful this book was, packed with lots of Christmas cheer, childhood nostalgia and plenty of snow.
If you're looking for a low angst, sweet, holiday romance then The Geek who saved Christmas is for you.
Winning the Season by Beth Bolden
4.0
Winning the season by Beth Bolden ⭐⭐⭐⭐
A story of second chance love. Scott and Asa have been friends for over twenty years. After realising his feelings for Scott go far beyond friendship, Asa confesses, only to be left with a broken heart.
After seven years apart, Scott and Asa are brought back together again and neither can deny that their connection and love for each other are as strong as they ever were.
Once Asa manages to get past his anger at Scott from what happened seven years ago, and embraces his feelings, they fall seamlessly into a relationship and start to believe they can have everything they both ever wanted together.
I found Winning the Season to be quite sports heavy compared to other books in the same genre. You don't necessarily need to know much about football as the author does a good job of explaining everything, however there is a lot of emphasis on the sport and I did find it detracted slightly from their relationship.
Although this is book 4 in the series and does feature cameos from the mc's of previous books, it can still be read easily as a standalone.
Overall, Winning the Season is a sweet sports romance, interspersed with Christmas cheer and a very satisfying HEA.
CW: homophobia (referenced)
A story of second chance love. Scott and Asa have been friends for over twenty years. After realising his feelings for Scott go far beyond friendship, Asa confesses, only to be left with a broken heart.
After seven years apart, Scott and Asa are brought back together again and neither can deny that their connection and love for each other are as strong as they ever were.
Once Asa manages to get past his anger at Scott from what happened seven years ago, and embraces his feelings, they fall seamlessly into a relationship and start to believe they can have everything they both ever wanted together.
I found Winning the Season to be quite sports heavy compared to other books in the same genre. You don't necessarily need to know much about football as the author does a good job of explaining everything, however there is a lot of emphasis on the sport and I did find it detracted slightly from their relationship.
Although this is book 4 in the series and does feature cameos from the mc's of previous books, it can still be read easily as a standalone.
Overall, Winning the Season is a sweet sports romance, interspersed with Christmas cheer and a very satisfying HEA.
CW: homophobia (referenced)