xandriaisreading's reviews
152 reviews

After feeling like she cheated cancer and isn't enough for ex, Alison finds herself playing the role of girlfriend at her ex's funeral. Determined to pull of the role, she finds herself volunteering to pack up her dead ex's apartment with his best friend, Adam. No problem, she can keep up the facade for a few more weeks... Right?

Ultimately this is a story about identity and guilt. Alison is attempting to be deserving of her life now that she's mitigated her cancer risk. Adam is trying to make up for a fight that will never get resolved. Both are trying their hardest but can see straight through the other. It's easy to give advice when it's not your own life.

Overall I really enjoyed this book! I enjoyed the complicated and non-linear journey Alison went on. I loved how her friends both had her back and weren't afraid to call her out. The romance was a slow build (I mean, he is her dead ex's best friend) and had the perfect amount of yearning. And the best part is that it balanced the emotional parts with humor very well.

Thank you to Penguin Group Putnam for providing me with an arc for an honest review.

Mae has always wanted to connect with her Black family in the South; but since her grandmother didn't approve of her father's marriage to her white mother that family line was almost non existent. Save for the famous family July 4th BBQ her father went back for every year.

With news of her grandmother's passing, Mae realizes she doesn't have forever to get to know the other half of her family. As she takes off to North Carolina to attend the funeral, she gets a less than chilly welcome. In hopes of turning things around, she offers to throw the final BBQ and recreate her grandma's famous Mac and cheese. But as she learns more about her family, secrets are revealed that changes the way she's everyone she loves.

I was super excited about this one, being in a similar position. Hearing her talk about microagressions, especially from those you love and the way it complicates the way you see them was such a great take to read... The first few chapters. It was repeated several times in the same manner throughout the book unnecessarily. 

There are a lot of feelings at play here, from Mae's, her cousin Sierra's and the rest of the Townsend clan. So there's a lot of hot and cold communication throughout the book that feels like it's jerking you around. This gives way to a bit of an uneven pacing, but the story really picks up around the 55-60% mark.

Overall, I enjoyed the story. There were bits that could be a bit tighter but ultimately it's the miscommunication that turned me off. It's not my fave.

Thank you to Sourcebooks for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

EVERETT. KINGMAN. Whew, this man! It was nice to get a slower burn than the other brothers. And his reluctance to love and comedic timing were the perfect toppings to this book. 

I fall more in love with each brother with each book I read; but Everett is currently King 👑

The only issue i had with this book was that the timeline was in tandem with P*ssy Next Door, so there were a a lot of time skips and it made the story fly by. I wish it was more on it's own. I appreciatet the quick publishing, but I think the timeline can use some spacing.

This is an emotional one! I've never read a book told through a series of phones calls, but it served the story and characters well.

The generational trauma is compounded through four generations and finally faced and tackled by the matriarch and the youngest when the former becomes sick. Their relationship starts out strained and as the past is revealed, it grows into a beautiful and loving protectiveness that only they can understand. Their relationship was my favorite part of this book.

Aspen wrote one great book. No really, it was a best seller and book of the month! The problem is it was based on her toxic relationship with her ex and she poured all of her feelings into it and her fans loved it. They loved it so much they won't read her new books and her publisher isn't happy.

So off to OBX she goes to reconnect with her sister and find her muse some inspiration. Enter town bad boy Brick Babel (yes, that's actually his name). With a reputation for leaving women so broken hearted they started a support group, Aspen is sure he's the emotional key to her next book.

But you see, Brick is not having a good time. He grandfather died and left him his failing, debt-ridden tour company complete with a nemesis hell bent on destroying him. The perfect opportunity for a little quid pro quo: Aspen can help with the tour company (spoiler alert she made bank after her first book), Brick can break Aspen's heart and give her enough material for her next book and make her publisher happy.

Now into the nitty gritty, this one was cute. The premise was new and exciting and I couldn't wait to read it. However, Aspen just can't see past her own nose. All of her troubles, there's only one answer and it's the answer that's going to make her miserable. Even though you as the reader will be able to come up with way better options. In fact, I can guarantee you will be able to come up with the end solutions suggested by the other characters early on in the book.

The characters themselves were fun! Aspen and Brick were cute when they were together and when they were apart you could see them falling for each other. Aspen's sister is the true voice of reason and thank goodness she's there. The beach shop characters are my favorite little pot heads! 😂 Every time they popped up, it was just a fun scene or chapter. Maleficent, the tour competitor felt like she was going to have a bigger role but was just "fixed" in a few paragraphs towards the end with a, "how does that make you feel" from Aspen and the fact that she's a fan of Aspen.

Overall the book felt a bit too long but then also rushed. Especially at the end of summer.

Thank you to Blue Box Press for providing me with a copy via NetGalley for an honest review.

Oh I loved these two! So sweet, sincere, and geeky! 🥰🤓 I think they may be my favorite Kingsman couple!

Silvia Moreno-Garcia does it again! Her writing transports you into 1950s Hollywood and even further into biblical times to tell the story of Salome. Two actresses want to do the story justice but have their own views on how Salome should be portrayed. When the newbie is picked over the struggling actress, tensions rise and come with their consequences...

I really enjoyed following the stories of the three women, Salome, Vera, and Nancy. At first they all seem so different, but as the story goes on and they denied what they want and pushed to their limits, they're more alike.

I listened to the audiobook and loved that it had a full cast. It really brought the book and the characters to life. It really dialed up the drama and built up the suspense and momentum at climax and made for a satisfying ending.

I'm really digging Hollywood romances! They provide just enough escapism from the day to day while still being grounded in some kind of reality.

This one in particular was pretty angsty with the history between the FCM and the MMC. True to the title, you'll be asking yourself, "will they or won't they???" the entire time. Then eventually you'll find yourself yelling at the book, "JUST DO IT ALREADY!"

 Their history spans nearly a decade and is full of wanting, lust, unrequited love, and anxiety. This has a dual timeline so you get to see them when their careers and relationship just started out and where they're at in the present. Now that they're in their 30s, and forced to go to couples therapy, they begin to work through their past and their present feelings. They have actual grown up conversations that propell their relationship forward! So refreshing!

Ava Wilder is doing romance right and I can't wait to see what she puts out next.