Monique S.'s Blog, page 4

four solid stars

Sugar and Spice by Sam Skyborne

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I have read Sugar and spice twice, as I beta read it for Sam in return of an honest review and wanted to be sure in my opinion.

Sugar and spice cannot really be called a second chance romance, as there really was never a first. Slow burn would not quite fit either, the only one somewhat suitable is friends to lovers.

Terry has finally decided to visit her best friend Jacko, who has settled on the Greek island of Lesvos. What she has planned as a calm reunion is quickly turning into a parcour of temptations and hot sex. Unfortunately the fact, that I am German revealed the major mystery of the plot instantly, and that unfortunately took a bit of the fun out of the story. Nevertheless I enjoyed the read enough for a four solid star rating.



View all my reviews

Another great book by Georgia Beers.

The Do-Over by Georgia Beers

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This is the fourth book by Georgia Beers, that has gone straight to my top favourite shelf. There are so many things I love about her writing. the best thing is, that none of the stories has more than one situation, that could end the blooming relationship and that in each situation the characters involved easily accept their own shortcomings when it is time to make amends.

The other thing I love are her well developed -and sometimes quite funny - side characters. And the last thing are the dialogues.

Here the theme is sins of the past, stupid adolescent attempts to please no matter who and in the process deeply hurting others, who are sensitive and/or vulnerable. Easton, because she was struggling to come to terms with her personlity as well as her sexuality, had joined in the terrible and abusive hazing of Isabella, whose crush on Easton the Queen Bee of the High school has made public knowledge. Now, fifteen years later, Bella has come out as well as becoming an experienced and well liked counsellor. Easton, on the other hand has a child from a marriage that was a sham, because it happened only to please Easton's parents. For her new job she is obliged to take a conflict resolution course, that Bella, who has officially changed her name from Isabella, is doing for Eastons employer. She doesn't even recognise Bella, because she has changed not only her name, but also has become a self assured, attractive woman. The rest, as they say, is history ... ;)



View all my reviews

Terribly disappointed!

American Superstar: Time To Shine by Shay Paris




Quite honestly I am devastated. While I absolutely loved the first of this “Series” I should have taken into account exactly that fact: a series.
While this second book could have been another five star top favourite of mine, the ending here finally put me off series of books all together, unless I really know the author and her style well.

This was the third flop with a new (for me) author in a row and I am terribly disappointed. I did not put a rating on this out of curtesy.



View all my reviews

Not for me.

Unlikely Match by Alexa Woods




I won't rate this, but it is probably my first abandoned novel at such an early stage.

The premise(s) of the book really rubbed me the wrong way from the start, but when Odessa, who has styled herself into a "life coach" isn't even aware of herself enough to realise and admit to herself that she want's Poppy as a possible lover, then to tell the poor girl outright what is what for her and that she will never be able to have a relationship, which is what she went on the dating app for, with a client, that was the final nail in this book's coffin for me. That is more than just unprofessional, it is outright stupid.



View all my reviews

Could have been five stars

The Lady and the Vixen by K.T. Grant

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The first few chapters almost had me stop reading. We're talking Regency time here, I assume, and I prefer my historical fiction to be somewhat authentic. So, the characters speech and choic of phrase, as well as missing irregular verbs, or rather finding the abhorrent regularised conjugation as well as things like obligated instead the simple, classic and very English obliged were a major turn off. But ...

K.T. Grant spins a fascinating crime/suspense plot here, that would also fit really well into a contemporary novel, and that plot kept me focussed and helped me ignore the rest. There is a sizzeling hot physical attraction between Trish and Lucy, that slowly morphes into more and how the problems of a lesbian relationship at the time (remeber we're talking Regency here) is as clever as possible even then.

So, yes, it was a good read after all, it's just that only a bit more effort with the language would have made it a five star top favourite for me.



View all my reviews

Absolutely brilliant.

Lasting Impressions by Michele L. Rivera

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


It's been a while I read one of her books and this title just drew me in, so I interrupted everything and just read it in one go, which already sais a lot about it. I'd almost forgotten how good Michele's writing is.
This is a deeply touching tale about how deeply one can hurt someone involuntarily, if we are not aware of our mindset and emotional problems, especially when young and insecure. With the help of their best friends both Cameron and Bryce manage finally, 15 years later, to discover who they are and what they truly want. The narrative goes really down to the roots and touched me deeply, even though I have been a counsellour for mor than 17 years of my life and thought I'd seen and heard it all.



View all my reviews

well worth reading.

Where Love Leads by K.C. Luck

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This starts out very much like a comedy, but the longer those two, Melanie and Milo travel together and fight the chemistry between them, the more earnest the story becomes. For both the road trip is going to change their lives as they try to find the courage to fight for their future together.

The dialogues in the first third had me laughing quite a lot, then their emotional struggles touched me deeply and in the end I was ready to hope for someone murdering Melanie's husband, but the actual resolution was even better than that? but I am not going to spoil things here :)



View all my reviews

ceci est la romance le plus érotique d’elle

Accès Interdit: Roman lesbien by Mónica Benítez

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


C’est le cinquième livre de Mónica Benitez que j’ai lu et j’ai apprécié sa écriture chaque fois un peu plus. Ceci, pour le moment, certainement est la plus belle romance j’ai lu.

J’aime le fait, que les deux personnages centrales, Candela et Raquel, ont plus ou moins la même age autour de quarante et se comportent au plupart comme des adultes, aussi. Oui il en a des secrets, mais ils arrivent petit à petit faire confiance a l’autre pour s’ouvrir.

Aussi, ceci est la romance le plus érotique d’elle j’ai lu, et les scènes d’intimité entre Candela et Raquel sont les plus belles lu depuis mon début avec les romans lesbiennes.

Accès Interdit en edition broché prit donc son place dans l’étagère des romans le plus favorisés chez moi.



View all my reviews

Another top favourite from Melissa.

At First Glance by Melissa Tereze

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I wasn't sure about this one, but then I finally got past the cover and yes, I had to admit to myself to have been prejudiced, even though some of my best friends in Hamburg were or had been call-girls. And no, I have never been in a relationship with one of them, for exact the reasons Talia quotes. It was the cover, more than anything that confused me, as even though I am a truly femme trans-woman, the pole dancing and the platform heels triggered a sort of feminist response.

I have counselled quite a number of dancers of the Opera at Hamburg in the late 1980s and I seriously admired their love and dedication for the job, that nevertheless led to most of them having starved and worked themselves into being sterile. Only the young and still healthy prima ballerina took my advice and went to Amsterdam to start a contemporary dance company of her own, successfully I might add. She kept coming back into my mind any time the question of giving up her “life” or her relationship came up for Talia and Faye.

Yet, Talia won my heart, as well as Faye, but in actual fact, it is Melissa's writing, that really is the magic here. I sincerely hope for a sequel, in which Talia goes a similar path as that prima ballerina but in Liverpool!



View all my reviews

Straight to the top favourite shelf

Crossing the Pond: A Transatlantic WLW Romance by Sienna Waters

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This is as much a romantic comedy as a seriously ironic look at North-Americans and Brits and their use of the not quite so common language they seem to think they share, as well as their other cultural differences and pecularities.

Apart from that it is the funny tale of Piper (out and proud) and Cam(illa), who is not even sure of her sexuality when they first meet. Lots of room here for misunderstandings or misinterpretation of things. Then there are the absolutely funny side characters, Cam's family for example, and the inherited dog, as well as the owner of the local Café and bookshop, Beth, the voice of reason. All in all a weird and wonderful mix and a touching and emotional read.



View all my reviews