Andrea Jenelle's Blog, page 5

Duke Most Wicked

Sometimes we really do want to be misunderstood...
He doesn't believe in love and she dreams of finding her own.

Brandan Delamar, the Duke of Westbury, has carefully cultivated his reputation as a profligate scoundrel and womanizer. He is determined to defiantly live up to the wastrel moniker bestowed on him by his father.
But now the coffers are nearly empty, and he has been so successful in cementing his scandalous reputation, it's likely his sisters will bear the brunt of it as well. They must marry, and without a sterling family reputation, or at least one that is redeemable, they may have to live their lives as spinsters. The only solution is for the wicked duke of Westbury to pull an heiress out of a hat - one who is beyond reproach and will rescue the family fortune.

The only problem with this plan is that the Duke can't keep his gaze from straying to his sisters' lovely, impoverished music instructor, Viola Beaton. But Viola has secrets of her own that she can't afford to jeopardize with a liaison. Even though she's been plagued with dreams of Brandan from their first meeting, she knows she's not what he needs to ensure the security and wellbeing of his sisters.

Some of the things I love about this book:
1. The hero's contrition is believable and his redemption arc evolves because he faces his inner demons of self-doubt.
2. The heroine blossoms under the hero's attention, and his adulation convinces her to pursue her own dreams - regardless of the consequences to her reputation.
3. A villain who reminded me of Wickham - I loved to loathe him!
4. "Touch her again and I'll rearrange your face."

Read this if you need a swoon-filled afternoon full of sweetness and surrender...
Recommended for fans of Lisa Kleypas' Wallflower series.

Some of my favorite quotes:

Accommodating. She was that. Like a portmanteau stuffed so full of items that the seams were stretching and beginning to fray and the whole thing was in danger of ripping apart. She was responsible for so many things.

“Courtship doesn’t have to be all about roses and sonnets. My dear friends have been courted in unconventional ways, to very effective ends. Mr. Ford Wright built my friend Lady Beatrice bookshelves and taught her how to use a sledgehammer to knock down walls.” “Very enterprising of him.” “Bookshelves are a surefire method to a bookish lady’s heart. And Mina, the Duchess of Thorndon, was shot at by smugglers but Thorndon risked his life to protect her.

He wanted to say that he’d missed her. The night at the pleasure gardens had seemed empty and cold without a smile that glowed brighter than lanterns strung in trees. And when the famous fireworks had splashed the night sky they’d been colorless without green eyes to reflect them.

He didn’t know what to say to her. He cared deeply for her but he was all wrong for her. She was a romantic who believed in love. He was broken, tainted and lost.

You’re not meant for fleeting pleasures. You’re a forever kind of girl. You’re sunshine and buttered toast. I don’t want to hurt you.”

Other Birds

When you've had an invisible pigeon as your dearest friend your entire life, anything is possible.In this wonderful book of magical realism, Sarah Addison Allen explores the ties of family, the thin veil that meanders between the world of dreams and the world beneath our feet, and the impact out choices have on those we love. Zoey arrives on Mallow Island with a heart full of hope. She's here to immerse herself in its tranquility and find memories of her mother. What she finds instead is a cast of misfits living in disjointed harmony. When the tenuous peace of the resort is upset by an unexpected death, Zoey unexpectedly becomes part of the mystery and obscurity that colored the life of one of the residents. Zoey is tasked with both cleaning up and untangling the threads of the woman's life. She comes to understand the woman's obsession, peculiarity and neurosis. She is pulled into the intricate details of the lives of her neighbors, and reaches out to the deceased resident's estranged son in an attempt to mend bridges. This book has several narrators, but they do not detract from the power of the story. Instead, they enrich it and add layers of understanding for the reader.

Would You Rather

This was a wonderful friends to lovers story. Mia wants to pursue her dreams, but she is stuck in her job because she needs the health benefits. She has a chronic kidney condition that prevents her from taking uncertain risks. Noah is Mia's best friend. He has been pining for her since they were teens, and he would do anything to make her dreams come true. Including a fake marriage to ensure she can pursue her dreams and still keep her health benefits. The agreement is simple - they will have a platonic marriage based on their mutual respect and the solid foundation of their friendship. Their hasty marriage is under scrutiny by an unscrupulous co-worker who threatens to expose them for fraud, and they have to make their feelings and their affection look real. Real enough to convince their friends and families because they can't afford to divulge their secret and jeopardize Mia's future. But what happens in a marriage of convenience when both people realize what they've really been faking is their friendship? What if they've always dreamt of more with the other person but were afraid of upsetting the delicate balance or being rebuffed? This was a sweet, savvy contemporary romance with a realistic depiction of chronic illness and an endearing golden retriever hero.Highly recommended for fans of Ali Hazelwood and Mazey Eddings.

Barbarian Mine

This was a reread for me and I immediately remembered why it’s one of my favorite books in the series. More than any other blue alien, Rukh is truly a barbarian. He has raised himself and been alone since he was a preteen. He’s survived but doesn’t know how to communicate. He kidnaps Harlow because he’s lonely and wants someone to share his life with. Harlow only wants to escape. Until she realizes what her resonance means. This feral, stoic, grumpy alien is her mate. The hurdles they have to cross because of his emotional distance, aversion to human contact and ignorance of healthy relationships and the mechanics of the human body are daunting. Their forced proximity leads to Stockholm Syndrome and even though I know I should have been cringing, I was on the edge of my seat instead. This hero who has been isolated and shunned his entire life, who seems so self-sufficient, the truest definition of an island unto himself, only wants somewhere to belong and someone to belong to. He deserves love and someone who helps him recognize his own self-worth. When Lizzy’s friends find her again, she is torn. There are things she misses - but she is happy in her new life and Lizzy wants to stay and continue healing her mate.Tropes: grumpy vs. sunshine; fated mates

The Hellion and the Hero

THIS. BOOK. This Persuasion inspired historical romance grabbed me by the throat and wouldn't let go.She broke his heart just like he broke hers. She tossed him aside when she found out he was nothing more than a fortune hunter. She didn’t know that he was prepared to cast aside all of the things he was expected to do and ask her to marry him. He didn’t know that the words he spoke in jest would cut her into tiny little pieces.

She abandoned him because her family persuaded her he was nothing but a fortune hunter. That his professed feelings were nothing but artifice. He became a sailor and made his fortune. He's a hero and has every reason to despise her - but she has no one else to turn to. He’s the only one who can protect her. He’s the only one who can restore her to the woman she always wanted to be, He’s the only one she wants - even if the miscommunication and betrayal seem too overwhelming to ignore.

He can't forget the way she ran roughshod over his heart. But he can't forget the reasons she stole it in the first place either.

This can be their second chance at love or the way they finally say goodbye. Whatever happens, they can't deny the sparks still fly between them.

Lizzie Blake’s Best Mistake

Thank you so much to Turning the Page Tours, St. Martin’s Press and Mazey Eddings for including me in the blog tour for this amazing book. I absolutely adored A Brush With Love, and Lizzie Blake’s Best Mistake was one of my most anticipated reads of 2022. I received a physical ARC in exchange for my honest review.There is a giveway for three copies, so head over to my Instagram account to see the details and make sure you have more chances to win by checking out all of the other accounts included on the book tour. See my review and favorite quotes below. Publisher Synopsis:Lizzie has made endless mistakes. Kitchen fires, pyramid schemes, bangs (of the hair and human variety), you name it, she’s done it… and made a mess of it too. One mistake she’s never made is letting anyone get closer to her than a single hook-up. But after losing yet another bakery job due to her uncontrolled ADHD, she breaks her cardinal rule and has a two-night-stand that changes everything.Once burned, twice shy, Rake has given up on relationships. And feelings. And any form of intimacy for that matter. Yet something about charming, chaotic Lizzie has him lowering his guard. For two nights, that is. Then it’s back home to Australia and far away from the pesky feelings Lizzie pulls from him. But when Lizzie tells him she’s got an unexpected bun in the oven, he’ll do whatever it takes to be a part of his child’s life… except be emotionally vulnerable, obviously. He’s never going to make that mistake again.Through a series of mishaps, totally “platonic” single bed sharing, and an underground erotic baking scheme, Lizzie and Rake learn that even the biggest mistakes can have the most beautiful consequences.My ReviewThis book made me feel seen in a way I never have. As an adult who has struggled all my life with ADHD, and created my own coping mechanisms, I related to Lizzie’s struggle. It's hard to focus when the world seems to be unraveling and unspooling all around you. It's hard to focus on mundane things like punctuality when the world is full of bright, beautiful, sparkly things of wonder. Lizzie is tired of trying to fit into a box everyone else seems happy to make their home. She flourishes when she can let her creativity loose on her own terms, when she feels the most inspired. The only time she feels like things aren't spiraling beyond her grasp, when the world makes sense and grounds her, is when she is wrapped up in another person. Rake is not looking for a fling. And he certainly isn't looking for a relationship. But something about Lizzie reaches behind the wall he's built around himself. She's addictive and irresistible and he can't help succumbing to her charm. They share a magical night and go back to their lives - his in Australia and hers in Philadelphia. But they can't stop thinking about each other. Kismet steps in and they are once again in each other's orbit. This forced proximity, only one shower, lovers to friends to lovers, second chance, one-night stand turning into forever romance had be grinning like a Cheshire cat. I absolutely adored the relationship dynamic between Rake and Lizzie, the poignant depictions of grief and the POV of what the world looks like to those of us who have ADHDMy Favorite QuotesThey couldn’t be more different: she was an explosion, while he was an intricate code, sometimes free and flirty, more often guarded and confined.She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him. She wanted to melt into the feeling of him hugging her back. Hugs were miracles. Drastically underrated daily miracles. They stayed like that for a few minutes, just holding each other, little buoys in the madness of this curveball life threw at them.“I always feel bigger looking up at the stars,” she said, raising her hands, pulling one of his with her, to gesture at the sky as she sought out the words. “It’s like I’m looking up at all the energy that lives inside of me. Like whatever divine being or miracle of science that made all these beautiful stars, also made me. Whatever allows for stars to exist also allows for me to exist. It feels empowering—elevating—to know that I can exist among something so beautiful.”“She’s precious and peculiar, and I love her so much, sometimes it feels like my heart might crack with it. And I need to tell her that. And if she wants nothing to do with me after, fine. I get it. But I can’t live with myself if she’s out there thinking she isn’t the most important thing in the world to me. So please, don’t take her stuff, not yet. Let me try.”BUY IT HEREBarnes & NobleAmazonBookshop

The Scoundrel Falls Hard

I adored this unconventional historical romance about a salt of the earth blue collar heroine and a scoundrel who’s ready to settle down!Gwen is trying to make her family smithy a success, but the new competition in town is determined to undermine and demean her. When Kellan Fox seeks sanctuary in her business from a mob intent on bloodshed, her voice of reason is the one that saves him from the noose.There’s only one tiny problem- she claimed he should be spared because she loved him. The man who was the object of his con agrees, and demands that the banns be read and they be forced to marry.Gwen only needs Kellan’s brawn to help in her business and get much needed repairs done to her home. But his kiss curled her toes and she’s hyper aware of the fact that he’s taller than she is - a luxury she very seldom encounters.Kellan is intrigued by this woman who’s unlike anyone he’s ever met. Fiercely independent and competently self-sufficient. He wants to help her but he wonders how long she’ll find him useful.Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.Tropes: Opposites Attract, Redemption Arc, Marriage of Convenience, Fake Relationship, Female Business OwnerPlot: 4 StarsCharacters: 4 starsSteam: 3.5

Love on the Brain

I have been dying to read this book since I finished The Love Hypothesis last year. It was everything I wanted wrapped up in a sexy lab coat and a man who can accomplish a fireman's carry without even breaking a sweat. Levi was Marie's nemesis and the bane of her existence in grad school. He looked at her like she was a roach crawling across his shoe, or the fifty day old decaying banana peel lying in the middle of the sidewalk. She never understood his animosity, she just figured she had an intrinsic quality that triggered his loathing. Grad school is in the past, and Marie is laboring in a sea of research mediocrity. She doesn't think she'll ever be able to flex her intellectual muscles because she's under the thumb of a cis-het bureaucrat who has made it abundantly clear he doesn't condone the idea of women in the field of scientific research. When an opportunity arises to collaborate with NASA on a project that is in her chosen area of expertise, it's a golden window of opportunity. Marie is full of hope and optimism. And then she finds out who her co-collaborator will be. It's her undeclared arch-nemesis. The man who makes her squirm in discomfort, drool over biceps that don't belong on a nerd, and want to embrace her flight instinct. He avoids her at every turn, converses with her in monosyllabic responses with an impatient undertone, and doesn't give her the equipment she needs to do her job.What Marie doesn't know about the way Levi truly feels could sink the Titanic with its weight. He's a man who has been pining for years. This was a wonderful steminist romance with a strong friend base, a fierce heroine, a loyal hero, and steam and longing that will melt your socks. (And your underwear). Deserving of all the hype and well worth the wait!!!!A huge thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Some of My Favorite QuotesBut the real villain, the one that had Marie crying and staring at the ceiling in the late hours of the night, is loss. Grief. The intrinsic transience of human relationships. The real villain is love: an unstable isotope, constantly undergoing spontaneous nuclear decay.It is a truth universally acknowledged that a community of women trying to mind their own business must be in want of a random man’s opinion.If there is one thing men hate more than a smart woman, it’s a smart woman who makes her own choices when it comes to her own sex life.“We’re doing great,” Levi tells Mike, his tone a mix of big-dick-calm and I could kill a man with a beach ball. He leisurely puts his arm on the back of my chair, and plucks a grape from my plate.Annie used to have a funny theory: we all have a Year Zero around which the calendars of our lives pivot. At some point you meet someone, and they become so important, so metamorphic, that ten, twenty, sixty-five years down the line you look back and realize that you could split your existence in two. Before they showed (BCE), and your Common Era. Your very own Gregorian calendar.

The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie

“You just need to follow your bliss as best you can. If you follow the light, no matter how dark the circumstances, things will come out right in the end. That’s the true recipe for joy in this life. That’s the true magic of lemon drop pie.”Lolly is almost thirty-three and her life looks nothing like she thought it would.She’s managing her family’s struggling diner and it consumes her life. She doesn’t have much time to focus on anything else. When she finds her teen diary, she feels even more despondent. She hasn’t made any of the things happen that she dreamed about.When she tells her eccentric aunt about her unrealized dreams, Gertrude gives her a rare gift. The opportunity to explore the what-ifs of her life. To see what her life would’ve looked like if things had turned out differently. To see how she would be and who she would be with if she’d made different choices. She has three chances to open her eyes. Three pieces of lemon drop candy that will give her three days to explore other versions of her life.Each of her hopes for the future, scrawled in that journal, was very distinct. Each hope was something she thought she wanted. When she’s given the chance to live a single day in each of those lives, she realizes that none of them is exactly what she imagined. That for the realization of each of those dreams something else in her life was sacrificed.She’s been in love with the same man since she was thirteen years old. Twenty years later, her affection hasn’t waned. Even though she hasn’t seen him in years and he’s dwelling in wedded bliss in the torrid heat of Florida. She told Rory they were done when her mother passed unexpectedly. Because Lolly had to step into those shoes and care for her sister and father, and make sure the family diner was sustainable. She broke his heart and her own when she ended it.Lolly learns that some things are meant to shape us, even if they are tragic and life-altering and leave us mangled and ruined. She learns that life is about second chances and uncertain magic. She learns that the choices you make don’t always diverge you from the path you were meant to take, that sometimes the world sees fit to give you the things you’ve always longed for.This was a sweet, lovely, fade to black romance. It tackled delicate family issues and personal disappointment with finesse and aplomb.Highly recommended for readers of Sarah Addison Allen and Alice Hoffman.

Bend Toward the Sun

My review:Sometimes books come into our lives like the season of the monsoon. A season of gentle, nurturing rain that fills all of the dry cavernous cracks in the earth and causes them to overflow.That is what this book is to me. Rowan has had to bury her scars deep beneath a brusque facade that lets others see only what she wants them to see. She has learned to ask for less, to bury herself in her work and seek validation in the world of academia instead of looking for it in someone else’s eyes. Harry is still grappling with the emotional wounds and a sense of failure that turned his world upside down. He is still vulnerable and lost when he meets Rowan. But their meeting is like the burst of fractured sunlight through a towering storm cloud, suddenly he feels hopeful that there will be more. That some day he can seize joy again and let it soothe the emptiness in his soul. They both keep their bruised hearts protected behind a wall of thorns more treacherous and daunting than the one that surrounds Sleeping Beauty’s castle. A fortress protected by vicious crocodiles of regret, and a deep, daunting darkness that cripples them. What they become to each other thrashes against those walls, dismantling them stone by stone until they are nothing but rubble. Love is something they were not looking for because they have paths of self-healing and self-reconciliation they need to follow. Paths that diverge from each other. But sometimes the things you want are not the things you need to be whole. Sometimes the things you are striving toward pale in comparison to what you can hold in your hands in the moment. Sometimes the possibilities you see are products of your own shortsightedness and a fear of believing in life’s everyday miracles.Love can be something as simple as holding someone’s hand in a meadow full of spiders, or a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice with extra pulp and a plate of perfectly fluffy pancakes.Some of my favorite quotes:Rowan became like those rugosa roses. Resilient and determined to thrive, despite the shitty circumstances of where her roots had been put down. He withdrew several strands of straw, then gathered her hair with two slow sweeps of his hands, doing his best to recreate the kind of bun she favored. The end result wasn’t as artful as her own, but it would do. He sank into a squat beside her and tucked a few wayward tendrils behind her ears, and let his fingertip linger along her jawline.He was a ceaseless ocean tide bearing down on her silent shoreline, occasionally receding, periodically returning, and inevitably transforming her. “I want the strings. I want to tie you up in mine, and I want to get tangled in yours.”She would own him until has last breath. Even if she walked out of here tonight - or a month from now, or a year from now, and left him permanently behind, this feeling would never lose potency. Harry wanted every single atom of Rowan McKinnon. He kissed her as though she were the source of everything good and right, and she answered in kind. It felt like they were the only humans in existence, bodies tethered throughout the hours of suspended consciousness. They might have existed at any point in human history - ten thousand years ago, bundled in furs under an ancient cliffside shelter or tangled in the sheets of a sumptuous Victorian fourposter. On the surface it seemed a mundane thing, sleeping with someone. But truly, it was an absolute abandonment of control. It was trust, distilled down to the ultimate vulnerability.