Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.
I’ve seen the author Scarlett St. Clair everywhere oThanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.
I’ve seen the author Scarlett St. Clair everywhere on booksta & this fairy tale retelling novella, Mountains Made of Glass, was my first foray into her writing.
This novella reminds me that while I am trash for fairy tale & Fae romance, I am also *not trash* for dark romance. So ultimately, I really enjoyed aspects of this one but also squirmed away from others.
As a result, if you’re a lover of dark romance maybe take this review with a grain of salt .
MMoG is, in moments, violent & gruesome, a sometimes unsettling backdrop to a tense & whimsical story about Gesela, a woman with some Fae heritage, who is forced to try to rid her village of a curse—knowing all the while that she is seriously going to anger some magical powers for the affront.
After ridding her village of the curse, five elven princes appear at her home & magically transport her to their brother, “a beast,” where she’s presented with a challenge that unbeknownst to her as some hidden qualifications, including falling in love.
The fairy tale underpinning of the story interests & charms. It’s hard to predict where the story is going (excluding the assumed promise of a HEA), & I love how creative the author is in bringing so many elements into the story.
Also steamy. Choke play, anyone?
But with that being said, the heroine’s actions sometimes had me raising my eyebrows and feeling a bit confused, and the other MC, Casamir, is a dark prince who is his beastly, ruthless self when it comes to manipulating her—which I didn’t always love .
I guess the dark romance comes into play for some of that & it just doesn’t always work for me, personally.
Setting aside the quibbles, I might be back for another of these retelling novellas in the future for a quick burst of fancy + steam.
4⭐️. Out now!
There are lots of CWs for this one—please check a trusted reviewer’s list....more
Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.
With visceral imagery & a strong sense of dramatic tenThanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.
With visceral imagery & a strong sense of dramatic tension, Hannah Whitten’s fantasies know how to really grab a reader.
The Foxglove King features another badass heroine—Lore can actually use Mortem (basically death energy, I would call it) as a necromancing weapon. In other words, she can use the Death in something that’s dead to temporarily bring it back to twisted life.
This gets her into a bit of trouble of course, & against her will she’s captured by the Presque Mort monks (a body associated with the Church that regulates Mortem in society-sanctioned ways) & brought to the attention of the royals.
Throughout the fantasy Lore has unique experiences & relationships with the more visibly angsty monk Gabe & the supposed charmer Prince Bastian, both of whom can offer Lore something & both of whom she has some reason not to run to.
There’s lots of actions in this fantasy, lots of tension, & Whitten handles the emotions with skill. It’s always emotionally affecting when a lead wants someone they know they shouldn’t, & Gabe’s turmoil is both captivating for the reader & frustrating.
The ending offers a small sense of reprieve but also uncertainty—I have no idea where this story is going next & I love that.
Check this author out if you want fantasy with some smooching.
Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.
A big thanks to a friend for reviewing this book. AsThanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.
A big thanks to a friend for reviewing this book. As soon as I read her review I was like SOLD & I ended up finding a fantasy with kissing book that was so good!
But also now I am INVESTED & there’s a cliffie.
But let’s focus on the positive ;) .
Rebecca Ross’s Divine Rivals has an enemies to lovers, workplace romance, class difference romance arc with a bit of a you’ve got mail correspondence situation—Iris, the FMC, has been writing letters & magically sending them to her beloved brother who’s at war, without knowing that they are actually traveling to her workplace rival Roman Kitt instead.
He does know that Iris is sending them. That won’t cause any problems, right? ;)
I basically thought everything about this book is so well done. Those elements, how war experiences are incorporated, both of the leads’ writing experiences, how they come to mean more to each other.
I love how they came together & the closing scenes left me with my heart in my throat. Not to mention the sweetness of various moments throughout the novel, like how Roman is willing to ride on the side of a truck FOR HOURS into a war zone because he can’t bear for Iris to go without him…& this is before they’re even together.
Highly recommend this one & really need the second kthankyoubye.
5⭐️. Out 04/04.
CWs: previous death of mother. Previous death of sister. War references. ...more
(thanks to @grandcentralpub for the free copy; all opinions my own.)
This book is a series of anecdotes drawn from the authors’ lives & their loved on(thanks to @grandcentralpub for the free copy; all opinions my own.)
This book is a series of anecdotes drawn from the authors’ lives & their loved ones’ detailing the racism they’ve experienced (of so many different types, in so many instances) & white privilege. The book is funny, incisive, & sharp & it gave me quite a lot to think about. ...more
Thanks to Harlequin Publicity Team and Harlequin Books for the complimentary hard-copy and the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All Thanks to Harlequin Publicity Team and Harlequin Books for the complimentary hard-copy and the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.
Where are my urban fantasy lovers at?
If you’re an Ilona Andrews devotee, Allie Therin’s Liar City is definitely something to check out. Book 1 in a series, this has a slow burn that has barely started heating & I’m so invested in seeing where it goes.
Reece Davies is an empath in a world that largely fears them & their abilities. His abilities are both a beautiful thing & something that costs him—including when he wants to help his police officer sister solve a murder at the beginning of the book.
From the beginning, the mystery Reece is embroiled in is complicated, with many players & secrets. Helping Reece along in his journey (also arresting Reece, questioning Reece, frustrating Reece) is a terrifying figure called The Dead Man, aka Evan Grayson.
Liar City is a great first book in this series with quality banter between leads & a compelling murder mystery. It does feel a bit too big sometimes—as in trying to cover too much, include too much—in this book, but that might also have been my mood.
But I’m such a fan of Allie Therin’s writing & I can’t wait to see when things finally start catching fire between the leads!
Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.
Circus settings always intrigue me—besides being sThanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.
Circus settings always intrigue me—besides being so far removed from my own life, in books they often feel so whimsical and theatrical with great potential for drama.
Lyssa Mia Smith’s Revelle has all of that, featuring a resourceful, supremely talented family with Luxe, a cunning & loyal trapeze artist as the protagonist & secret leader of her family doing whatever she can to help them survive & hopefully even flourish.
While this book is ultimately hopeful it’s also darker than I expected, with violence & death & attempts of both throughout the book. This is a world where magic takes its toll, where not everyone gets along, where people are often at the mercy of those with the most powerful magic & those willing to stoop to any act to maintain their power.
The story is inventive, there’s sweetness in how Luxe forges a relationship with island newcomer Jamison Port, & there’s an intriguing characterization of her as more cynical & canny & him as more gullible.
Both Luxe & Jamison are brave & loyal & that’s how we get the ending we do, despite the darkness in other moments of the story.
All things considered, Revelle is unsettling & dynamic, a bit dark for me but sure to please many readers!
4⭐️. Out now!
Please read a trusted reviewer's list of CWs....more
Thanks to the publisher for the complimentary hard copy. All opinions provided are my own.
Forever recently sent me a complimentary copy of Behind the Thanks to the publisher for the complimentary hard copy. All opinions provided are my own.
Forever recently sent me a complimentary copy of Behind the Scenes by Karelia Stetz-Waters, a Sapphic romance featuring a stressed out, workaholic director who desperately wants to her vision to life in film again & the take charge, brilliant consultant who immediately wants to help.
Said consultant also has a secret about her own creative endeavors, one that actually connects her even more deeply to the director if they only knew it.
This story is filled with tenderness, it’s very hopeful, & there’s an uplifting arc for both characters as they work on some of the trauma that’s been dogging them for years.
If you like two characters appreciating the heck out of each other, you might want to check this one out!...more
Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.
A world with less & less magic. Found family. Secr Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.
A world with less & less magic. Found family. Secrets galore. A girl who could change it all.
The Magician’s Daughter by H.G. Parry offers a marvelous reading experience. I absolutely adored pretty much everything about it: the twists & turns of the plot, the rich writing that invited me into this world & these complicated & also admirable characters, the secrets that I couldn’t wait to be divulged.
It’s all so good!
Main character Biddy—a teen who isn’t a mage but who is strong & fierce & full of love—had me cheering metaphorically from the nearest turret. Watching her adventures as she finds her way in an unsettled world is immensely enjoyable.
If you’re looking for your next fantasy read, check this one out. It was an easy 5 star read for me!
5⭐️. Out now!
Please check out a list of CWs from a trusted reviewer. ...more
Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.
If you are a member of the Thick Books Love Club youThanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.
If you are a member of the Thick Books Love Club you might want to check out Lucy Score’s romances.
She has a keen eye for voice, her secondary characters are often endearingly eccentric (Mrs. Tweedy ), the steam is gooood, & there’s a nice bit of sweetness to magnify that lusty spice.
With that being said, Lucy Score’s recent release--Things We Hide From the Light, out now—is uneven for me.
Likes—all of the things I mentioned earlier. Plus a badass heroine named Lina who’s basically a bouncer hunter + treasure seeker + adrenaline enjoyer & a hero—Nash Morgan— who’s a well-respected police chief with a great butt.
Dislikes, or maybe it’s more accurate to say discomforts—this book reveals Nash’s depression after surviving being shot & losing the memory of what happened & the inclusion of mental health challenges is always something I respect & love.
But I find myself uncomfortable with how Nash pressures Lina into actions & situations by using his emotional/mental state (even if his intentions aren’t malicious, even if she is also drawn to him).
Not that Lina can’t be that important to him & to his happiness…it’s more of a concern for me that he hasn’t tried to find & regularly actively pursue other resources in addition to his relationship with Lina.
This book is angsty if angst is your jam, it’s got plenty of tension between leads, & then there’s a nice payoff at the end with a double epilogue (!).
The more I think about this one the less I know what to rate it. 3.5 stars️? Either way, the bottom line is: there are some things I really liked about it, some things I didn’t like, & I’m looking forward to the next one (second chance with Sloane and Lucian, anyone?!)
3.5⭐️. Out now!
CWs: Depression. Shot in previous book. Op she was in charge of resulted in injury. Previous heart issues. Panic attack. Flippant reference to assault. Racist cop incident with another cop. Discussion of child with cancer. Assault, attempted sexual assault. Addict father....more
Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.
I don’t even really know where to start with my reviThanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.
I don’t even really know where to start with my review of Vivienne Lorret’s Never Seduce a Duke. After reading the previous book in the series I knew this was going to be an accidental pregnancy book but I didn’t anticipate where the plot would start & go & end & wowie, it was pretty bonkers.
This book features a broken-hearted heroine who wants to have a passionate affair before real spinsterhood & a glasses-wearing duke hero determined to find a missing book heirloom that he believes she has stolen.
Quirky & charming, Never Seduce a Duke has its share of awww moments, including just how enticed the Duke is by the woman so many others have ignored.
But as previously mentioned, I just don’t love the overall premise or all of the places the plot goes—& it goes a lot—& there’s an aspect of the plot that feels rushed.
So is this book entertaining & adorable in moments? Yes. Is it bewildering or unbelievable in moments? Yes.
I think there’s potential here but it just didn’t work for me.
3⭐️. Out 02/21.
CWs: Previous death of all of their parents—the hero’s were murdered....more
Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.
I can always count on Joanna Shupe to deliver the h Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.
I can always count on Joanna Shupe to deliver the heat & the Gilded Age decadence & drama I’m looking for & The Duke Gets Even brought both of those…also an impoverished somewhat-uptight-but-not-really duke who *FINALLY* gets his happy ever after.
The events at the beginning of this book overlap with some of the things we’ve seen in previous books in the series—namely how Duke Lockwood—Andrew Talbot—meets the beautiful, not-bound-by-convention Nellie Young & how she drives him a little bonkers with lust on the periphery of his various engagements/entanglements.
This is a fast, lusty historical with another Shupe lead who is gone for the heroine. Nellie really shines for me as an unmarried woman pursuing her pleasure, no matter what society says.
Though I wasn’t super enamored initially with the Duke—who annoyed me with what he was wanting to do with Nellie while also prepared to get engaged / be engaged to someone else—his desire for her was a welcome development.
But while this book is sexy & fun & I really loved how Nellie’s dad just wants her to be happy & vice versa, I didn’t feel like Nellie’s change of heart regarding “conventional” HEAs is thoroughly set up & developed. Similarly, I wanted more set up for how their serious feelings develop so quickly—despite their antagonism for each other & how often he scandal-shames her.
So this is another entertaining, hot read but also a bit superficial for me in terms of the relationship arc.
3.5⭐️. Out now!
CWs: Heart defect. Previous one-time cocaine use. Death of mother. “Whore" remark. Sexual assault. Previous abortion....more
Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.
I never know quite what I’m going to get with an Al Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.
I never know quite what I’m going to get with an Alexis Hall book & I love it. Mortal Follies is a fantastic boy fantasy with romantic elements told in AH’s inimitable style, aka supremely witty & funny.
From the first pages where we learn this story is being told by an exiled hobgoblin forced to support himself by writing & publishing a book *shudder,* this book had me hooked.
Then we meet the leads, beautiful Miss Maelys Mitchelmore who is the victim of a series of magical attacks & Georgiana, the so-called Duke of Annadale, a believed murderess & Ice Queen who hides her heart down down down deep.
I know I’ve already said this but Mortal Follies is so witty, funny, & sophisticated. The unreliable narrator is hilarious—& the subtle moments where said narrator is moved to some kind of compassion offer a striking contrast & are so well done.
This book is swinging hard with I hate everyone but you vibes (& at times I wondered if Georgiana actually hated everyone, Maelys included ) & while I might typically want a bit more softness it actually worked for me here.
With some steam & that distinctive voice that had me snort-laughing on the inside this was a really fun one.
4.5⭐️. Out 06/06.
CW: Maelys is the target of a sexual obsession. Attempted murder. Murder. ...more
Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.
Second chance romance can be ruff, friends ;). EspecThanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.
Second chance romance can be ruff, friends ;). Especially when the former couple has an acrimonious relationship layered on top of attraction & feelings.
So I knew Falon Ballard’s Just My Type wouldn’t be an easy experience for me.
In the end, I felt like Ballard is an undeniably talented writer, & even though some of FMC Lana Parker’s past & present decisions didn’t always have me cheering, I do love how Ballard writes women making mistakes. That feels empowering to me.
The female friendships are strong & this book is very pro-therapy, which is always a plus for me. By the book’s conclusion, Lana—who has been frequently accused of relationship dependency + settling when it comes to partners—has learned a lot about herself & what her patterns are.
But ultimately this book doesn’t go hard enough for me in terms of Lana breaking free of her habits.
Setting aside the messy nature of this couple’s second chance romance—which I’ve already said can be ruff for me emotionally—I wasn’t sure that Lana fully gave herself a chance to be on her own for a while. She grows a lot but also everything moves so fast & ultimately she’s moving into another serious relationship quickly yet again.
So I personally didn’t doubt the strength of Lana’s relationship with Seth—but I did wonder if it was ultimately a good idea for her. If the timing could actually be right.
Despite my somewhat wavering endorsement of this second chance tale, I’m really looking forward to seeing what Falon Ballard writes next.
4⭐️. Out now!
CWs: Lana came onto the hero Seth when she was in a long-term relationship with someone else. Emotionally negligent mom. ...more
Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.
TJ Klune’s latest releases have not only satisfied Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.
TJ Klune’s latest releases have not only satisfied the giant part of me that loves love stories and companionship, they’ve also made me get a little philosophical in ways I appreciate.
Under the Whispering Door had me reconsidering what happens after death & Klune’s upcoming release In the Lives of Puppets made me think more about humanity & choice & forgiveness & courage. It’s really a special book.
For the sake of simplicity I’m going to use the words “human” & “robot” as I would have used them at the beginning of reading the book.
Lead Victor Lawson is a human with three family members who are robots. His father, an android named Giovanni, raised him after Victor was left in the forest by his biological parents.
Then one day Victor discovers another android, named Hap, & soon after Giovanni is taken & Victor’s world is burned down & his mettle & love & forgiveness are tested.
This book doesn’t just prompt philosophical musings—it’s also really funny. The interactions between robots Nurse Ratched & Rambo are hilarious & screwball & any time they are on the page it seemed like I was having some notable emotion.
The asexual rep, the growing relationship between Victor & Hap, the fantastical Pinocchio and Wizard of Oz-esque plot elements are all things that had me celebrating.
If you want your whimsy with loving relationships of many kinds & you want to walk away thinking “what do I really think about x & why do I think it,” I really recommend this one!
5⭐️. Out 04/25.
CWs: Father taken away. Murder of humans. Murder of androids. Violence. ...more
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.
Jackie Lau’s Not Your Valentine delivered on the besThanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.
Jackie Lau’s Not Your Valentine delivered on the best of Valentine’s Day with so much of the good stuff: a grumpy heroine, a nice guy hero; some forearms lusting; a friends to lovers arc; steam that had me thinking in blush emojis.
I ate this novella up!
It’s fun & easy to jump into, even on a night when I didn’t feel like I could concentrate that well.
There’s so much work an author has to do to make a convincing romance novella but Lau made it possible for me to how leads Helen & Taylor might change their relationship so quickly because of how she writes the care they have for one another as friends.
There are some unexpected details thrown in too that I loved & might be new to me in a romance, including some labia insecurity and a 5’5” hero.
Check this one out—it’s really great.
5 ⭐️. Out now!
CWs: references to racism; reference to parental abandonment. ...more
Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.
I was impressed by Mazey Eddings’s adult romance debThanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.
I was impressed by Mazey Eddings’s adult romance debut A Brush with Love but for me her voice shines even more in this adorable & also emotionally striking YA contemporary romance, Tilly in Technicolor.
Mazey captures so well the feeling of not belonging / not feeling free to be oneself & how critical putting yourself into new experiences, putting yourself out there, being yourself, can be to your own happiness…& maybe it will allow you to find and appreciate happiness with someone else too.
The neurodivergence rep, the story of recent high school graduates, Tilly and Oliver—the former trying to figure out her path forward—, the leads’ bad initial impression of each other, & some adventures in different European cities results in a book that really had me smiling on the inside & also feeling so happy by the end.
There’s one moment in particular where Oliver realizes that unlike other people, Tilly is actually into his interests, like the color of a door, that is particularly lovely.
Though I wanted more in regards to Tilly’s relationship with her overbearing, often toxic mom—the resolution is a bit hasty for me—everything else is basically pitch perfect. I’m really glad this book was written!
5⭐️. Out 08/15.
CWs: Overbearing, overmanaging, dismissive mom; lack of understanding & even cruelty from others regarding neurodivergence....more
Thanks to the author for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.
I’m often trying new authors because I feel like you never know when Thanks to the author for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.
I’m often trying new authors because I feel like you never know when you’ll find a new one whose books make you fall in love.
Rosanna Leo was gracious enough to send me an ARC of her upcoming PNR Darke Passion, out 03/21.
Dual timelines + ghosts + kissing is definitely my jam & this book delivers on those fronts. The historical setting is Canada during the War of 1812 & it becomes pertinent to the present- day story when inn owner Simon Teal contacts our heroine Edwina Darke saying that people think his inn is haunted.
Edwina Darke & her sisters—all of whom have unique jobs at their paranormal investigation agency—are on the case.
While the story is atmospheric & creepy in a way I wanted, the ending is satisfying, & the moments of sweetness are engaging, I’m not a huge fan of insta feelings—which this felt like to me—& I didn’t always feel fully connected to the writing style. (Both of those things are “YMMV” kinds of things to me).
But this is a fun story with some great thrills & a sweet & naughty romance too.
Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.
Secret admirer letters usually have me waving a bannerThanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.
Secret admirer letters usually have me waving a banner that says YES, I LOVE, but while there are aspects of Tessa Bailey’s Secretly Yours that I really enjoy, the letters & the lead combo just don’t totally work for me.
Landscape artist and business owner Hallie Welch has had feelings for Julian Vos for years & his reappearance on his family vineyard makes them forefront in her mind.
Julian is bewildered by his immediate attraction to Hallie, to everything about her (especially her breasts), except for her total spontaneity. He’s a big fan of schedules & planning.
I don’t know what to say about how opposites attract functions in this book except just to say that I didn’t ...more
Thanks to the author for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.
Some books just leave you feeling & saying “wow” & that’s how I feel Thanks to the author for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.
Some books just leave you feeling & saying “wow” & that’s how I feel about Eliza McLane’s Perfect Match.
From the beginning to the end, this novella is just delightful & feels perfectly considered—like everything is working so harmoniously (& maybe also horny-ly) toward a HEA that left me feeling very happy indeed.
The novella opens with Rosie—who is smarting from how her business is currently doing & who is not interested in love at all thankyouverymuch—attending a speed dating/dating algorithm party out of support for her BFF.
There she meets nice guy Tyler, who wears glasses and is an accountant (*cue all the butterflies bc I do love a hero like this!) & is smarting from a failed relationship.
They are paired together & spend one magical & very H O T weekend together. Can they be something more??
You betcha & the Epilogue left me with such a feeling of satisfaction.
The communication between leads in this book!! Not a full sentence but I think you get it ...more
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