Romance Readers Reading Challenges discussion
Archive - Pass The Parcel
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PtP - Surfing the Stacks (2)
📦 Selection Post 📦 Week: 1
Option 1: Task: 4 "You have friends all over the world, you just haven't met them yet."
* From this round's players, find another member whose books interest you - select a book (any book, does not have to be one that they have read) to read from their bookshelves and become friends. Select your book from a player who is not already a friend.
Book: The Worst Best Man by Mia Sosa
Link: The Worst Best Man
[bookcover:The Worst Best Man|43801254]
Pages: 368 GR/Kindle Edition
How it fits: I sent a friend request to Sarah {The Bookish Knitter} at beginning of challenge. https://www.goodreads.com/review/list... She added this book on (11/17/2020) and she read this book on (2/4/2121) rated 3 stars.
We all have our Selection Posts in for the week, so we are looking good - thanks! 😊New task expected to be posted tomorrow afternoon.
Whoo hoo! Today's the day! I get super excited and pretty much stalk the site until it's posted...
New task announced!Week 2
Option 1:
12. So now I digress - its time to just surf!
* Read a book set in a beach town or on the coast.
Cities that sit on the ocean will count.
Qualification may be found in precis, main page, tag/shelf or list.
Option 2:
Key date - 11 September 2020
A book on your team mates 'read' list AND rated at least 3 stars and read on or after the key date.
Option 3:
Pass
This can only be used once each 5 weeks. Only one team mate can use this option each week.
Week #2- Selection PostOption 1
Book-Beach Read
Pgaes-361
How it Fits- I don't go into books knowing that much about them. I have heard (I asked my Discord reading group) if this book is set on the ocean or beach and everyone said yes. There are 2 authors and both are experiencing writers block and both went to beach houses to try to get past their writers block. The book is set in a beach house on the beach so I'm going with it.
Susan wrote: "Week #2- Selection PostOption 1
Book-Beach Read
Pgaes-361
How it Fits- I don't go into books knowing that much about them. I have heard (I asked my ..."
Hi Susan - Jane has posted some clarifications to this week’s task in the Q&A - the location absolutely must be coastal and cannot be a beach town on a lake. I took a quick look at your book for qualifications in the precis, and on the main page it states the book setting is in Michigan, so unfortunately it won’t work for this week’s task. Sorry about that 😕
Jane did say in an earlier post that NYC would count, if that is helpful.
Week 2 - Selection PostOption 1 - Read a book set in a beach town or on the coast
On the Rocks by Sawyer Bennett
Pages: 260 (GR)
How the book qualifies: Listed in precis “he’s returned home to the sand and salty breeze of the North Carolina Outer Banks so he can open The Last Call, a beach bar nestled among the dunes of the Atlantic.”
𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝟐 - 𝐎𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝟐
The Ruthless Gentleman by Louise Bay
𝐏𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬 - 348
𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: - On CB's read shelf https://www.goodreads.com/review/list... Read November 3 2020 and rated 3 stars
Week #2 - Selection Post (Option #1)Bookcover/link: First Time in Forever by Sarah Morgan
Page numbers: 384 pages
How the book qualifies:
This takes place in Maine with a statement in precis about “her overwhelming fear of the ocean—which surrounds her everywhere she goes.” It was also tagged once as “coastal-beach-island-living”
Completion Post - Week 1
Against the Wind by Kat Martin
Date read: March 13th, 2021
Rating: 3 1/2 Stars
This is, in a way, a second chance romance. Jackson and Sarah knew each other in high school and Jackson had a crush on Sarah. He asked her to his senior prom and she turned him down. He never really got over her. After high school Sarah left town, moved to L.A. and married a well to do jerk. He treated her horribly and then was killed.
Within a few days of Sarah being back in town, her and Jackson have already hooked up. It just felt way too quick for me. They haven't spoken since high school, and were not very good friends. Virtual strangers. The whole relationship just felt off to me.
The romantic suspense comes in play with the fact that someone is stalking Sarah looking for information that they think her dead husband left with her. Not very suspenseful either and you knew the 'whodunit'.
It makes it seem like I had a lot of issues with this book, but I really didn't. I did enjoy it and it was entertaining. Kat Martin is a go to author for me if I want an enjoyable read.
Against the Wind by Kat Martin
Date read: March 13th, 2021
Rating: 3 1/2 Stars
This is, in a way, a second chance romance. Jackson and Sarah knew each other in high school and Jackson had a crush on Sarah. He asked her to his senior prom and she turned him down. He never really got over her. After high school Sarah left town, moved to L.A. and married a well to do jerk. He treated her horribly and then was killed.
Within a few days of Sarah being back in town, her and Jackson have already hooked up. It just felt way too quick for me. They haven't spoken since high school, and were not very good friends. Virtual strangers. The whole relationship just felt off to me.
The romantic suspense comes in play with the fact that someone is stalking Sarah looking for information that they think her dead husband left with her. Not very suspenseful either and you knew the 'whodunit'.
It makes it seem like I had a lot of issues with this book, but I really didn't. I did enjoy it and it was entertaining. Kat Martin is a go to author for me if I want an enjoyable read.
Week #2 - Selection Post
A Matter of Circumstance by Heather Graham
Pages: 256
How the book qualifies: Takes place in Miami, FL and on the Bahamian Coast... "After an easy day studying coral in the Bahamian ocean, Amanda Blayne returns to shore looking forward to a cool drink and a lazy afternoon." (Approved by Jane).
Edited to change the edition I was reading...
A Matter of Circumstance by Heather Graham
Pages: 256
How the book qualifies: Takes place in Miami, FL and on the Bahamian Coast... "After an easy day studying coral in the Bahamian ocean, Amanda Blayne returns to shore looking forward to a cool drink and a lazy afternoon." (Approved by Jane).
Edited to change the edition I was reading...
CB wrote: "Susan wrote: "Week #2- Selection PostOption 1
Book-Beach Read
Pgaes-361
How it Fits- I don't go into books knowing that much about them. I have hear..."
So does this book work then or no, because I was going to select this one too.. lol
Jodi wrote: "CB wrote: "Susan wrote: "Week #2- Selection PostOption 1
Book-Beach Read
Pgaes-361
How it Fits- I don't go into books knowing that much about them. ..."
I guess not even though it's set on a beach. Only the first few pages are in a city and the rest of the book is set on a beach of North Bear Shores. I did find Big Summer
set in New York and Cape Cod Massachusetts if that helps you. It doesn't help me at all since I don't own it
Selection Post - Week 2Option 1
Book-Big Summer
Pages-368
How it Fits-It's set in NYC and Cape Cod Massachusetts.
Jodi wrote: "CB wrote: "Susan wrote: "Week #2- Selection PostOption 1
Book-Beach Read
Pgaes-361
How it Fits- I don't go into books knowing that much about them. ..."
Hi Jodi - Susan is correct - because it’s set on a lake it unfortunately does not qualify. Jane has had several posts about this in the Q&A, and she said the book must be located on a coast to qualify. Qualifications can be found on the main page, in precis, tags, or list, and then please indicate that. Thanks!
Completion Post - Week 2
A Matter of Circumstance by Heather Graham
Date read: March 15th, 2021
Rating: 4 Stars
Review:
This one was fun, but you could definitely tell that it was written in the 1980s. From references of dancing at a disco to John Denver, to people referring to Sean (the Miami cop) as a Sonny Crocket wannabe (from Miami Vice).
Speaking of 80s references, for some reason this book was really giving me vibes of the movie 'Overboard' with Kirk Russel and Goldie Hawn. The plots are different, but it was more the fact that our main character Amanda was plucked out of the life she knew and was being held captive. This book wasn't overly funny, but it had a few lighter moments.
There was a lot of action in here, but the romance wasn't the best. Both Amanda and Sean treat each other rather badly (to be fair, for a bit of the book she thinks he's a bad guy) and there are some things that happen and phrases that are said that wouldn't fly in a romance novel today.
Overall, if you take it for what it is, its a fun and entertaining book.
A Matter of Circumstance by Heather Graham
Date read: March 15th, 2021
Rating: 4 Stars
Review:
This one was fun, but you could definitely tell that it was written in the 1980s. From references of dancing at a disco to John Denver, to people referring to Sean (the Miami cop) as a Sonny Crocket wannabe (from Miami Vice).
Speaking of 80s references, for some reason this book was really giving me vibes of the movie 'Overboard' with Kirk Russel and Goldie Hawn. The plots are different, but it was more the fact that our main character Amanda was plucked out of the life she knew and was being held captive. This book wasn't overly funny, but it had a few lighter moments.
There was a lot of action in here, but the romance wasn't the best. Both Amanda and Sean treat each other rather badly (to be fair, for a bit of the book she thinks he's a bad guy) and there are some things that happen and phrases that are said that wouldn't fly in a romance novel today.
Overall, if you take it for what it is, its a fun and entertaining book.
Completion Post - Week 2
On the Rocks by Sawyer Bennett
Date Completed: 3/17/2021
Rating: 2⭐️
This book was a “no” for me from the get go. I could tell early on I was not going to enjoy this read, because I couldn’t stand the heroine Gabby right away. She was literally so rude and unprofessional at a business pitch with the hero, she deserved in no way to get the work bid. In pretty much every scene and interaction throughout the book she came across as too immature and bratty, and to be quite frank, also as a b****. I was like, why would this guy want to even be with this chick? So she made a move on him at 18 and he rebuffed her - so what? While at 18 that feels like the end of the world, grow the f*** up and get over it, instead of still being so angry and bitchy to him 5 years later. And at the end - really, you’re going to take life-changing advice from your boyfriend’s bitter ex? Beyond stupid. I just had zero patience with this book.
𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 # 𝟮 𝗢𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝟮
The Ruthless Gentleman by Louise Bay
𝐏𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬 - 348
𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 - 3/17/21
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 (𝟏-𝟓) - 3 stars
𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 - This was just meh for me. I didn't really connect to either mcs. Hayden knew how selfless Avery was. How trustworthy she was, yet he choose to think the of worse and not really look into it what was going on. Then his apology was really lacking for me. So it was just an ok read.
We are not having a lot of winners so far for our beach reads this week! 😆M, I felt the same about The Ruthless Gentleman, just wasn’t one of Louise Bay’s best books.
Bah...falling a bit behind in my reading (busy taking care of my mom as she recovers from surgery and needing to also read a book for work). Luckily we have some wiggle room and can be a book behind. I'm looking forward to finding out the next challenge.
No worries, Mary-Megan - hope your mom is doing OK.
Hi Jodi - just a quick reminder to please post your Selection Post for this week before midnight (or the “Pass” option, which is available) - thanks!
My week 1 completion post coming up tomorrow...
📦 Completion Post 📦 Week: 1
Option 1: Task: 4 "You have friends all over the world, you just haven't met them yet."
* From this round's players, find another member whose books interest you - select a book (any book, does not have to be one that they have read) to read from their bookshelves and become friends. Select your book from a player who is not already a friend.
Book: The Worst Best Man by Mia Sosa
Link: The Worst Best Man
Pages: 368 GR/Kindle Edition
How it fits: I sent a friend request to Sarah {The Bookish Knitter} at beginning of challenge. https://www.goodreads.com/review/list... She added this book on (11/17/2020) and she read this book on (2/4/2121) rated 3 stars.
Completed: 3/18/2021
Rating: 3 Stars
Review: This was my first book by this author. I would try another one of her books. It wasn’t great but it wasn’t bad either. New to the narrator also... took some time getting used to. Definitely some funny moments. Would recommend, but I’ve enjoyed similar books that were better.
New task announcement!Week 3
Option 1:
2. For a small fee each month, you access a global database of couches.
* Read a book you bought on sale, at no charge, or you accessed for free (Kindle Unlimited counts).
Gifts and presents count.
Please state WHY it was cheap or free in your selection post.
Option 2:
Key date - 18 September 2020
A book on your team mates 'read' list AND rated at least 3 stars and read on or after the key date.
Option 3:
Pass
This can only be used once each 5 weeks. Only one team mate can use this option each week.
𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝟯 - 𝐎𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝟭
Black Skies Riviera by Catherine Wiltcher
𝐏𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬 - 324
𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 - Borrowed from Kindle Unlimited https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08...
Week #3 - Selection Post
Colton Bullseye by Geri Krotow
Pages: 288
How the book qualifies: I received my copy from the author as an ARC - Advanced Reader Copy (approved by Jane)
Colton Bullseye by Geri Krotow
Pages: 288
How the book qualifies: I received my copy from the author as an ARC - Advanced Reader Copy (approved by Jane)
📦 Selection Post 📦 Week: 3
Option 1: Task: 2 For a small fee each month, you access a global database of couches.
* Read a book you bought on sale, at no charge, or you accessed for free (Kindle Unlimited counts).
Gifts and presents count.
Please state WHY it was cheap or free in your selection post.
Book: Fangirl
Link: Fangirl
Pages: 483 GR/HC Edition
How it fits: Book was on sale
📦 Completion Post 📦 Week: 3
Option 1: Task: 2 For a small fee each month, you access a global database of couches.
* Read a book you bought on sale, at no charge, or you accessed for free (Kindle Unlimited counts).
Gifts and presents count.
Please state WHY it was cheap or free in your selection post.
Book: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
Link: Fangirl
Pages: 483 GR/Kindle Edition
How it fits: Book was on sale
Completed: 3/20/2021
Rating: 4 Stars
Review: My first book by this author. I have several more of them so I’m glad I enjoyed this one. I don’t really relate to fandom but it was a good story and flowed well. It covered a variety of ya issues that were relatable. Would recommend and possibly re-read.
Week 3 - Selection PostOption 1 - Read a book you bought on sale, at no charge, or you accessed for free
Heir of the Dog by Hailey Edwards
Pages: 208 (GR)
How the book qualifies: Borrowed from Kindle Unlimited
Completion Post - Week 3
Heir of the Dog by Hailey Edwards
Date Completed: 3/21/2021
Rating: 2⭐️
I had actually quite liked the first novella story in this series, and thought it was a good intro and kickoff to what I thought was going to be an interesting series - however, I feel let down by this second full length book. The heroine, Thierry, is half fae, and honestly the strongest parts of this book were before she got sucked into Faerie, where I thought it became an almost unreadable jumbled mess. But either way, the strong heroine from the first book had completely disappeared, and instead we had a weak, TSTL heroine who kept getting used by the various men in this book - and kept allowing it to occur time and time again. It just mystified me how such a supposedly dangerous woman had such a complete lack of any backbone, and with the promise of the first book I find this especially disappointing.
𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝟯 - 𝐎𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝟭
Black Skies Riviera by Catherine Wiltcher
𝐏𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬 - 324
𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 - 3/21/21
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 (𝟏-𝟓) - 4/4.5 stars
𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 - My first read by this author and I really liked it. Great plot and even better characters. Aiden Knight won me over from the very start (as did Issa). I was fully invested.
This book was jam packed with everything that makes a winning mafia read. Really, really good!
M wrote: "𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝟯 - 𝐎𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝟭
Black Skies Riviera by Catherine Wiltcher
𝐏𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬 - 324
𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 - 3/21/21
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 (𝟏-𝟓)..."
This looks great! I love a good mafia romance - just added it to my TBR list
Week #3 - Selection Post (Option #1)Bookcover/link: Radar Girls by Sara Ackerman
Page numbers: 368 pages
How the book qualifies: I got it for free from Netgalley
Selection Post-Week 3Option 1
Rebel Heir
Pages-295
How it Fits- The book is an ebook and I got it from Scribd. My son gets Scribd for me every month as a birthday gift from last year. So for me this book free.
All selection posts for the week have been submitted - nice job, team!
I just finished reading my week 2 book but I won't be able to post my completion post/review until tomorrow night. I should then only be behind week 3. Some obligations have cleared so hopefully I'll be able to catch up in the next week or two.
Mary-Megan wrote: "I just finished reading my week 2 book but I won't be able to post my completion post/review until tomorrow night. I should then only be behind week 3. Some obligations have cleared so hopefully I'..."Sounds good - thanks, Mary-Megan. Hope all is well.
Completion Post - Week 3
Colton Bullseye by Geri Krotow
Date read: March 26th, 2021
Rating: 4 Stars
A very fast paced story! This one starts off with a bang and the romance was on point. A great second chance romance with lots of thrills along the way.
Our two main characters dated a few years earlier, and now he has been tasked as being her bodyguard. There is also a bit of a fake relationship trope, which is always a lot of fun.
I highly recommend both this novel, and pretty much anything else by this author.
Colton Bullseye by Geri Krotow
Date read: March 26th, 2021
Rating: 4 Stars
A very fast paced story! This one starts off with a bang and the romance was on point. A great second chance romance with lots of thrills along the way.
Our two main characters dated a few years earlier, and now he has been tasked as being her bodyguard. There is also a bit of a fake relationship trope, which is always a lot of fun.
I highly recommend both this novel, and pretty much anything else by this author.
New task announcement!Week 4
Option 1:
10. This is an adventure!
* Read a book tagged 'adventure'.
Qualification may be found in precis, main page, tag/shelf or list.
Option 2:
Key date - 25 September 2020
A book on your team mates 'read' list AND rated at least 3 stars and read on or after the key date.
Option 3:
Pass
This can only be used once each 5 weeks. Only one team mate can use this option each week.
Completion Post- Week 3Option 1
Rebel Heir by Vi Keeland & Penelope Ward
Date Read-3/24/21
Rated- 4 Stars
Review- I loved this book so much I moved right into the next book in the series. It's a story about Rush and Gia. Rush is a tough, tattooed, good looking hard worker who doesn't have time for long term relationships or love. He doesn't believe in marriage or children . Gia is a sweet tempered woman who isn't afraid to speak her mind especially when it comes to dealing with Rush.
I love the romance that starts to form between Gia and Rush. Prior to Gia meeting Rush she had a one night stand with someone when she first came to the Hamptons and it has resulted in Gia discovering she's pregnant. The way Rush comes to Gia's aid before she found out and after has been so cute to read. Rush we find out isn't as tough and badassed as he thinks and we find out that sweet Gia is tough and badassed :)
Selection Post - Week 4Option 4
Shadow and Bone
Pages- 358
How it Fits- The word adventure is in the MPG https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
I'll have week 2's book finished by tomorrow and posted. Sorry it's taken me this long to get it finished. It's been good so no idea why it's taken me this long to read it
Week #2 - Completion postBookcover/link: First Time in Forever by Sarah Morgan
Rating (1-5): 3
Review:
I love Sarah Morgan and am super excited to have started this series. This is your classic small town romance with all of the charm of neighbors helping each other. Emily comes to Puffin Island in order to protect her niece from the paparazzi after the girl’s mother, a hot celebrity, dies suddenly. Emily is thrust into the role of the girl’s guardian and is dealing with her own insecurities because of a fear of the sea, so while Puffin Island might be secluded enough to protect them from paparazzi, it’s not much of a relaxing retreat for Emily. Ryan is a good friend of Emily’s BFF Britany and is asked to keep an eye on Emily. The attraction is undeniable, but after raising his own siblings after his parents’ deaths, Ryan has sworn off single mothers. Still, there’s something about the little girl’s charm and the chemistry with Emily that keeps him going back for more. This was a fairly typical fluffy novel with the right amount of heat. It ends with a clear indication of who will be book two. The one disappointment that I had, which I hope will be resolved in book 2 or 3 is that a background character was introduced with a past love story connected to the island and never further explored. I could totally see her getting a book, but the series ended in 2015 and is just three books. Hopefully she gets some romantic closure in one of the other books. Otherwise enjoyable book and I’ll be picking up book 2 at some point.
Week #4 - Selection Post (Option #1)Bookcover/link: How to Walk Away by Katherine Center
Page numbers: 302 pages
How the book qualifies: This book is tagged “adventure” by three people
Week #4 - Selection Post
Wrong Turn by Samantha Chase
Pages: 265
How the book qualifies: Tagged 'Adventure-Romance'
Wrong Turn by Samantha Chase
Pages: 265
How the book qualifies: Tagged 'Adventure-Romance'
Romance Readers Reading Challenges
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Authors mentioned in this topic
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Bookcover/link: The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn
Rating (1-5) ⭐⭐⭐
Review:
I follow how Goodreads labels their star system so most of my books end up with three stars as a general "I liked it." With that said, I enjoyed this book. I picked it up because I loved the Bridgerton Netflix series and wanted to see what would happen in the second season. I really like the main character Kate who doesn’t pull any punches when Anthony starts pursuing her sister, Edwina. The notorious rake has decided he’s going to marry with the belief that he will not fall in love. Edwina feels like the perfect candidate and getting past Kate is a challenge he looks forward to conquering. This is a classic enemies to lovers trope. I found Anthony’s aversion to love interesting (he’s convinced he’s going to die young like his father, so he doesn’t want to fall in love and have someone he’s going to leave behind - which seems to be a different motivation than the tv show created). The one thing I’ve loved about the books that I’ve read out of order and the tv show was the banter between the siblings and aside from a memorable game of Pall Mall, it felt like the siblings were hardly in the book. That was the only disappointment that I found. Otherwise this was an enjoyable romance.