Romance Readers Reading Challenges discussion
2023 Challenge Archive
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PtP - Lattes & Lovers (8)
Selection PostWeek 2
Book: The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen
Pages: 295
How it Qualifies: Cover is drawn
[*book:The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen|57102663]
Completion PostWeek 2 - Option 1
Book: The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen
Pages: 295
How it Qualifies: Cover is drawn
Read: Oct 1
Review
3 stars
I wasn't a big fan of these two. Joss and Gareth just both seemed uppitty in their own way and the whole let me try and portray two adults with good communication skills just fell flat. Honestly, the whole thing felt kinda of patronizing. The whole fools gold story I did enjoy so if you discount the romance I liked it.
Mama's Completion Post Lattes & Lovers (8)
Week #2
Option #2
Task ~ #12. Latte Art - the decorative surface pattern on Flat Whites or Lattes
*Read a book with a drawn cover.
Book ~ Vengeance 2.5* ✔️ 10/4
Pages ~ 167 pages
How qualifies ~ Shelby read Fated Book #1 on 9/1/23 & rated it 3*. As I am further in the series I am using the series rule so that I can read book #9.5.
Review ~ 2.5* it was just OK. Seems to me like these shorter books of hers just doesn't give me what I need from her writing. They just don't give her time to really delve into the story and the plot.
So Noah and Abby meet in Anger Management. Neither one of them are really supposed to be there. They've been manipulated by other people but it all works out because they meet each other and it goes from there. Noah is actually there to help Ivar and keep a close eye on him for Benny. Abby is there because her ex-husband is abusive and has manipulated the system and he has a lot of pull in the town. So long story short, he's made everything her fault. Anyway Abby turns out to be Noah's mate. And things go from there.
It was just okay, but I like the earlier part of the series a lot better. It seems like some of these books are just to push some of the plot further to get towards the better books. That irritates me.
Week 2 - Completion PostA Nobleman's Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel by K.J. Charles
Read: (10/6)
Rating: ★★★★½
I thoroughly enjoyed this story. It's fun to see Luke all grown up and getting a story of his own. He had such a rough childhood and I understood how as a grown man he's still dealing with the repercussions of that. He makes a lot of stupid decisions for an incredibly bright guy because of old traumas and anger. Rufus on the other hand is just genuinely the best sort of soul. He's gruff and clearly a soldier, but one that always choses what's best for those around him. He'll make a brilliant earl. Of course he needs to deal with the family he's stuck with first.
I enjoyed the cousins, with Odo and Berengaria were bright spots in a relatively horrid family. Everyone had their backgrounds that made them more unique and interesting, complex characters.
The story got me. I may have leaked a few tears over Luke and Rufus' issues. Because man did Luke screw up. Rufus was such a lovely person though and I wanted them to find their way through things. The two are perfect together. Rufus needs a little bit of Luke's sneaky and duplicituness. And Luke needs all of the steady he can get. Together their future is bright.
I really enjoyed the way this wrapped up all the little storylines from the previous book. I found this ending to be totally satisfying and really the best possible solution to everything.
Completion PostWeek 2
Book Make Me: A Broke and Beautiful Novel
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Review: On paper this should have been a book I loved, but it was just okay. Abby was too much of a Mary Sue and Russell was too overwhelming with all his issues. All of the drama just felt too over the top and I kept wanting the two to just have a conversation and be honest with each other.
[b*ook:Make Me: A Broke and Beautiful Novel|63876709]
Selection post week 3
249 pages
See cover
Week 36. Green coffee beans must be roasted prior to consumption, which is when they turn brown
*Read a book with green and brown on the cover. Both colors must be on the cover.
Option 2 Key date: 7 April 2023
Sorry I forgot to post this yesterday for ya'll. It totally slipped what little mind I do still have!
Selection PostWeek 3
Book Marrying Winterborne
Page numbers: 380
Qualification: Green and Brown below cover
Completion Post - Week 3The Necromancer's Reckoning by S.J. Himes
Read: (10/8)
Rating: ★★★★★
I adore this series! Simeon and Angel are such a fantastic couple and I love all of the secondary characters around them as well. This time around the High Council of Sorcery has decided to stick their ugly heads into things and are threatening Angel and those he holds dear. It's clear they've got some sort of ulterior motive, but there's no way Angel's going to let them get away with threatening him and his people in his own city. They abandoned Boston years ago and they don't get to reclaim it now.
So many of the things that have been building in previous books rear their heads in this one. Isaac is struggling and his alcoholism is front and center as he finally admits he needs help. Daniel's past is being used as a wedge to try to get to Angel, and he's struggling to overcome the bone dead fear he lives with. Simeon and Angel though are settling into just how deep their bond truly is. Angel isn't going to hide himself for the comfort of others and he isn't about to become the Council's puppet either.
This was a great action packed novel and I'm really looking forward to the next couple of books which will focus on some of our secondary characters. I need Isaac's story. :)
☕️ Completion Post ☕️
Week 2 Option 1
Godkiller
Pages: 296
Qualifications: Cover of linked edition is illustrated by Tom Roberts (https://tomrobertsillustration.com)
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️❓
Review:
I had such high hopes for this one and heard so many people rave about it so I think I need to settle a bit more before I actually feel ready to review it, but my immediate reaction is low-key disappointment tbqh— the romance felt rushed and shoehorned, the worldbuilding shallow, the big twist kinda cheesy and the whole thing insufficiently atmospheric and spooky for what was supposed to be The Witcher meets Gideon the Ninth. I haven’t quite decided if it was horribly oversold fantasy of middling quality or if it was just (like so many things) sold wrong, but I’ll get back to you when I figure it out.
☕️ Completion Post ☕️
Week 3 Option 1
The Water Outlaws
Pages: 488
Qualifications: Cover of linked edition is primarily green with lots of brown
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Review:
This one felt like it dragged on far too long and then the ending hit me in the face all at once— I like the idea of it so very much, though, that it kept pulling me through the slow bits. I would die for Lu Dao, hands down, no question, but a lot of the other side characters were either intensely unlikable or blurred into an indistinct bandit-shaped blur for me. I think I struggled with it a little because most of the wuxia I read is light novels and this most decidedly is not, so my expectations were a little off. I did have a lot of fun with it, though!
Selection Post - Option 1Week 3
Book: Battle Bond
Pages: 278
How it Qualifies: Brown and green on cover
[*book:Battle Bond|51959836]
Completion Post - Option 1Week 3
Book: Battle Bond
Pages: 278
How it Qualifies: Brown and green on cover
Read Oct 8
Review
3 stars
This book, compared to the first, just had a different feeling. More comedic and better places plus the romance starts in this one so that could definitely be part of the reason it help my interest a lot better than the first.
Mama's Selection Post Lattes & Lovers (8)
Week #3
Option #1
Task ~ #6. Green coffee beans roasted brown
Book ~ Recovery Road
Pages ~ 410 pages
How qualifies ~ green and brown on cover
Emeli, you will need to have one of your reviews in before tomorrow as you can only carry over 1 book.
Completion post week 2
Body Count
Finished 9/10
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This was an awesome book and i loved it the book reminded me about only James necessary evil books bit the author managed to put her own Twist on it
Week 4Option 1
8. Espresso - for the serious/straight coffee drinker, and unadulterated
Read a book from one of the following lists linked on Q&A
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Hero & Heroine Both Virgin
The Gut Wrenchers
Starchy Hero Gets Un-Starched
Clean Romances with Witty Worthwhile Women
Taking the Veil - Heroine in Convent or Disguised in Habit
Gay Romance Going to the Chapel
Gay Romance with a Straight Hero
If you chose option 1, you must read a book from one of the above lists.
Option 2 ~
Key date: 14 April 2023
☕️ Selection Post ☕️Option One
Bringing Down the Duke
Pages: 356
Qualifications: from the Starchy Hero Gets Unstarched list: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
Mama's Completion Post Lattes & Lovers (8)
Week #3
Option #1
Task ~ #6. Green coffee beans roasted brown
Book ~ Recovery Road 4.5* ✔️ 10/13
Pages ~ 410 pages
How qualifies ~ green and brown on cover
Review ~ 4.5* I LOVE THIS SERIES!!!
This was book number eight in the series of Torpedo Ink. It is a spin-off of Sea Haven & Drake Sisters. This men & women in the Torpedo Ink MC are Bad.Ass. MOFO's. They were all raised together but have a deeply tragic past.
I just wish I knew who was going to be taking place front and center in the spotlight for the next book.
My only issue is that I need this book soon. Because there was a little bit of a cliffhanger that I am dying to find out about. But I took a half point off because I did feel like she wrapped up the bad guy a little too easy. Plus, even tho they got the bad guys that I wanted to, there are more villain's out there we haven't met yet. And from that last phone call, we know there are some things that are already in the works that torpedo Inc is going to have to run down and take care of. Basically, they just broke a couple of spokes off the wheel just enough to cripple it, not enough to take it down.
Can't get enough of this series!
Emeli,As soon as you get a chance, will you please add any books you have read within our date time frame of 14 April 2023 to your read Shelf with the dates you have read them?
It would help our team to be able to see the books you have read & give our members one more book option each week.
Thank you,
Mama
Mamacita aka MawMaw wrote: "Emeli,As soon as you get a chance, will you please add any books you have read within our date time frame of 14 April 2023 to your read Shelf with the dates you have read them?
It would help our..."
Yes please Emeli. The team will need those books ~ especially in the final few weeks :)
Mamacita aka MawMaw wrote: "Mama's Selection Post Lattes & Lovers (8)
Week #3
Option #1
Task ~ #6. Green coffee beans roasted brown
Book ~ Recovery Road 4.5* ✔️ 10/13
Page..."
Hi Mama - could you please update your post to Completion? Thanks!
Selection Post - Week 4: Book: Book Lovers - 377pgs/GR
How Fits: #386 on Starchy Hero Gets Un-Starched
Jane (PS) wrote: "Mamacita aka MawMaw wrote: "Mama's Selection Post Lattes & Lovers (8)
Week #3
Option #1
Task ~ #6. Green coffee beans roasted brown
Book ~ [book:Recovery Road|..."
Absolutely.
Sorry.
Selection Post - Option 1Week 4
Book: Slightly Dangerous
Pages: 365
How it Qualifies: # 3 on the Starchy Hero Gets Un-Starched list
[*book:Slightly Dangerous|71648]
I'll have my book done by the end of the day it's getting a little same same through the middle/end so taking a short break.
Danielle wrote: "I'll have my book done by the end of the day it's getting a little same same through the middle/end so taking a short break."Girl, your good. You do know you can carry over to next week if you need it, right? I haven't even decided on my book yet. I'm in another Team Challenge that I need to see what my next read is going to be so that I can pick a book that will do double duty.
Completion PostWeek 3
Book Marrying Winterborne
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Review: Overall, this was a good listen. I enjoyed Mary Jane Wells take on the characters, though I do think I prefer dual narrators.
Selection PostWeek 4
Book Fall Into Place
Page numbers: 103
Qualification: #10 on Hero and Heroine Both Virgin
Completion post week 3
249 pages
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Finished 16/10
I loved this it was a beautiful addition to the series and i always love a good daddy/little romance
Completion Post - Week 4Book Lovers by Emily Henry
Read: (10/19)
Rating: ★★★★★
This is my second book by Emily Henry and I can't decide if I'm happy or upset that I didn't read this one first. While I enjoyed Beach Read it was just a solid novel for me. I wasn't racing to read another book by the author, but knew I would continue to check out her books. So when I picked up Book Lovers, because it fit a number of challenges I was doing, I was expecting a pleasant read that wouldn't pull me in to deeply, because it would be a light quick read. Well apparently I was dumb. These characters hooked me in and I've been shedding tears continually through at least the last quarter of this book. The good kind of tears, but yeah, my eyes are all achy now.
I loved this story so much. I loved the characters of Charlie and Nora. Nora is so responsible and feels like she has to control everything and solve all of the ills of those she cares about. Relaxing is not in her vocabulary. So slowing down on vacation with her sister isn't really in her plans, but if that's what her sister needs...she'll do it for Lizzie. Running into Charlie in the small town they've left the big city for is completely unexpected, especially since their one business lunch went so horribly awry.
These two were delectable as they snarked their way into love for each other. This book reads so smoothly and quickly it just flies by, but with all the best parts of a love story. I just enjoyed myself so much. I'll return to this one again and again I'm sure and well I'll certainly be reaching for Emily Henry more quickly in the future.
Completion Post - Option 1Week 4
Book: Slightly Dangerous
Pages: 365
How it Qualifies: # 3 on the Starchy Hero Gets Un-Starched list
Read: Oct 16
Review
3.5 stars
Not sure I quite understood the whole "I hate you" aspect of this one. Also not sure Wulfric ever becomes "un-startched" as the list suggested. I liked him anyway and the premise was fun and engaging if a little long. Definitely would go back and read some of the earlier books in the series.
Mamacita aka MawMaw wrote: "Danielle wrote: "I'll have my book done by the end of the day it's getting a little same same through the middle/end so taking a short break."Girl, your good. You do know you can carry over to ne..."
I like trying to finish a book early because then it'll take me 3-4 days to actually get around to posting it as we can see by the 3 days it took me to post this last one. I love challenges. Picking books and reading them...posting afterwards...urg. All part of the game though!
Completion PostWeek 4
Finished 19/10
⭐⭐⭐⭐
I love this kind of romance because it reminds me of the Harlequin books i used to read when i Was a teenager so hats off to Andrew grey for an awesome book
Mama's Selection Post Lattes & Lovers (8)
Week #4
Option #1
Task ~ #8. Espresso
Book ~ A Summer to Remember
Pages ~ 384 pages
How qualifies ~ #70 on Starchy Hero Gets Un-Starched
Danielle wrote: "Completion Post - Option 1Week 4
Book: Slightly Dangerous
Pages: 365
How it Qualifies: # 3 on the Starchy Hero Gets Un-Starched list
Read: Oct 1..."
You know a thought did occur to me, that with us reading the same series if we get a shit task that we don't want to read at least we can now use each other's book as option #2 since the series rule will apply.
To me, I think...
Mamacita aka MawMaw wrote: "Danielle wrote: "Completion Post - Option 1Week 4
Book: Slightly Dangerous
Pages: 365
How it Qualifies: # 3 on the Starchy Hero Gets Un-Starched ..."
That's what the Karen's team are doing when they need the second option - reverting to the In Death series :)
Week #5 Option 1
10. Long Black - Double espresso with twice the water
*Read a book longer than 300 pages
Option 2 ~
Key date: 21 April 2023
Mama's Selection Post Lattes & Lovers (8)
Week #5
Option #1
Task ~ 10. Long Black
Book ~ The Do-Over
Pages ~ 553 pages
How qualifies ~ over 300 pages
Now if only ya'll have read Lexi Blake in the last 6 months.
Mama's Completion Post Lattes & Lovers (8)
Week #4
Option #1
Task ~ #8. Espresso
Book ~ A Summer to Remember 3.5* ✔️ 10/21
Pages ~ 384 pages
How qualifies ~ #70 on Starchy Hero Gets Un-Starched
Review ~ 3.5*
There were parts that were barely, & I'm talking barely a 3🌟 and then there were parts that were almost a 5🌟.
The good parts were pretty darn good. I loved how they grew together during that summer. Especially the part where they each made sure they made a lasting difference in each other's lives. Her with his guilt & his riff with his day & brother. He helprd her learn how to not only enjoy life but to let go of some past hurts I don't think she even knew she was harboring.
And when he finally manned up & went after her...
I will read this series & author again but not right away.
But For Now... Onto my next book...
Completion Post Week 4 Option 1
Bringing Down the Duke
Pages: 356
Qualifications: #57 on Starchy Hero Gets Un-Starched
Date Completed: 10/22
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Review: Almost DNF’ed at page 80 when Sebastian forces his 18 year old brother to join the navy and physically threatens him when he tries to refuse because he… threw a house party he shouldn’t have? And drinks a little too much at Oxford? And may be keeping a mistress?
Nothing would excuse forced military service in my book but these offenses are extremely minor! And both Annabelle and Peregrine come to think that the teenager is the one in the wrong here for running away? And after that ludicrous display we’re supposed to believe Sebastian is one of the good ones because he’s willing to give up on a chance to acquire a thirteenth estate and cause a minor political scuffle to marry a suffragette? I’m not buying what Dunmore is selling on this one.
Selection Post - Week 5: Book: How I Stole the Princess's White Knight and Turned Him to Villainy: The Complete Works - 552pgs/GR
How Fits: Page Count over 300pgs
Romance Readers Reading Challenges
Books mentioned in this topic
Gods of Londinium (other topics)Sensual Danger (other topics)
The Truth About Cads and Dukes (other topics)
System Collapse (other topics)
System Collapse (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Anna Hackett (other topics)Pamela Clare (other topics)
Nalini Singh (other topics)
Anna Hackett (other topics)
N.R. Walker (other topics)
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Mama's Team Selection & Completion Links
In Post #4