Tag: contemporary romance

BONUS REVIEW: One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London

BONUS REVIEW: One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Dial Press in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Bea Schumacher, plus-sized fashion blogger with over 600,000 Instagram followers went viral thanks to a blog post about the most recent season of Main Squeeze, a reality dating show. Bea called out the show’s lack of diversity, especially the fact that the women were all rail thin when two-thirds of the women in the country wear a size 14 or larger. When the show’s ratings tanked, the producer was fired and his assistant, a woman, was promoted.

And the new producer, Lauren, knows exactly how she wants to improve the show. One of the cornerstones of her plan is to get Bea as their star for the spring season.

Bea is nursing a broken heart. And she’s all too aware of the cruelty of the world, especially on the internet. Putting herself center stage on Main Squeeze would open her up to scathing, hurtful and vile responses online. But this opportunity would also help build her notoriety. She knows she won’t find love, but she’s willing to go through the motions so America can see that everyone – no matter their body type – deserves a chance at love.

Review

This is a jam-packed contemporary romance with a lot to say about love, self-acceptance, and diversity. It plays out just like a reality dating show, so The Bachelor fans will feel right at home. There are great interludes with tweets and group chats and news articles that help tell the story and also serve as something of a palate cleanser between scenes from the show. Chris Evans even gets to steal the spotlight a few times! It’s delightful.

There’s so much to enjoy here. I can think of so many characters and scenes I adored. Bea’s family and the show’s trip to their home in Ohio was pivotal – and hilarious! There are many laugh-out-loud moments, and some swoon-worthy ones, too. Aside from Bea and some of her suitors, Allison, Bea’s stylist from the show was my favorite character. In the crazy reality TV world, she was a constant delight and source of support for Bea.

One of the significant threads of the book is Bea’s weight – how she feels about her body, the hoops she jumps through to live her life as a plus-sized woman, and the fact that total strangers feel entitled to comment on her body. There are some gross, rude moments in this. And some offensive ones. Sadly, there are also triggering ones. And every awful bit is true. These things are really said – often by total strangers, usually men – to women online. The author does a great job of working that reality into Bea’s experience. They don’t overshadow the larger love story, but they inform it at key moments.

I was thrilled with the ending, although I was frustrated at times with the love story as it played out on the show. The reading experience was just like watching a reality dating show on TV. I had my favorite suitors, and I didn’t like anything or anyone who made Bea’s journey to love difficult.

There’s a lot to enjoy here – romance, reality TV, social commentary on issues like body image/body confidence/weight, family, friendship, fashion, etc. There are lots of examples of diversity in the story, both in race and in sexual identity (lesbian, bisexual, asexual, gender nonconforming). I felt like the author did a good job weaving these pieces naturally into the story. They never felt forced. The real world reflected in the novel. If you enjoy reality TV and/or contemporary romance, be sure to check this one out! (Language, sex, LGBTQ+, TW: Rape threat/online harassment, verbal abuse/harassment)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

 

 

REVIEW: A Sweet Mess by Jayci Lee

REVIEW: A Sweet Mess by Jayci Lee

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this from Netgalley and St. Martin’s Griffin in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Comfort Zone, Aubrey’s bakery, is her life. It’s popular with the locals and with out-of-towners who stop in on their way somewhere else or place orders. In fact, the shop is doing well enough that Aubrey is planning an expansion and a move to a new location.

Landon was only in town because of a blown tire. He had been travelling to do a restaurant review before leaving the country for a month for work. Now he has no review, and he’s in this tiny town for the night. He essentially does two things during his short stay – hook up with Aubrey after a couple drinks in her friend’s bar and buy a chocolate cake from a local bakery.

Instead of getting Aubrey’s shop special chocolate cake, her teen sales girl sold Landon a specialty cake for a kid’s birthday party. Landon was NOT a fan. He never met the baker, but he needed a replacement review. He felt he had a duty to warn customers, so he blazed the baker and Comfort Zone. And Aubrey’s business dried up.

Landon doesn’t find out about the cake mix up until it is too late to change anything. Out of guilt and a sense of responsibility, he invites Aubrey to be a guest on a cooking show he’s producing.

No one can know about their personal connection. They’re both professionals. They can keep their distance. But Landon will have to be on set for his job. And they are sharing a villa during the taping.  And their connection is electric whenever they get close to one another. How will this ever work?

Review

This was great! I loved the characters in this. Their predicament was intriguing. Their chemistry was fierce. There’s terrific back-and-forth, will-they-or-won’t-they tension for ages. And I loved the resolution.

Fans of Hallmark movies should check this out. While there’s more heat here than you will find in a Hallmark movie, the layout of the story will feel familiar. It follows similar beats. The fall-apart moment near the end is just what you would expect if you’ve watched as many Hallmark movies as I have. But the characters and the resolution help this stand out from the crowd. I loved how this one wrapped up.

The food descriptions in the book will leave your mouth watering. There’s only one recipe in the book, which is a shame for those who like to try new recipes. Everything in this sounded amazing.

Don’t miss this yummy contemporary romance with excellent characters. The setting is great; the family and friends we get to meet are fantastic as well. I loved the strong women in this book! Be sure to check it out. (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Real Men Knit by Kwana Jackson

REVIEW: Real Men Knit by Kwana Jackson

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Berkley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

When Mama Joy passed away, her legacy was far bigger than her knitting shop, Strong Knits, in Harlem. There were her sons – Damian, Lucas, Noah and Jesse – all adopted out of the foster care system. There was Kerry, the young woman Mama Joy mentored as she worked in the shop. Kerry had just finished her degree in art therapy. She had been working part time at the yarn shop while she waited for a full time position in her field. Then there were the neighborhood kids like Errol. Mama Joy had made a difference in so many lives.

That’s why Jesse wants to keep the shop open. Strong Knits was Mama Joy’s dream. His older brothers have their own lives. They are ready to put those memories behind them. But this shop – and their home above it – isn’t something Jesse is ready to give up. Unfortunately, Jesse’s track record for employment and general follow through isn’t great. His brothers are reluctant to keep the shop open with Jesse in charge.

But Kerry offers to help him. She can’t believe the words actually came out of her mouth. Maybe it was her long time crush on Jesse. Or her devotion to Mama Joy. Maybe it was her gratitude for all Mama Joy and the shop meant to her. Whatever it was, Kerry has now locked her future to the store and to Jesse for the time being, come what may.

Review

There’s a lot to love about a book with confident male characters who knit and feel no shame over it! This made me want to take up knitting – and I’ve tried before with disastrous results.

I got a huge kick out of the Strong brothers. Luke and Noah are my favorites of the four. Jesse grew on me over time here. I especially loved the relationship he starts building with Errol. I can’t tell right now if this is going to be a series, but if it is, I’d like to see more from that relationship in the future.

While I enjoyed the characters in this as well as the save-the-store thread of the book, I was frustrated by the pacing. At the halfway point I felt like there had been a whole like of talking and overthinking, but not nearly enough action. There was no real plan for the store at that point, and no one was really doing anything, but they talked a lot about how urgent it was to save the shop. I think I would have liked more time for the events in the last 1/3 of the book – which were an absolute delight! The end felt rushed for me. I wanted time to linger over the more satisfying parts of the book.

Fans of contemporary romance should check this out. Readers on the hunt for romance books with non-white characters should bump this one up on their reading lists, too. The Strong brothers have the potential for some excellent stories! (Language, sexual references)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

BONUS REVIEW: Girl Gone Viral by Alisha Rai

BONUS REVIEW: Girl Gone Viral by Alisha Rai

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Avon Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Katrina King values her privacy and anonymity. Privacy protects her from people who would use her for their own gains. Like the guy who kidnapped her a few years ago for a big ransom from her rich husband when he had been alive. Or like her father who manipulated her as a teen so he could make money off her in her modeling career.

Katrina thought the conversation with the guy at the café was fun. Harmless flirting. Then she found out someone at the café had taken pictures of their interaction. They were shared online along with a fabricated story of new love. And it went viral. Now Katrina is terrified that someone will recognize her and her carefully constructed life will crumble.

Jasvinder, Katrina’s bodyguard, was with her at the café. He questioned the wisdom of chatting with a stranger. He couldn’t have predicted what happened, though. But now that it has, he can offer Katrina an escape. Jas takes her to his family’s farm where no one will see her or recognize her. Sure, it means he will have to face some family issues that have been building lately. But at the same time, Jas has some issues from his own past chasing him down. Katrina isn’t the only one who could use an escape.

But the close quarters on the farm threaten to expose the feelings they’ve each been reigning in tightly. She’s his boss. He’s her bodyguard. There’s no space for romance between them.

Review

This was so good! This is a sequel to the delightful The Right Swipe, and part of the Modern Love series.

I loved the characters in this! Katrina has been living quiet and small, drawn protectively in on herself. But that couldn’t protect her from a random stranger in a café with a cell phone and an imagination. The situation pushes her to decide how she wants to live her life. Does she want to continue to live small and sheltered?

Jas is suffering from events in his past, too. He gets by, but doesn’t really live. He stuffs his feelings down deep which protects him for awhile from the pain. But it also cuts him off from relationships that could bring him a lot of joy.

I loved the inner work each of them does in the course of the story. I was frustrated early on, feeling like I was missing vital backstory. It’s been awhile since I read book one, and I thought I might have forgotten some things. But I think the backstory was just doled out slowly. It felt like it was too slowly in the beginning for me, but it all becomes clear over time.

The viral photo/story felt like a plot device moreso than a major part of the story, at least to me. It moved Katrina and Jas to the farm which pushes them to deal with their individual issues while also addressing the feelings between them. And I was completely okay with that plot device. The character development was the star of the book for me. Fans of the first book should not miss this one. If you missed book one, somehow, be sure to pick that up, too. (Language, sex, LGBTQ+, TW: Anxiety/panic attacks)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: The Honey-Don't List by Christina Lauren

REVIEW: The Honey-Don’t List by Christina Lauren

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Gallery Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Carey has been working for Melly and Rusty Tripp for ten years. She was 16 when she started working in their shop in Jackson Hole. Now they are nationally recognized celebrities with TV shows and best selling books.

James applied to be the head engineer for the Tripps’ TV show. He needs this job because his last one went up in flames when the arrests started happening. He’s not exactly sure how he went from engineer to personal assistant, but that’s what role he falls into these days.

Carey and James had been looking forward to sending their bosses off on a long book tour so they could get a little break from the work – and the couple. But on the eve of the launch for the Tripps’ marriage and relationship book, Carey and James catch Rusty with another woman. The powers that be decide that Carey and James must go on the book tour, too. They have to wrangle the Tripps and keep the public and the media from discovering how fractured their relationship is. If Carey and James fail at this, everything the Tripps have built could go off the rails and leave the two assistants with nothing.

Review

I thoroughly enjoyed this! The premise is terrific. The Tripps are a hot mess of ego and expectation, manipulation and malice. And at the start, Carey and James feel completely stuck. By the end the reader realizes that Carey is less stuck by her circumstances than she thinks she is. Maybe her issues are more learned-helplessness related. She thinks the abuse and manipulation is what she has to endure because she doesn’t think she has any other choices in her life.

James and Carey are a delight. They might be my favorite Christina Lauren couple from the books I have read so far. They go from strangers to “misery-loves-company” coworkers, before the chemistry between them evolves. And it’s terrific.

There are notes from a police interview scattered throughout the book. I’m not convinced they were essential to the story. They foreshadow that something big is coming. And they also made for something of a division between “before” and “after.” But I think the story would have worked without it, too.

Fans of this writing duo’s work should be sure to check this one out – as should fans of general contemporary romance. This one was a lot of fun to read! (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

BONUS REVIEW: From Alaska with Love by Ally James

BONUS REVIEW: From Alaska with Love by Ally James

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Berkley Publishing in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

It started on a whim. Sara heard a radio announcement about sending letters to deployed soldiers. After a particularly upsetting family event, Sara decides to do something kind for someone else and composes a letter. If it lets her vent a little, and her crazy life amuses someone else, all the better.

Gabe has been in the military for a long time. He’s structured his whole life around it. The most long-term relationship he’s had is the one with his dog, Trouble, because a military life can be hard on a family. When someone hands him the letter, his first instinct is to give it to one of the younger, newer guys. But they received so many letters this time, there were plenty to go around. So Gabe gets Sara’s letter.

They exchange emails and then texts. Sara’s are funny and self-deprecating. Gabe’s messages are brief, but honest. And over the course of many months, a relationship grows. When Gabe returns to the States for awhile, he hopes they can meet in person. Sara wants that, too. But is she ready to put herself first for once, or will she let the family who have come to see her as the maid, babysitter, caretaker, and financial planner for their lives convince her their needs are more important than her heart?

Review

This was good! I was thoroughly frustrated by Sara’s family. They used her and had no qualms about doing so. And when she pursued something she wanted for herself, they resented her, punished her, and even bad-mouthed her to her beloved niece. It was infuriating. It was mostly sorted out by the end, but it was aggravating along the way.

Therefore, it was extra delightful when Sara followed her heart and let her family deal with their own dysfunction. Trouble the dog was a fantastic icebreaker for Sara and Gabe, and so, so sweet. I enjoyed the Alaska part of the story the most.

There were a couple frustrations. Structurally, there were moments where Sara’s letters to Gabe were repeated verbatim in the book. The reader saw the letter as Sara was writing and then again when Gabe read it. Definitely not a deal-breaker for enjoying the book, but it was a curious formatting choice. Also, the book description online doesn’t match the story. I was expecting this six-week deadline or timeline that Gabe convinces Sara to give him. That never happens. So my expectations didn’t line up with the story I read. But I was happy with how things went in the book, so other than a curiosity, it wasn’t a big issue.

Contemporary romance fans, especially those who like great animal characters, should check this one out. (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Undercover Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams

REVIEW: Undercover Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Berkley Publishing in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Liv (sister of Thea in The Bromance Book Club – ♥♥♥♥♥) is a pastry chef at the high end Savoy. She’s responsible for many of their special treats including a $1000 gold-infused cupcake called the Sultan.

Braden Mack is at the Savoy for a date with the first woman he’s wanted to have stick around, maybe ever. But nothing at this date is going quite right. He’s hoping the Sultan will help.

When Mack recognizes Liv things start to go sideways. Her boss, Royce, is fuming because Liv is getting the attention he feels he should always have from customers. Then, when Mack insists on a selfie with Liv and the cupcake, the dessert ends up in his date’s lap. Liv knows Royce won’t let this go. Surely she’s going to be fired.

But when Liv shows up for the dressing down she’s expecting, Royce is in the office with the restaurant’s young hostess. And what Liv hears through the door is NOT right! She storms in, rescuing the girl and incurring even more of her boss’ wrath. She’s fired and blackballed. The hostess refuses to report their boss. And Liv is stunned that Royce is going to get away with this behavior. How many times has he done this before?

Mack becomes an unexpected partner in Liv’s plan to take Royce down. She has no interest in the cocky playboy except to give the Savoy hostess a job if Liv can convince her to leave. But the feelings between Liv and Mack might hold more warmth than either of them expect for such an antagonistic relationship.

Review

This was even better than the first book! I loved Mack and Liv together. And this story was SO funny! The banter between Mack and Liv alone was hilarious. But there were so many other terrific, funny moments. Between the humor and the romance, I was a happy reader. But add to that the we’re-not-going-to-take-it-anymore vibe, and I was in reading heaven.

One of my favorite things about this series is the men’s book group. It’s an unusual feature in contemporary romance, and I love it. Not only do they have a fascinating perspective on the romance novels they read, but the way they show up for each other is excellent. In this particular book, they show up for the plot – for the Royce take down plans – but they also show up for Mack emotionally. That scene is one of my favorites in the whole series. And the explanation of the title was brilliant. I loved all of it!

Fans of contemporary romance – Well Met (♥♥♥♥♥),  Love on Lexington Avenue, The Bookish Life of Nina Hill – should not miss this series! If you haven’t read the first book yet, run right out and get both of these and clear your reading schedule. And while you are at it, pre-order Crazy Stupid Bromance (releasing in October) because you aren’t going to want to miss a moment with these characters. (Language, sex, possible triggers for abuse and harassment)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

BONUS REVIEW: The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman

BONUS REVIEW: The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Nina Hill is quite content with her bookish life, thank you very much. She works at a bookstore, and runs their kids’ book clubs. She attends her own book club and store author events. She is very attached to her planner and her quiet routines. Add in her trivia team – Book ‘Em, Danno – and what more could she possibly need?

Certainly not the good looking guy from her rival quiz team You’re a Quizzard, Harry. He might be handsome and all, but he seems to only know useless sports trivia. Sure, that horse racing fact came in handy for the Quizzards, but if she was going to date a guy, he had to be a reader.

Nina also does NOT need the drama of discovering her birth father. She’s lived almost thirty years without him, and now that he’s dead, what more could he provide?

But the man had a family – and money. Nina’s new siblings and extended family want to meet her, and some want to keep her from any part of the estate. An estate she couldn’t care less about.

Life was so much simpler when it was just Nina, her cat and her quiet bookish life!

Review

I’m sure my husband was tired of me reading passages to him every couple pages, but the writing here is clever and snappy. I adored it! This falls into a narrow category of the “perfect” book for me. I loved the characters. The writing is sharp. I laughed often; the book and pop culture references were fantastic! I didn’t want to put the book down, but at the same time I didn’t want it to end.

Nina is a hoot! She’s crazy smart, witty and quirky. I clicked with her book love – of course – and her organized approach to life. She’s a cat person. She has made the best out of a non-traditional upbringing. I adored her. Add in two awesome kid characters – Clare and Millie – and a couple of Nina’s new relatives, and I was in awesome-character heaven. Even the most abrasive character was a favorite by the end.

I expected Nina’s anxiety over this new family to make that part of the story awkward and angsty, but it was actually my favorite part of the book.  The romantic storyline was good, but the family piece was outstanding! I read this from the library, but this is now a must-buy for me. And I loved the writing in this from the first sentence, so I’ll be checking out the author’s other work asap. (Mostly off-page sex. Includes discussion questions for book groups.)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥+++

REVIEW: The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren

REVIEW: The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Olive has known Ethan for a couple years now, since her twin Ami started dating his brother, Dane. She’s never particularly liked Ethan. There’s usually a simmering hostility between them.

When Ami and Dane plan their wedding, Olive and Ethan are right there, maid of honor and best man. And while Olive considers herself a bad luck magnet, Ami is the opposite. She loves entering sweepstakes and contests, and she often wins. In fact, most of the wedding – and the 10 day honeymoon in Maui – are things Ami has won.

Olive and Ethan are the only two people at the wedding who don’t partake of the seafood buffet at the reception. Therefore, they are the only two who do NOT get food poisoning. Since the honeymoon trip is a contest prize, there is no way for Ami to postpone the trip. So she begs Olive to take her place and enjoy the vacation. And Ethan is going, too. Now Olive has to pretend to be married to her nemesis in romantic Hawaii. How is she going to pull that off?

Review

This is laugh-out-loud hilarious, at least for the first half of the book. It’s an absolute delight. Olive completely cracked me up – so brash and honest. It’s fantastic. I love a story that makes me laugh.

This would be perfect as a Hallmark movie. You’ve got the enemies-to-lovers situation as well as a fake relationship, two of my favorite romance tropes. And if you have a story where people have to hide who they really are, there’s always a moment where things fall apart. When that happens, the humor of the story pulls back and leaves room for other emotions. And this book hits those emotions just right.

Through everything – the snarky, hilarious beginning, the blossoming romance, and the dumpster fire when everything falls apart – Olive shines. I loved her. She tries to learn from her mistakes. She’s honest to the point of almost blowing their cover multiple times. And she evaluates and stands by her instincts, even when they cost her almost everything. While the whole story is a treat, I stayed with this one because of Olive. Don’t miss her story! (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Twice in a Blue Moon by Christina Lauren

REVIEW: Twice in a Blue Moon by Christina Lauren

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Gallery Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

When Tate was 18, she and her grandmother left their small town behind for a couple weeks and flew to London. While she was there, Tate met Sam who was there with his grandfather. Every evening, Tate and Sam would hang out in the hotel garden, talking. After a few nights, Tate shared her biggest secret.

Tate’s parents had been actors in LA. Her father was especially well known. When her mother had had enough of his infidelity, they left town. It was national news – Ian Bishop’s wife and daughter “disappeared.” Where did they go? What were they doing now? Tate kept the news mostly to herself and never pursued a relationship with her father. Her mom and grandmother told her to never tell another person.

As Tate and Sam spent more time together in London they grew closer. Their friendship became more and more romantic, and their relationship turned physical. Then suddenly, one morning, Sam was gone. In his place were crowds of reporters who suddenly knew her true identity. And all the secrets she shared with Sam were in every tabloid and newspaper.

Fourteen years later, as Tate is getting read to star in her seventh feature film, the first she is making with her father, Sam unexpectedly comes back into her life.

Review

I enjoyed this. I was surprised – and pleased – with how much time was devoted to the first part of the story. Expecting something much shorter, I found the extended focus really gave me a lot of time to get to know the characters. The London betrayal had a bigger emotional punch because I was invested in both characters.

I would have loved to know more of what Tate did in the 14 year gap, but I was happy with how the authors conveyed an older, more mature Tate. The reunion was obviously coming, but Tate’s shock was perfect. I was drawn into all the emotions Tate was working through on the set of the movie – with Sam, with her father, with her acting career, with the character she was playing, etc. Not only does she have the anger and hurt from Sam’s betrayal and the shock of his appearance, but she is also self-conscious about her career. Is she ready for this kind of role? And her relationship with her father is easily as complex as the one with Sam. All of these pieces kept me turning pages.

This is a solid romance with fascinating characters in an interesting situation. If you are a fan of contemporary romance or the authors’ other work, be sure to check this one out. (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥½