Tag: romance

REVIEW: The Right Swipe by Alisha Rai

REVIEW: The Right Swipe by Alisha Rai

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Rhiannon has worked her tail off building her dating app, Crush, into one of the top apps in the country. As a woman, she had a long list of bad dating experiences she wanted to screen out for herself and other women looking for someone with her app. And people responded. Now she has a chance to buy out the older style Matchmaker. It would give her a huge market share and help her serve folks who wanted to go with the personality profile style of dating AND the app-swiping folks who used Crush.

Samson Lima was a football player for awhile. And when that fell apart, he took care of his sick uncle for many years. Now, his aunt needs him. She’s the sole owner of Matchmaker now that her sister has passed away. The company needs an infusion of something fresh – and that’s Samson. He’s agreed to be a spokesperson for Matchmaker and also let them find him a match publicly to get some good publicity and show people what the process looks like.

Samson and Rhiannon are at an industry event when they run into each other. Again. Awhile ago, they matched up on Crush and spent a steamy evening together. Rhiannon broke her own rules for hook ups and agreed to a second date. When Samson didn’t show, she deleted the profile she had on the app. He was dead to her. She didn’t know his uncle’s health took a turn. When Samson got his feet under him again and remembered the broken date, he couldn’t find “Claire” on Crush anymore and had no way of apologizing for ghosting her. But judging from the daggers she glares at him, forgiveness is not going to come from Rhiannon any time soon.

Review

This was delightful! Samson and Rhi are fantastic characters. She has a history that keeps her wary and always on the offensive. He has been burned by people he thought of as family. They are both terrified to be vulnerable and trust others, which makes trying to build a relationship tricky.

Which is fine because Rhi doesn’t want a “relationship.” A physical connection is all she wants from Samson – and she tells herself she doesn’t even want that. But the chemistry between them is unavoidable. Their trust issues keep cropping up, though, and put a wedge between them again and again.

This is another football-adjacent story that addresses concussion issues. I enjoyed how the author worked the issue in without using active players. It felt different and worked in some additional dynamics that I enjoyed.  It never felt like it was tacked on to be timely or “relevant.”

The secondary characters were as delightful as Rhi and Samson. I would love for this to be a series like the Reluctant Royals series by Alyssa Cole or the Bluff Point series by Jenn McKinlay. In those series, a secondary character in one story becomes the protagonist in another. There are several secondary characters in this I would love to see star in their own book! *

I have been on a romantic comedy (rom-com) kick lately, and I’m loving it. This is a terrific entry in that genre. Don’t miss this one! (Language, sex)

*[I discovered this IS going to be a series!! This is book one in the Modern Love series. Book 2 – currently titled Girl Gone Viral – is scheduled to release in Spring 2020]

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: The Reluctant Royals series by Alyssa Cole

REVIEW: The Reluctant Royals series by Alyssa Cole

Posted on by Jaymie

A Princess in Theory

A grad school student doesn’t have time for scam emails telling her she’s betrothed to an African prince. But what if they aren’t a scam? Prince Thabiso has a chance to get to know Naledi thanks to a case of mistaken identity. And he likes what he learns. But there may be too much history between them and their families – not to mention his failure to tell her his true identity at first – for a relationship to work.

I loved this story! In some ways, it was typical with the secret identity which you know will come out and risk everything. But the characters were fresh and the science/disease piece of the story was fascinating. (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

 

A Duke by Default

Naledi’s best friend Portia has secured an internship with a sword maker in Scotland, but he’s abrasive and pushes her away every chance he gets. He doesn’t want her help for his armory. And he doesn’t want her to find out he’s the son of a duke! But Portia might turn out to be exactly what Tav needs – for his business AND his personal life.

I loved Portia! She’s really trying to do some work on her personality, and I loved ALL of it! It left me wanting more. My favorite of the three full-length books in the series. (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

 

Once Ghosted, Twice Shy (Novella)

Likotsi was in America while her boss, Prince Thabiso was wooing Naledi. And she enjoyed a romance of her own while there thanks to a dating app. But it didn’t last, and Likotsi left, brokenhearted. Now she’s back in New York, so of course she runs smack into the woman who broke her heart. Will the second meeting give them another chance at love or only more heartache?

This is the only piece in the series that I have not read yet.

 

Can’t Escape Love (Novella)

Portia’s younger sister, Regina, is a force to be reckoned with – both in life and in business. But the stress of her media enterprise is leaving her sleepless and exhausted. In the past, she had a live-streamer to listen to. His voice always soothed her and helped her sleep. But his archive has been deleted. If she can track him down, she’s prepared to do whatever it takes to get his voice back into her life. But she might discover the PERSON behind the voice is even better for her than the voice alone ever was.

Definitely read this one after A Duke by Default so you can avoid important spoilers. This is my favorite couple in the whole series. I absolutely adored this story and these characters. (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

 

A Prince on Paper

Naledi’s cousin Nya has been trying to shake off the trauma of her past and her controlling father. And a fake relationship with the step-prince of Liechtienbourg makes for the perfect distraction. But Nya’s past continues to stalk her, and Johan needs more help than just a fake fiancée. Their tenuous friendship might not survive their “engagement.”

I thoroughly enjoyed the psychological aspects to these particular characters, and really to the series as a whole.  There’s great character development (in every book) and the reader really gets to see where personal issues impact the romantic relationships. This one did not follow the same pattern as the first two full-length stories in the series, which I enjoyed – this felt fresh. (Language, sex, LGBTQ+ characters)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Going Off Script by Jen Wilde

REVIEW: Going Off Script by Jen Wilde

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Bex is finally in LA. She has put everything towards this for the last few years. She’s saved money, put up with crummy jobs, and researched and applied for jobs and internships. She’s done everything she could conceive of to make this happen. And now she’s here. She has an internship on her favorite TV show, Silver Falls, a show about werewolves and those hunting them down. She’ll be in the writer’s room, learning everything she can to eventually break into TV writing and production.

The showrunner is supposed to be writing a script for an upcoming episode, and so far he’s produced nothing. And this episode needs to be BIG – it needs to turn things up a notch. So Bex writes a script. The showrunner probably won’t use it – he’s been a jerk since Bex showed up on the lot. But she can show some initiative and some of her ideas. Bex’s script shows the female lead of Silver Falls getting a new love interest. A female love interest.

Bex is still wrapping her mind around her own sexuality and trying to figure out how to come out to her family and friends. But she understands how to write this relationship. And she knows Silver Falls, so she knows how to write well for these characters.

The showrunner decides to use Bex’s script. But when he “straight-washes” her storyline, Bex will have to decide how much she is willing to risk to see her story – and characters who share her sexual identity – on television.

Review

This story really came alive for me when everything started to fall apart. When Bex and her friends – both on and off the show – band together to fight the system and the individuals who want to silence them, I couldn’t read fast enough to see how it would all play out. It was fantastic!

There’s a thread of the story that’s about Bex’s personal development – her sexuality, her upbringing in a home with lots of love but little money, and her decisions about what to do with her voice and her opportunities in LA and on Silver Falls. The other thread is the “we’re not going to take it any more” rebellion. For me, that was the stronger thread. Since both have to work together, of course both were good. But the rebellion left me cheering and talking back to the characters of the book. I love when the underdog fights back.

I’ve read several books lately with gay romantic story lines in an effort to build my understanding of people and groups outside my own frame of reference. It’s been intentional. I think my faith calls me to love everyone, and I can’t do that well if people who are racially or ethnically different from me, or those with a different sexual orientation feel “foreign” or “other.” I strongly believe that my empathy and compassion grows as I know and understand people who think or live differently from me – and reading helps me do that. It helps me make better book recommendations, too, when I read widely.

If you love Hollywood stories, don’t miss this one. Even more, if you like stories where the oppressed/maligned stand up for themselves, be sure to check this one out.  If you are curious to try a gay romance (F/F), this one is fairly mild as far as descriptions of the couple’s physical relationship go (kissing, descriptions of romantic feelings, and a physical encounter that takes place off-page) – pretty standard stuff for YA heterosexual romances. (Language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Hope and Other Punch Lines by Julie Buxbaum

REVIEW: Hope and Other Punch Lines by Julie Buxbaum

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

For Abbi, it was her first birthday. She was celebrating at day care. She had a paper crown and a red balloon.

For the rest of the world, it was September 11, 2001.

Connie, Abbi’s favorite day care worker, carried her away from the World Trade Center. Someone caught a picture of them fleeing along with a handful of others as the first tower collapses. The photo goes viral. People have the photo framed in their homes or printed on clothes as a symbol of hope triumphing over evil. Everyone knows Abbi as “Baby Hope.”

Noah has been obsessed with the Baby Hope photo for years. But not because of Abbi. He goes to high school with her. But behind her, in the photo, is a guy in a University of Michigan hat and flannel shirt. A man who looks like Noah’s dad. While the story is that his dad died that day – while newborn Noah was in the hospital with a heart defect – the picture shows him – alive.

Review

This was everything I was hoping for when I first read the synopsis. Abbi and Noah are fabulous. They are my favorite sort of teens – honest, awkward, sincere, and sweet. Both carry the burden of 9/11, although in different ways. While for many people it’s remembered in a “where were you when” sort of way, 9/11 is a daily factor for these characters (and others in reality.).

The author weaves real factors from 9/11 into her fictional account, giving it extra weight. The stories characters tell about the aftermath – their gratitude, their grief – feel very real. And they are raw and heartbreaking at times. Yet the story as a whole maintains a hopeful tone. It’s really masterfully woven together.

Readers with personal ties to 9/11 could find this triggering for grief and/or trauma. Readers who are curious about 9/11 and the personal toll of the day and the aftermath will get a glimpse of that here. This is also a great story for anyone who loves teen romance, dual perspective storytelling or just terrific YA stories. Don’t miss this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: The Me I Used to Be by Jennifer Ryan

REVIEW: The Me I Used to Be by Jennifer Ryan

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Four years ago, Evangeline was pulled over while hauling hay for the family ranch. She didn’t know there were stolen bottles of rare wine hidden in the hay. But after her arrest, she had some time to think and started putting the pieces together. It was clear someone she loved was moving the stolen wine. So she plead guilty and took the fall. And spent four years in prison for a crime she didn’t commit.

On her second attempt at parole, the arresting officer shows up to push through her application – her father has died and she’s needed at home. Overwhelmed with grief, she arrives home only to find her family turned against her. They blame her for everything – her father’s poor health, his drinking, his death, and the struggles at the ranch. Their anger lashes out at her over and over again. Her only hope for escape – because she certainly can’t tell them the truth – is to help the police take down the people ultimately responsible for the stolen wine – a crime that has continued for four years. If she helps, her record will be expunged and she’ll be free to take her prison-earned degree and set up a new life for herself – somewhere else.

Review

This was terrific! Part romance, part suspense, this is a family story while also being the story of Evangeline finding her place, her voice, and her “power” after everything she has been through.

When I think about the beginning of the novel from the perspective of the ending, I see how much Evangeline grows – how she settles into herself and her new life. She stands there and takes her family’s abuse early on. It was infuriating how awful they were to her, how hateful. And I felt that way even before I knew why she went to jail. I couldn’t sympathize with her because of the truth (yet), but I still knew their treatment of her was appalling. And Evangeline took every bit of it. She kept her head down and started working her plan to rebuild her life.

Once the truth comes out, the focus of the story shifts to the suspense. Who is really responsible for the crimes? How can Evangeline get to the truth so she can finally be free? And how can she keep herself safe while taking the bad guys down? I loved how all of this was handled.

Then Evangeline needs to deal with the fall out of everything that has happened. Her father’s will put her in charge of the future of the ranch. With her brothers pulling on her like she’s the rope in a tug of war, she has to decide who to listen to and how to proceed. And taking down the bad guys has repercussions, too. And the reader starts to wonder if there is any space in Evangeline’s life to get what SHE wants and needs – her business, her identity, and maybe even a relationship that gives her space to be herself and also feel seen and valued and loved.

This one is a home run! Don’t miss this – I highly recommend it! (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon

REVIEW: When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Dimple has finished high school and she’s ready to head to Stanford in the fall. For the summer, though, she has her heart set on the app development program at Insomnia Con. Dimple is ready to build her future and experience life. And she has no interest in yielding to her parents’ expectations that she find the perfect Indian husband and settle down.

Rishi is going to be at MIT in the fall, but for the summer he is headed to Insomnia Con to meet Dimple. His parents think they will be perfect together. Rishi knows he has college to finish, but he is fully committed to a traditional Indian courtship, marriage and family.

Judging by the fact that Rishi ends up wearing Dimple’s iced coffee when he introduces himself, it seems safe to assume that Dimple knows nothing of their parents’ plans for them to meet at this summer program. How can Rishi get Dimple to see him as a romantic possibility after that awkward introduction?

Review

This was a treat from start to finish!! I adored Dimple and Rishi! They are smart and funny and so determined. Dimple is determined to live life on her terms. Rishi is determined to live up to his parents’ expectations. I loved that while each of them bent a little in order to build a friendship, they stayed true to their character and ideals throughout the story.

There’s a great thread in this about being true to yourself and embracing your gifts that I enjoyed. Both Dimple and Rishi had things they were passionate about. But one of them was completely sold out to that while the other was trying to run away from it for something more “acceptable.” The journey – and the outcome – were terrifically written!

I’ve been on a romcom reading binge lately, and this was a fantastic piece of that! I also read the companion book There’s Something About Sweetie, and it was also a great read. Highly recommend both books! (Off-page sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: The Boy Next Story by Tiffany Schmidt

REVIEW: The Boy Next Story by Tiffany Schmidt

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

When Rory and her older sister, Merrilee, got into Hero High, it was supposed to be this “great opportunity.” Their oldest sister, Lilly, was marrying into a senator’s family, and the senator used her influence to get the girls into Reginald R. Hero High. Nevermind that her influence led to some resentment by some students and administrators about the girls skirting the rules and procedures. While Merrilee had negotiated a lot of that, and emerged triumphant, Rory was dealing with her own struggles.

Rory’s early weeks at Hero were not filled with a lot of academic success. It’s hard to be the little sister to someone as brilliant – and as personable – as Merri. And the one place that should have been a safe haven for Rory – the art room – was a bigger minefield than any of her academic classes. In Advanced Art, the freshman and “new girl” stuck out. And the resentment of the older students meant her easel was always under “accidental” assault. Her projects were “lost” or “destroyed” constantly. School was one disaster after another for Rory.

Even her life outside school was filled with complications. Her forever-crush, Toby, was her next door neighbor. There was no avoiding him. That meant she also couldn’t avoid seeing how he looked at Merri. Toby’s affection for Merri was at war with his hurt at seeing her fall for someone else. It was painful for Rory to watch while her own feelings of longing were obviously never going to be returned.

Two reading assignments for the mysterious Ms. Gregoire stir up a lot of questions and feelings for Rory as she considers her school woes, her family relationships, and her crush. She’s embarking on a life and literature adventure she won’t ever forget.

Review

When book 1, Bookish Boyfriends: A Date with Darcy released last year, there was no way I wasn’t going to read it. Books, romance and a possibly magical teacher pulling strings to use literature to instruct her students on life? SIGN ME UP! And book one was a DELIGHT in all ways – characters, story, heart. And I re-read it before starting this one so all the story details would be fresh for me.

That re-read actually made me a little nervous about reading this book. I loved Merri in book 1.  Her voice is a huge part of why I enjoyed that first story. Since this is Rory’s story, I was concerned I wouldn’t connect with her like I did with Merri.

Rory’s voice and story is EVEN BETTER!

I almost don’t have words for how much I adored this book. I think chapter 3 was when I started crying and fell in love with Rory. All the sharp, snarky attitude and behavior in book 1 suddenly made complete sense. I could see all the ways Rory developed to protect herself – from feeling “not enough” or left out or “settled for.” And this is a young woman who should never feel like she is second fiddle to anyone – no one should. I bookmarked more than 40 spots that were just magical for me in this story. Actually, I wasn’t even 1/4 through the review copy when I set it aside to pre-order my own copy. I am a fanatic for this story!

Just like with Merri’s story, Rory works through two books with Ms. Gregoire – The Great Gatsby and Little Women. As with book 1, I’ve only read one of those books, but I was completely able to follow the action here anyway. I almost felt like I was reading two whole books because of the depth of Rory’s story related to both of these classic novels. The author does not skimp through the arc of the first to get to the second. Both were important – to the story and to Rory’s growth.

I gushed at the author on social media because I just could not contain how much I was adoring this story. (It was too early to talk about it online because it wasn’t going to release for another month or two.) She told me book three will be Talk Nerdy to Me (2020), and she’s already at work on book 4. This series is now firmly on my “must buy” list. The richness in the characters and the stories are not to be missed. At every page turn, my heart sang, “I LOVE this book!” I could not have asked for a more perfect book for me.

I feel like there’s a lot for readers to learn here from Rory – what happens for her when she speaks her truth, how her feelings have driven her behavior, what role she should play when she’s unhappy in a relationships, etc. You do NOT want to miss this book – be sure to check out A Date with Darcy and then scoop up The Boy Next Story too. Perfect for summer reading. I can’t recommend this highly enough.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥+++

REVIEW: Fumbled by Alexa Martin

REVIEW: Fumbled by Alexa Martin

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 Poppy was a teenager, she got pregnant. When she told her boyfriend TK, his mom gave her money and told her to end the pregnancy. Keeping the baby cost her everything – TK, her parents, her home, and her life in DC.

Thankfully, Aunt Maya welcomed her into her home in Denver. Now it’s just Poppy and her son, Ace, but they are living a contented life together. He has always been the light of her life. They don’t have much money, but they get by. Sure, she has a crappy job as a waitress at the Emerald Cabaret. She has to wear a corset and ridiculously high heels every day. And occasionally she has to deal with sleazy customers who think they can touch as well as look. But Ace is worth any amount of hassle.

Poppy has always felt pretty lucky that the club doesn’t cater to a professional football clientele. Because TK is on the Denver Mustangs football team these days. And she does NOT need him stumbling back into her life. He has no idea Ace even exists. And Poppy is happy to keep it that way.

And then one night, the Mustangs show up at the Emerald Cabaret.

Review

This was so fun! I loved the first book in this series, Interception. The intersection of real life, romance and football is a great fit for me as a reader. In the first book, the main character needed to find her voice and her agency  over her own life (a theme I love in books). In this one, Poppy already knows who she is and what’s most important to her. The story in this one focuses on Poppy figuring out if TK belongs in her life at all.

This story is terrific! Poppy finds a fantastic circle in this book – football wives and other friends who care about her and about Ace first – before the Mustangs or TK or anything else. I also was thrilled at the honesty of the story – no secrets (other than Ace early on), no lies. Poppy speaks her mind and holds firm to her boundaries as a mom. She tells herself she can walk away from TK if he is not on board with what she has to say. The story also deals with contemporary issues in football, including concussion protocols and CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy).

This is a must-read series for me – I love the sass and strength of the female characters and the happy endings in this series so far. I can’t wait to see what happens in book 3, Blitzed, due out before the end of the year! (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Come Back to Me by Sharon Sala

REVIEW: Come Back to Me by Sharon Sala

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Twenty years ago the world came crashing down for Phoebe and Aidan. A fire at Aidan’s father’s garage led to the death of Phoebe’s father at the bakery next door. The rumor was that Aidan’s father set the fire to get the insurance money because his wife’s cancer had wiped them out. It wasn’t true, but Phoebe’s family kept stoking the flames of the story. While Aidan had thought they were in love, Phoebe didn’t stand up for his family. When his mother died from her illness, Aidan and his father left town, ready to shake off the dust of Blessing’s accusations and mistrust. And when Phoebe showed up as they were leaving town to tell Aidan she believed them and still loved him, it was too little too late.

At the time, neither of them knew Phoebe was pregnant. She vowed not to tell Aidan until he chose to come back for her. When he didn’t, she raised their son on her own.

But Aidan is back in Blessings to handle some old family business. It won’t be long before someone tells him about his son. The question is what Aidan will do when he finds out.

Review

This is book 6 in the Blessings, Georgia series. I hadn’t read anything in the series before this, but it wasn’t an issue. The story stands completely on its own, although there are hints at some possible stories from previous books with some of the other town’s people. The author also seemed to be setting up a couple of characters for a future story in this book.

I loved every minute of this one. The three main characters – Phoebe, Aidan, and their son, Lee – are fantastic! And the road to reconciliation, while not easy, was not filled with needless angst and lies or hidden motives or misunderstandings to thwart them at every turn. That gets old for me after awhile. But this story just… unfolded. And I was able to sit back and enjoy watching it all happen.

Now I absolutely have to track down the rest of the series – including book seven, because the story I think is coming up next is shaping up to be excellent. [Some language.]

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Polaris Rising by Jessie Mihalik

REVIEW: Polaris Rising by Jessie Mihalik

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Ada Von Hasenberg has been on the run for two years from her father and an arranged marriage. As one of the younger kids in one of the High Houses, Ada would be most useful to her family in a political match. Then she could broker deals between the families – and spy on her in-laws. Once she ran, though, her father put a bounty on her head. She’s been captured and thrown into a cell to catch a transport home.

Marcus Loch is the prisoner sharing Ada’s cell. He’s also known as the Devil of Fornax Zero. He’s wanted for killing his superior officers and fellow soldiers. His bounty is almost as high as Ada’s. He’s a dangerous man – but he just might be exactly what Ada needs to escape.

As Ada is developing and discarding possible escape scenarios, her not-quite-fiancé, Richard Rockhurst, shows up, saying Ada’s father sent him to pick her up. Now, Ada’s been in hiding for two years, but she keeps up with the news and is in touch with her siblings. So she knows nothing has changed that would make that story remotely true. If Richard gets his hands on her, Ada and her family could be in trouble. If she takes her chances on Loch to help her escape, she could be aligning with a murderer. But she already knows she can’t go with Richard if she wants any sort of life on her own terms.

Review

This was spectacular! In my search for another series like Gini Koch’s Alien books, I have finally been successful. This has a similar combination of a science fiction story with a kick-butt protagonist and a romance with terrific chemistry. And I loved it. This could end up being my favorite book of 2019. It certainly is my favorite so far this year.

The plot is pretty simple. Ada and Loch go from capture to escape to capture to escape – one or both of them – with some regularity. In this way it is significantly different from Koch’s intricate, twisty plotting. But I enjoyed Ada so much, I was willing to follow her anywhere, even into captivity once again.

The political pieces of this world were fascinating. Three rival houses control the system, and their distrust and competition with one another usually helps keep everyone in check. But something threatens that tenuous balance. And no matter what has happened before, Ada is still committed to protecting her family (mostly for the sake of her siblings).

I have lots of questions moving forward. I want to know more about Ada’s siblings. I’m curious to see where things go after the closing events of this book. One character who drove some of Ada’s choices at one point completely disappeared in the later portions of this book – will he be a factor later? Thankfully, book 2 is scheduled to arrive in October of this year, so I don’t have to wait long. (Aurora Blazing – told from the perspective of one of Ada’s sisters! I have already pre-ordered this one.)

If you enjoy your science fiction with a strong female protagonist, be sure to check out Polaris Rising. I originally read this one from the library, but the minute I finished the book, I ordered my own copy. This is a re-read for me for sure! (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥