Posted on by hrchow12

Audiobook Review – The Lost Husband

After loving Katherine Center’s The Bodyguard, I went back an picked up some of her earlier work. After rising tension with her mother, the Libby and her two young children move to the Texas country to live with an estranged aunt. The story follows them as they struggle to adapt to their new surroundings and finally heal… and of course there’s a handsome farm manager with his own baggage.

While I enjoyed this sweet romance, it was a little heavier than I like my romances, and the chemistry between O’Connor and Libby wasn’t quite there for me. The writing is lovely and well-paced but O’Connor’s backstory felt a little off. I did like the side characters though, and the ending is satisfying. Recommend for fans of sweet romance that’s a little heavier. You can also check out the movie with Josh Duhamel, which I feel was very faithful to the book… and thus I would give it the same rating.

⭐⭐⭐ ½

If it’s romance, for me, it’s gotta be light and fun!

Thanks for reading!

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Audiobook Review – Part of Your World

This is my third Jimenez book, and I think it ranks as my second favorite. Daniel is so easy to love, and I love how the town of Wakan has its own personality too. Though Alexis’s and Daniel’s love story is definitely cute (omg, the baby goat!) and the voice is fun – there were some elements I felt like weren’t fully explored (in general, I thought Daniel’s storyline could’ve used a little more development) and I found Alexis to be frustrating at times. The end is adorable and satisfying though, and it was definitely one of those books I couldn’t put down. Definitely recommended for romance fans and can’t wait to read more Jimenez books!

⭐⭐⭐⭐ ½

Elsa and I are officially Jimenez fans!
(Though seriously ready to exit our romance binge and read a different genre.)

Thanks for reading!

Posted on by hrchow12

Audiobook Review – You Deserve Each Other

Had this recommended to me by a coworker, and I definitely thought it was a fun premise. An engaged couple that wants to call off their wedding, but doesn’t want to be the one to actually do it – so instead they’re trying to goad the other into it. In the first 10% I definitely wasn’t liking Naomi or the couple’s dynamic, and didn’t think this one would be for me. But I was surprised with the amount of growth she went through in the novel, and definitely ended up cheering for them in the end. Although I do think it was resolved a little easily, would totally watch this movie.

⭐⭐⭐⭐¼

Elsa judges this one to a solid, enjoyable romance. (Although, we might be getting burned out on romances.)

Thanks for reading!

Posted on by hrchow12

Audiobook Review – The Heart Principle

So I really liked the Kiss Quotient and I enjoyed the Bride Test, so I was looking forward to Quan’s book. But even though this was dual-POV, I thought he was kind of an after-thought here, and I felt like he didn’t really get the story he deserved. Although the moments the main characters got together were sweet, their chemistry wasn’t quite there for me. Anna’s personal story (outside of the romance) is very heavy and seems to take over the book, and I felt like the resolution wasn’t quite as satisfying as I hoped it would be. Not really for me, but it could be for you! (3.5/5)

⭐⭐⭐½

I think this one’s a pass for Elsa.

Thanks for reading!

Posted on by hrchow12

Audiobook Review – The Bodyguard

This sweet romance is just super cute. What else is there to say? The voice pops, the characters are lovable, the premise is way friggen fun, and the cozy vibes are off the charts. Though bodyguard + celebrity really isn’t new ground, it still feels fresh here, and although I wish there’d been a little more action, I totally inhaled it. This is my first Katherine Center novel, but it definitely won’t be the last. Totally recommend to anyone looking for a sweet but fun romance.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Elsa wants more!

Thanks for reading!

Posted on by hrchow12

Audiobook Review – Love on the Brain

So, I really enjoyed the Love Hypothesis, and this book got a TON of hype so I was definitely looking forward to it but… I don’t think this one really delivered. I thought I was going into an enemies-to-lovers type of story, but… it’s more of just one big misunderstanding, the MC was leaning a little too hard into denial for me, and the reveal of the villain in the end seemed a bit moustache-twirley. The writing style was light and fun, but the characters and some scenes read *very* similarly to the ones in Love Hypothesis. So, I guess this one wasn’t really for me, but it might be for you! (3.5/5)

⭐⭐⭐½

Ehhh not really for me.

Thanks for reading!

Posted on by hrchow12

Book Review – The Heart of The Sea

The Heart of the Sea is a gender-swapped Little Mermaid, but it has a lot to add to the original tale. In this version, the two main characters are separated childhood sweethearts, with the narrative bouncing between the past and present day. There’s a lot more world-building and magic to tie together the world of humans and merfolk, and I especially love the addition of the Condemned and the larger element of danger. Though the characters didn’t super pop for me, I thought this was a very original take on the Little Mermaid, and would definitely recommend to any Fairytale Retelling fans out there!

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Elsa gives this one a thumbs up!

Thanks for reading!

Posted on by hrchow12

Audiobook Review – In a Holidaze

So, this is obviously a Christmas romance, and if you’re picking it up, I assume you’re in the mood for a cute Christmas romance. If so, good news, this is a really cute groundhog-day Christmas romance! Mae makes a huge mistake and wishes the universe would show her what would make happy, and she gets stuck in her very own groundhog-day-style time loop. The voice is fun, the characters are cute, I think the childhood friends-to-lovers is done really well here, and I liked the message of finally going after what you really want. Would totally watch the movie. I didn’t think there was anything mind-blowing here, but if you’re looking for a cute Christmas romance with a cozy vibe, this one totally fits the bill.

⭐⭐⭐⭐½

A super cute Christmas romance. Netflix, I’m ready for the movie!

Thanks for reading!

Posted on by hrchow12

Audiobook Review – Weather Girl

I loved Today Tonight Tomorrow, so I definitely wanted to try another one of Solomon’s books, but Weather Girl was lukewarm for me. (Ack! A pun!) It’s very much like the movie Set it Up (which is amazeballs) but in a news station, not quite as funny, and with a sprinkle of cringey dirty talk. I didn’t find the characters or hijinks as charming as Set it Up, and the couple’s climactic fight felt a manufactured to me. Overall, I just thought it wasn’t super memorable. I’d still read another book by Solomon, but I don’t think this one was really for me.

⭐⭐⭐½

Eh… this one’s a pass for me.

Thanks for reading!

Posted on by hrchow12

Audiobook Review – Angel from the Rust

This book was a unique, interesting read. I really enjoyed the premise of humanity after essentially the rise and fall of technology, and the high-fantasy vibe it brought with it. The world building was great, and I enjoyed exploring it with the characters on their journey. The audiobook was well narrated and the visuals were easy to fall into. But the characters fell a little flat for me. I felt like the MC lacked agency, and in general, the POV characters spent a lot of their time in their own heads, missing the growth and relationship that would’ve really brought them to life for me. But if you enjoy plot-driven epic sci-fi and fantasy, I’d definitely recommend you give this a try! Thanks so much to the publisher for the free audible code!

⭐⭐⭐⭐

A solid scifi-fantasy debut!

Thanks for reading!