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Audiobook Review – The Soulmate Equation

Loved this one! Totally sucked me in. The voice is fun and light, and I loved the main characters, Jess and River. Their romance unfolds naturally, and the premise of the science-based matchmaking company added with the fake-dating trope was so fun. I saw the twist coming from a mile away, but it does pose an interesting question that got me thinking and the ending was capital-A Adorable. I liked (but not loved) some of Christina Lauren’s other books (like the Unhoneymooners and Josh & Hazel) but this has by far been my favorite, and had me scrambling for more books by her. 100% recommend to anyone looking for a cute romcom, and I’m SO here for a movie adaption – just saying.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I am HERE for a good romance, and that last scene? SO friggen cute.

Thanks for reading!

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Audiobook Review – Something Wilder

 So after loving The Soulmate Equation, I jumped for more Christina Lauren audiobooks at the library. This second-chance romance didn’t really do it for me though. The characters were cute, but the circumstances of their initial parting were very convenient. Everything just felt a little to cliché for me, and I feel like the big reveal at the end wasn’t as satisfying as I would’ve liked. Overall, a decent listen to pass the time, and if you enjoy western adventure vibes in your romances, you might want to give this one a try, but it felt like there wasn’t a whole lot that set this one apart.

⭐⭐⭐½

I love me a good trope… but this one was too cliche for me.

Thanks for reading!

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Audiobook Review – Book Lovers

Dannnnnng. This was a good friggen book.

Okay. THIS BOOK. This was another one that I came into with big expectations. The hype has been CRAZY, and I loved Beach Read (though not People We Meet on Vacation, so this was an Emily Henry tiebreaker for me.)

And boy, did she deliver. The characters are likable and relatable, they had great chemistry, the concept is fun, and the twists fit perfectly like missing puzzle pieces. One thing I love about this book and Beach Read is that while it is, at its core, a romance, it goes so much deeper than just the relationship and I love the growth her characters undergo in her novels. Her writing is beautiful as she peels back the onion layers of her characters, and I am so here for every word. Also the audiobook narration is fantastic. There is some steam and language so if you’re not into that, beware, but otherwise, I’m recommending this one to all romance fans, and I’ll definitely be picking up Emily Henry’s next book, whatever it is.

My favorite read of the year so far. Five glittering stars.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Eeeee! This one made me so happy!

Thanks for reading!

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Book Review – Dibs

Okay, when I say slowburn, I mean this book is SLOWBURN. Dibs follows Olivia 6 months after a rattling divorce as she goes on a work training trip notorious for hook-ups. Enter Adam, the incredibly attractive guy that her roommate has called dibs on, but who seems much more interested in Olivia.

But after Olivia’s divorce, she’s understandably loathe to trust again, and Adam is reeling from his own personal trials. Both of the characters are likable and definitely have the kind of chemistry that makes you hardcore want to will them together immediately. The slowburn is thick with tension, and ultimately leads to a satisfying ending, but there were times I found Olivia’s self-doubt and their interactions just a little repetitive.

Overall though, a solid romantic read that walks the line of steam, and one I would definitely recommend to fans of slow burn contemporary romances.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Whew. There is nothing that makes me want to shove characters together (in the best way) like slowburn.

Thanks for reading!

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Book Review – A Hard Day for a Hangover

Ah yes, how shall I start this ode to the newest Sunshine Vicram book, except it was absolutely *amazing.* Please just inject this series into my veins. I loved the audiobooks of the first two entries in the series, and the cliffhanger at the end of book 2 just about killed me, so when I saw the ebook for #3 on NetGalley, I jumped at the opportunity, and was NOT disappointed.

However, for the sake of the uninitiated (please start with the first audiobook and then we can all squeal together), I will try to keep my gushing spoiler free.

All of the elements we love from the first two books are here and in force: the witty banter is fun and a joy to read, Del Sol is as quirky and weird as ever, the muffins are back, The Dangerous Daughters and Sinister Suns are at play, the stakes are high, there’s a mystery to solve, and Levi plays his biggest part to date.

There were a lot of plot lines from the first two books (specifically regarding Levi & Sunshine) that came to a really satisfying end here. However, I am a little torn, because I’m seeing that this is supposed to be the end of the trilogy, and I feel like there is so many more questions/loose ends to tie up. So basically, if this WAS the end of the series, I think I would feel just a tiny bit disappointed because I’m still hoping to see a little more of Auri & Cruz, Hailey & Quincy, and the Dangerous Daughters.

But even if this is the last one, honestly, I can’t even hate, because I do feel like this *could* be the end of Levi & Sunshine’s story and it totally left me with such a gooey, satisfied feeling, I am TOTALLY okay with it.

Let’s just say, regardless of what Darynda Jones writes next, be it Sunshine or something else, I will *definitely* be reading it. Five wholeheartedly glowing stars.

Thanks so much to NetGalley for the free ARC! A Hard Day for a Hangover launches on 6 December!

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Please tell me there will be more Sunshine books, Darynda. PLEASE!

Thanks for reading!

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Audiobook Review – Ugly Love

After loving It Ends with Us, I was super excited to read another by Colleen Hoover, but this one really didn’t work for me.

This story is told from dual POV (with Tate’s in the present and Miles’ in the past) as Tate and Miles start a benefits-only relationship. And, as always, Hoover’s writing drew me in immediately, and kept me flying through the pages, but on the whole, Tate and Miles’ relationship just didn’t work for me. Although Miles was clear up front that he was only in it for sex, Tate knew from the start that she wanted more than that. Not only that, but Miles was, in general, kind of a jerk to her, and she was always making excuses for him.

I feel like we got Miles’ backstory through his POV as also a kind of way of saying “oh but he’s not really a jerk at heart.” But… still, that didn’t really smooth things over for me, and his backstory didn’t hold my interest as much. Overall, if you’re a big Colleen Hoover fan, I might give it a look, but I can’t really say I was rooting for Miles and Tate in this one.

⭐⭐⭐¼

Not really for me, but it could be for you!

Thanks for reading!

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Audiobook Review – Instructions for Dancing

Instructions for Dancing follows Evie, a one-time romance book addict who is struggling with her father’s infidelity/her parents divorce/her parents impending remarriage, and essentially doesn’t believe in love anymore. Then after a chance encounter, she develops the ability to see people’s whole love story from beginning to end when they kiss.

So, it was in this book that I realize I am not a big fan of self-aware books. And Evie is constantly comparing the events of her life to the tropes of a romance novel, which I wasn’t a huge fan of. But, then X and his dance competition entered the scene with the save.

Overall, this was a bittersweet coming of age tale of a young person learning the hard lesson that nothing lasts forever. The banter between X and Evie was cute (LOVED The Cupcakes and Kisses discussion) and in general, Evie’s experiences/attitudes definitely seemed to reflect that of a true young adult’s.

Definitely recommended for anyone looking for a bittersweet coming of age young adult tale. (Especially if you don’t mind the trope-awareness.)

⭐⭐⭐⭐

But I really want to read Cupcakes and Kisses now! 😂

Thanks for reading!

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Book Review – The Future Bride

I picked up The Future Bride by J.G MacLeod as the winner of my little free library contest when it totally hooked me with the tagline, “For adventure. For love. For kilts. (And strong gin)” and I absolutely love when a book is exactly what I think it’s going to be.

This is like a lighter, more fun Highlander. Brigid is a spunky, present-day barista (with martial arts skills) thrown into old Scotland, and she does not back down from the rough and tumble highlander life. The story moves really fast and I couldn’t believe I inhaled it in two days! I liked the interactions between

Brigid and Ferghus and found the portrayal of the old Scottish Gaelic language and culture really interesting. My only real critique was that I wish Brigid had been a little smarter/stronger in the final act. Overall though, really enjoyed this fun, romantic read and would totally recommend for anyone looking  for a romcom twist on Highlander!

⭐⭐⭐⭐½

Someone’s definitely going to love this find!

Thanks for reading!

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NYC Midnight Challenge Entry: Unplanned

Unplanned

June 2022 (Round Two)
Genre: Romance
Word: Mine
Action: Hanging Wet Clothes to Dry
Time Constraint: 24 hours
Length: 100 words

Emmy’s newborn mewl rattles my sleep-deprived brain as I hang her soiled, wet pajamas on the shower rod. This was never part of my plan—the fling turned unexpected pregnancy turned—

Emmy falls silent, and I freeze, ears straining. Did she smother? I rush from the bathroom and find Jake stretched on the carpet, humming “Baby Mine” with our tiny daughter curled on his bare chest. He peeks at me with a soft smile before inviting me in with an outstretched arm.

I slide into his warm, solid embrace, and everything else melts away in this perfection I never could’ve planned.

JUDGe’s Feedback

This one placed second in my group and got me to the final round! The feedback is below!

WHAT THE JUDGES LIKED ABOUT YOUR STORY

{1943}  Oh my gosh, this was a lovely romance! I loved the unexpected nature of the ending, after you set up our anticipation of a bittersweet outcome from a “fling turned unexpected pregnancy”. The image of Jake on the floor with the baby was delightful. My heart melted at the end, as he invited her to join the embrace with the baby. Wonderful!

{1963}  This piece subtly explores the theme of life’s unpredictability, and whether it ultimately is a positive or negative thing. The unplanned pregnancy, the fear of a spontaneous death — the gloomy atmosphere gives way to the realisation that things worked out well quite by accident; perhaps fate is not so cruel after all?

{2121}  Despite the narrator’s doubts and stress at the beginning of the story, revealing that none of the following events or situation she finds herself in was planned, she realizes by the end that some of the best things in life are entirely unplanned, precisely because they never would’ve happened had they been.  

WHAT THE JUDGES FEEL NEEDS WORK

{1943}  I thought your story was beautifully written. I would think about maybe adding some more sensory details to your narrative. You might also think about how to show the  mother’s panic, rather than telling us with “I freeze, ears straining”. I loved “did she smother?” but maybe this could stand alone, perhaps even using italics? I think there was more scope to create a very dramatic, heart stopping moment here?    

{1963}  The wording of the opening takes a couple of reads to understand that Emmy is the newborn, not that Emmy has a newborn. Additionally the hyphenation seems to artificially reduce the word count. Avoid risky tricks like these! You might be able to cut “Did she smother” to make room for small adjustments, since this doesn’t add anything not already implied by the rest of the story. 

{2121}  Instead of dwelling on how this was unplanned, the narrator could potentially express some conflicted feelings on new motherhood, another level of challenging because it was unplanned. Doing so would make her realization at the end that much more satisfying and coming full circle.

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Audiobook Review – Today, Tonight, Tomorrow

ERMAHGERDDD. I loved this book. Seriously. Amazing. The MCs were cute and well-developed, and their enemies-to-lovers ARC was just perfect. I loved seeing the history between them evolve into begrudging alliance evolve into something more. And I also totally loved the senior class scavenger hunt through Seattle. It was seriously fun, and I sooo want to play too! The pacing is quick, the voice is tone is fun, while still probing deeper into character development. I loved Neil and Rowan’s banter, and their adventure just reminded me how fun YA can be!

Probably one of the best YA contemporary romances I’ve ever read. Cannot recommend enough, and BRING ME THE MOVIE! The audiobook was also perfectly performed. Just in general, fabulous read/listen. Don’t miss it!

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Locke and I are totally spreading the word about this book! It is Amazing!

Thanks for reading!