Book reviews from the week of June 6th

 

This week I read two ARCs and one book from my TBR to complete a reading challenge requirement.

The Perfect Catch is a swoony, slow burn sports romance and I fell head over heels for Walker.  Love Rises is a rebrand of Gabe and Anya's love story.  I adore this book which was so unappreciated with it's previous title.  I am really hoping it gets a wider audience with the rebrand. The story is emotional and steamy as Gabe and Anya find each other when they are both broken and help each other heal.  Finally, I read a new-to-me author, Jasinda Wilder.  I pulled a book from my TBR to meet a reading challenge of reading a book with at least five words in the title.  Lizzy Goes Brains Over Braun is a mature romance and I loved the banter between Lizzy and her friends.

The Perfect Catch by Meghan Quinn

ARC: Release date- 6/10/2021

#SportsRomance #ForbiddenRomance #WorkplaceRomance #GrumpyHero #SlowBurn #ARC

5 STARS

Just this once.  Just five seconds.   Only one night.  One day to remember. Finally, forever.

Walker is a grumpy guy with a past that haunts him.  His focus is baseball. Period.  Kate enters his life, determined to clean up his image.  She breaks down his walls.  Their story is written in first person from a dual POV.

Walker has a lot of layers.  The author does an excellent job peeling back his layers and revealing his heart little by little over the course of the book.  Underneath, he is a hero that melted me.  He has a soft heart, wants love-but doesn’t feel like he deserves it, and is a generous, loving man.  He starts off grumpy and kind of an a$$.  Once he falls for Kate, he would do anything for her.  I love the vulnerability he shares with only her- truly beautiful to read.

Kate has her own layers, including a best friend from college who plays a key role in the story.  She has experienced loss.  She doesn’t put up with Walker’s grumpy attitude and I loved her for it.  I understood how she was torn between a man she couldn’t resist falling for and the job of her dreams. 

The slow burn between the characters nearly lit my kindle on fire. The author does an amazing job creating intensity and drawing out the inevitable surrender of the characters to what they are feeling.  When they finally do come together, their connection is magnificent.  Their physical chemistry was uber-hot, but the physical scenes were never only about the physical.  They share a soul-deep connection that the author captured in a way that allowed me to feel all their emotions.  I was completely sucked into their story.  I wanted their HEA more than anything and it was fantastic when it arrived.  There are a few funny moments, but this would not be the most humorous book I have read by this author.  However, I never missed the over-the-top humor.  I was drawn in completely by these characters, and their intense feelings.  I highly recommend this one, especially for readers who enjoy the slow burn.

Love Rises by Annie Dyer

(Previously published as Endless Blue Seas)

ARC: Re-release date- 06/16/2021

#HealingLove #WoundedHero #ARC

5 STARS

Sometimes grief and love are intertwined.

This story is not your typical romance novel.  Gabe and Anya are both broken and suffering from grief, guilt, and pain.  They both need to move past that on their own, however, they are a salve for each other. They have an innate understanding of each other’s feelings.  Their chemistry is incredibly hot as they find solace in each other.  Gabe is a muscular, sensitive, artistic soul.  Anya is broken yet strong.  Interwoven within Gabe and Anya's story is the story of a couple from the past which unfolds through a series of old letters.  This couple also had much to overcome, and they succeeded.  The setting of Anglesey is amazing! This emotional and deep book is written in first person from a dual POV.

Lizzy Goes Brains Over Braun (Billionaire baby Club #1) 

by Jasinda Wilder

#BillionaireRomance #RomanticComedy

5 STARS

This was my first book by this author and I cannot wait to read more. This is written in first person from Lizzy's POV.

Lizzy and her five girlfriends/employees make up Six Chicks realty. They are all driven, professional, mature women whos have a banter and friendship that I loved. They remind me of a bigger, Malibu based, Sex in the City group of gals. They are unapologetic about not seeking relationships while still finding ways to have their physical needs met. I really enjoyed the frank discussions they had amongst themselves. One of these discussions lead to the ad for a billionaire to impregnate Lizzy.
There is a ton of heat, some very romantic moments, and laughs along the way as Lizzy meets Braun and goes after getting a baby. I really enjoyed the authors word choice and writing style. It reminded me of older style romance authors like Jane Austen. I absolutely loved Braun. He is 100% swoon-worthy. Really, Lizzy never stood a chance at resisting him. Lizzy has to overcome her fears to get the future of her dreams and I very much enjoyed her journey. The HEA is perfect. I will definitely be reading more of this series because now I need to know how the friends from Six Chicks realty find their very own HEAs.
The only thing I wish different, is I would have loved Braun's POV in the story.