The Last Eligible Billionaire by Pippa Grant
ARC: Release Date-03/03/2022
#Billionaire #GrumpyHero #OppositesAttract #FakeRelationship
5 STARS
This is a new standalone by this author. This
grumpy/sunshine romance is written in first person from an alternating dual POV
and ends with a HEA.
Hayes is attempting to hide from his life when he meets Begonia in an unexpected way. There is a lot of humor in this book, as I expect from this author. There is also a lot of heat. Their fake relationship gets steamy and very real emotions form between them. There are several memorable quotes in the book that I loved. Begonia is a character that I adored for her optimism and especially her kindness. Hayes struggles with all the feelings he develops for Begonia, but at the same time he shows her tenderness and caring in the only ways he knows how. My favorite scenes are the scenes when they let down their walls and are vulnerable with each other. They both have baggage, and they both learn that there are some risks worth taking to find the love and happiness they deserve. To say I loved this book is actually a huge understatement. This is one I can see myself rereading many times because of all the joy it generates in my soul.
#RomanticSuspense #BrothersBestFriend #FamilySeries
#SmallTown #AgeGap #ARC
5 STARS
This is book four in the series, but it can be read as a standalone. Readers will appreciate cameos from characters
from other books and should know that that there is an ongoing story related to
mafia in the small town that runs throughout the series. This is written in first person from an
alternating dual POV and ends with a HEA. The characters speak like southern
small-town characters do, so readers should be aware of that going in. Personally, I love that.
Libby is a strong h who has had an experience that resulted
in nightmares and self-doubt. Through
this book, she takes ownership of self and her needs as well as learns to fight
back to protect those she loves. I
really liked her character’s feisty spirit, the banter with her brothers, and
her independence regarding her rights to the relationship of her choosing. There are a few times that she is a little naïve,
primarily because she had been kept in the dark regarding certain details of
the threat that could be against her.
Mitch begins this book bitter and angry as he attempts to
recover physically and mentally from the gunshot wounds he sustained the year
before. He sees himself as the man he was and the incomplete man he currently
is. Libby helps him heal physically, and
eventually her love also helps him heal emotionally. I appreciated his vulnerability and his
desire to protect Libby.
The chemistry and heat between Mitch and Libby is hot, hot,
hot! The suspense plot at times seemed a little predictable, but I really
enjoyed the dangers they face and the twist the story takes. I am hooked and cannot wait to see how this
family and this small town brings down the threat against them. This author
does an excellent job bringing the characters to life as they fight together
for the sake of good. The family dynamics
are perfection. I strongly recommend
this series if the reader likes steamy scenes, a southern small town, and a
suspenseful mafia-threat plot.
Trigger warnings as listed by the author:
Trigger Warnings (I include a TW if it's remotely related, not necessarily if it's a major part of the story): Alcohol, ableism (kind of; he's in physical therapy after a shooting), ageism, alcohol, animal abuse/death, anxiety, assault, attempted murder, blood, bones, car accident, death, divorce, fire, gore, gun violence, hospitalization, hostages, kidnapping, murder, profanity, physical abuse, PTSD, sexual harassment, sexually explicit scenes, stalking, torture, violence, consensual light bondage, consensual light spanking, light praise
Never Say Never (The Ladies Who Brunch #1)
by Harlow James
ARC: Release Date- 03/06/2022
#EnemiesToLovers #FakeRelationship #ARC
4.5 STARS
This is book one in an all-new series based on four women
friends who will find love. It is a standalone
written in first person from an alternating dual POV and ends with a HEA.
The heroine of this book is Charlotte. She is thirty, professionally successful, and
confident in everything but her relationship with her mother. Her mother criticizes everything Charlotte
does, leading to a toxic relationship between them. She has three girlfriends
she met in college, and they are also successful in their fields, confident,
and supportive of each other. Their
relationships felt similar to the girls in Sex and the City. I will confess that the banter between the
girls, especially in the beginning, was my least favorite part of the book. I feel like it felt al little forced at first
as the world is created and the characters are introduced. It did get better as the book progressed.
Damien is climbing the ladder and is successful doing it an
advertising agency in LA, just a few blocks from Charlotte’s office. Though they have both been near each other,
they have not run into each other in twelve years. Damien is a bit of a playboy. He has zero intentions of having a real relationship
and is definitely not on a marriage and love track. When he needs a relationship
to move ahead at work, he lies that he has a girlfriend. He runs into Charlotte at the perfect time to
convince her to be his fake girlfriend in a plot that benefits both of them. Damien
also has a toxic relationship with his father which is fully exposed as the
book progresses. What I love, is that
Damien started dealing with his relationship with his father when he first
moved to California for college. So, he is twelve years into setting boundaries
and not taking the toxicity from his dad.
I loved Charlotte’s confidence. The banter between Damien and Charlotte is a
little mean at first since they grew up together always competing as
rivals. Over the course of the book,
they form a friendship and understanding of each other while putting the past
behind them. Their physical attraction
to each other is strong and hot. They
are fire together and the intimacy they experience leads to feelings on both
sides. Damien gains insight into
womanhood through Charlotte that leads him to be a better advertiser. Damien is very sweet to Charlotte. He is protective while still showing her an
enormous amount of support and respect.
When she needs space, he allows her to have it. His mature outlook on things made him a very
likable hero and I may have fallen a bit in love with him. Some of my favorite moments are when it is just
Damien and Charlotte being real with each other.
In addition to being a romance, this book is an ode to female empowerment, an acceptance of the challenges women often face that men cannot understand fully, and the power of both physical satisfaction and food. Dove Chocolates play a very loved role throughout the book, to a point where the author should probably get a commission for their positive portrayal. There are many humorous moments as Damien learns about womanhood that readers will adore. There is plenty of heat between them: if steam is not your thing, this book is not for you. The book starts a little slow but picks up steam to where I had a a hard time putting it down. This will be another hit for the author, and I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
Jock Blocked (Copper Valley Fireballs #1) by Pippa Grant
Audiobook Narration by Jacob Morgan and Andi Arndt
#SportsRomance #RomanticComedy #Reread #Audiobook
5 STARS
| I have been waiting for Brooks’ book. I am missing baseball something fierce this year and this helped stand in the gap. There is humor, heat, cameos from other favorite Pippa characters, and baseball love. The story is well-written, and the characters are developed with flaws and feelings that make them realistic. Mackenzie is a serious baseball fan and a good person with an interesting background. Brooks is a good guy who is a little lost. He needs to come to grips with changes to his life that he did not choose. What he ultimately really needs is Mackenzie, and I was so happy to read their story. The book continues the mascot competition for the Fireballs that began in “Liar, Liar, Hearts on Fire.” The shenanigans involved in that lead to a lot of laughs. The love of baseball and the way a team becomes a family are big parts of this story. The general grief the players give each other, the pranks, and the support are all very realistic to the sport. The love of the game and keeping that love alive are important to this story. This was an amazing read heading into summer. It reminded me that even when things don’t go the way we plan they can work out to be even better than we thought they could be. It is written in first person from an alternating dual POV. Listening to the audiobook for this reread was a real treat. The narrators were perfection! They brought Brooks and Mackenzie to life in a very vivid way in my imagination. I laughed out loud so many times. They were also excellent at making CoCo Puff and the other secondary characters have their own voices. I imagine I will be listening to this anytime I need a real pick me up. |
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