#AgeGap #Workplace #Billionaire #Rockstar #Virgin #ARC
4.5 STARS
Book two in the Big Easy Billionaire series can easily be
read as a standalone and ends with a HEA.
It is written in first person from an alternating dual POV.
Donovan Tate: billionaire, music producer, former Rockstar
bad boy with a horrible playboy reputation.
Erica Ridley: recent college graduate with a plan,
incredible intelligent, the girl who never fits into the world around her.
I love the heroine’s name. I appreciate the nod to the
historical romance author with that name and that many historical romances have
a similar plot of the rake and the virgin.
Erica’s character was a revelation.
I loved how complex she was and that she was atypical in many ways. In school she was known as Weirdly Ridley as
she was bullied mercilessly. She adapted
to need control of herself and her world to survive and thrive. I understood her and I appreciated her immensely. I loved how she constantly battled her
anxiety in the day-to-day as well as her feelings of insecurity and
vulnerability.
Tate has perfected the act of carelessness which he has
developed to hide his own vulnerabilities.
At times, he is a little dense, but I forgave him for that as did
Erica. I appreciated that he is hiding
his own weaknesses and insecurities. I
loved how alpha he is in the physical scenes- seriously hot. I also loved how protective he is of Erica
and how he defends her when he sees a future for them that other people
struggle to see.
The story begins with humor and a fun scene involving coffee stealing and witty banter. After Erica becomes Donovan’s assistant, they form a friendship that runs deep before they ever become more. As I read the book, I really wanted more details about this part of the story and wanted to see how their friendship developed. (After I finished the book, I jumped over to the Dissent anthology which has a short with this couple. There, I found the chapters of their early friendship which I felt were missing in the book.) I appreciated the way they relate to each other and how Erica never lets Tate get away with anything. I also love how he challenges her and nudges her outside her comfort zone while being there to support her. Though there is an age gap, it never becomes the big deal it often is made out to be in age gap books. I loved how I only saw the characters and not their age difference. They were perfect for each other. This was an enjoyable read with complex characters that I loved.
A Cosmic Kind of Love by Samantha Young
ARC: Release Date 10/18/2022
#FriendsToLovers #ARC
5 STARS
I saw the blurb for this book on Net Galley and applied- but
was denied. Not to be deterred, when it
came up as something to sign up as a blogger for with Valentine Promotions, I
jumped at the chance. I have listed this
as friends-to-lovers, but it honestly so much more. This is my first book by this author. And I guarantee it will not be my last. To say I loved this would be an enormous
understatement. This is a standalone
with a HEA. It is written in first
person from an alternating dual POV.
Chris is an amazing hero.
He is everything you want with a side of familial baggage. Hallie is incredible. I adored the complexity of her
character. Both main characters have
family issues they are dealing with when they meet in the most unexpected
way. Because of the way they actually
get to know each other prior to actually meeting, I 100% related to their
story. I know what it is like to meet
someone in person for the first time and already love them.
They have passion, respect, friendship, and understanding as
they each support each other and their dreams.
There is definitely some heat: their chemistry is off the charts. There are laugh-out-loud moments. There are cringe-y moments with the parents
that many will identify with. (Yes, I
left a dangling preposition.) The emotion as they each attempt to overcome
their baggage to make their relationship work is real. I felt it.
I identified with it. Beautiful
relationships have messy moments.
The writing is smart. The characters are complex. The story moves at a pace which makes it very difficult to set his book down. I really can’t rave enough. I have not read an astronaut hero before. Given that my hubby has a lifelong fascination with the space program, and that we have been together 32 years, I know more than I should about space exploration. This book was on-point. I loved Chris’ perspective, especially of returning to Earth after the ISS. I loved the way Hallie supports him and his dreams. This is worth a reread. I 100% recommend.
Sideline Infraction (Denver Mountain Lions #3)
by Emily Silver
ARC: Release Date- 10/20/2022
#Sports #MM #OppositesAttract #NerdyHero #ARC
5 STARS
Book three in the Mountain Lions series can be read as a
standalone and ends with a HEA. This male/male
romance is written in first person from an alternating dual POV.
Alex is the star quarterback for the NFL football team. Carter is a high school math teacher who
brings his students to meet the team as a practical application of statistics
in real life. The sparks fly
instantly. The only problem: Alex is
still in the closet and has no intention of coming out while he is still
playing ball.
I loved Carter’s character.
He is confident in himself. He
knows what he wants in his life. He
treats Alex so very well. They are
incredibly sweet as they settle into a relationship with each other. Alex is a soft-hearted nerd underneath his
determined exterior. He falls fast for Carter.
I adore their bedroom dynamics: there is plenty of heat between these
two as well as a whole lot of tender emotion. Their black moment is heart
breaking. Alex must make some choices
that will affect his life forever. I
appreciated how difficult those decisions were for him to make as the author
does an excellent job of conveying the unknowns he faces as he makes the tough
choices.
There are some funny moments in the book that made me laugh
out loud. I adore the
friendships/brotherhood of the guys on the team. I loved seeing Jackson and Colin farther into
their relationships with Tenley and Peyton.
I really appreciated the role the Coach plays in this story and how he
is with Alex. I also loved how Carter’s
family and Alex’s brother offer valuable support and prodding to each of them. There is also a wonderful cameo of Wes and
Finn from Off the Deep End that I absolutely adored. This was a swoony read full of passion and
deep feelings. It left me with a huge
smile on my face and a happy heart.
Wildcat (Mavericks Tackle Love #1) by Max Monroe
#Sports #BWWM #BookClub
5 STARS
Book one in the Mavericks series can be read as a standalone and ends with a HEA. This series is a spin-off from the Bad Boy Billionaires series as the owner of the Mavericks is Wes Lancaster from Scoring the Billionaire. Wildcat is written in first person from an alternating dual POV. This series is one of the few I have not read from this author duo and I was excited it was chosen as a book club read. It has been on my TBR for literally years.
Quinn Bailey is a cinnamon roll hero with a heart of gold, southern manners, and a body built for love. I adored him. He is one of the good guys. There are times in this story when he has to face that his willingness to always believe the best of those around him lead him to overlook truths that were hard to face. When it comes to Cat, he is all-in from the start. From swoony moments and deep conversation on a train, to an emotional connection that is deep and loving, his relationship with Cat is something special. I loved how persistent he is to get her to date him, how he woos her (perfect first date), and how he fights for her.
Cat is a special lady. When she falls for Quinn, she has no idea of the magnitude of his fame. She faces some tough moments in their journey. I love that she is a hard worker who tries to make their difficult schedules work. I love how accepting she is of Quinn as just a man. I adore the relationships she has with her parents and friends and how supportive they are of her. I also really like the comradery she forms with Quinn's brother , Denver. I also love how she chooses to fight for her happy ending.
There are laugh-out-loud moments, plenty of steamy moments, and some excellent romantic moment along the way as Cat and Quinn get their HEA. I loved their story and now I need to read the rest of this series-pronto.
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