Happy weekend! Can you believe it is the end of April? I read four ARCs over the last week. Three of those were set in the United Kingdom, so that was a fun adventure for me. Honestly, readers can't go wrong with these books. They each offered something really special, and I enjoyed them. I hope you can find some new books to add to your TBR. Happy reading.
Puffin Bay (Puffin Bay #1) by Annie Dyer
ARC: Release Date- 04/27/2023
#SmallTown #EnemiesToLovers #SingleDad #GrumpySunshine #ARC
5 STARS
Book one in a new series can be read as a standalone and
ends with a HEA. It is written in first
person from an alternating dual POV.
This book also sets up the next books in the series perfectly. I think it is going to be completely
bingeable.
I met Amelie in the Callaghan Green series and have loved her
ever since. I am thrilled that she
finally got her HEA with Roman in this book.
She has always been a strong, kind, and feisty character. She has always fought for what she wanted,
and I am so happy that she has found a fresh start in the small coastal town of
Puffin Bay. She is unapologetically
herself. She is fully confident and
certain of her worth. She is absolutely one of my favorite heroines.
In the beginning, I wasn’t sure I would like Roman. He is a little abrupt and bold. It didn’t take long for me to learn that he is
much more than he seems. His hidden
vulnerabilities are perfectly revealed over the course of the book. I love his
emotions relating to fatherhood. I adored
his relationship with his very interesting grandfather. His fast fall for Amelie was really special
to read.
As a couple, they share witty banter, intense sparks, and hot
times once they agree to try to get each other out of their system. I loved the relationship Amelie formed with
Roman’s son. Caleb is a fun character
and I look forward to reading more about him.
The setting: off the coast of Anglesey is perfectly described, idyllic,
and volatile. It reminded me of coastal
Alaska while reading and made me a little homesick. Funny moments, small town
shenanigans, solid characters, and just the right amount of sm-exy steam made
this a read that was tough to put down.
I wanted to stay in Puffin Bay, and I cannot wait for the next book in
the series.
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#Celebrity #RoadTrip #SlowBurn #CinnamonRollHero
#ForcedProximity #ARC
4 STARS
This standalone romantic comedy is written in first person
from an alternating dual POV and ends with a HEA. At 581 pages, this is a girthy book that felt
a little bit too long at times.
Brooke is adorably awkward.
Her character is witty, clumsy, funny, and self-deprecating. At times her anxiety and her brain squirrels
run away, and she has to bring things back to the present. She has a medical condition which sometimes
leads to embarrassing moments, and a service dog, Benji, who steals a lot of
scenes. I understood Brooke and I really
liked her. Secondhand embarrassment can
be a hard sell to some readers, and some of the funny moments may seem less
funny to them. Brooke struggles with a
bit of imposter syndrome while she is on her tour to promote the Netflix series
made from her books. I appreciated the humanity
of that more than I can say. Her dialogue
with Benji is priceless throughout the book.
Her familial relationships are both funny and sweet at the same time.
Chase is a wonderful hero.
I adored him. He is intelligent,
witty, funny, charming, caring, and sincere.
I really can’t think of anything that someone would not like about
him. He falls hard and fast for Brooke. I love how much he believes in her despite
getting a manuscript that was completely different than he expected. I appreciated how he went with his gut and
fought for her and her book to an extreme degree. He is kind of perfect.
This romance is a seriously slow burn. They form a friendship that is completely
platonic (in reality, not in their minds) until the book hits the 80% mark. They have a couple of steamy intimate scenes
where they maintain their humor while recognizing the feelings they have each
developed. Their dark moment is brief, and the ending is sweet and funny. This was an enjoyable read with likeable
characters. In true MM fashion, the cast
of secondary characters is wonderful and important to the story. There are also a few Easter egg cameos from
some old favorites woven into a few scenes.
Benji completely stole my heart. He
is the best doggo ever. There is also a
bonus epilogue that teases the next book.
I am now very excited to read that when it releases. I know that I will see Brooke and Chase a
little more when it does.
#Bodyguard #AgeGap #FamilySeries #ARC
5 STARS
Book three of the Sexton Sisters series can be read as a
standalone and ends with a HEA. It is
written in first person from an alternating dual POV. After reading the first two books in the
series I was excited to read Victoria and Archie’s story. When I had room between other scheduled
reads, I was fortunate to be able to get an ARC through Book Sirens.
The prologue of this book begins as Victoria leaves home for
college at 18. Chapter one picks up a
little over 5 years later as she is nearing the end of her medical school
education. At 23, she is still trying to
find her freedom despite her gilded cage and ever-present bodyguards. After an incident at a nightclub, her former
bodyguard, Archie (34), reluctantly returns to her side.
Victoria is an old soul with the naivete that has been
earned from her sheltered upbringing.
She is intelligent, driven, kind, witty, and fun. She carried a huge crush for Archie and when
he arrives to be her “new” bodyguard she learns that the crush is still in
place. Archie has avoided Victoria for
the last several years because of his feelings for her. I loved his vulnerabilities and
insecurities. I adore how his character
grows and accepts things that have haunted him over the timeline of the book. There
are some funny moments as they learn to live together in their new normal. Once they give in to the burning attraction
and chemistry that sparks between them, it is seriously hot. I love their friendship and the deep emotions
they quickly share. Dangers seem to be everywhere,
and trouble finds Victoria often. Archie
is always busy trying to protect her and straddling the line between bodyguard
and boyfriend.
They each must learn to forgive themselves for things both
in and out of their control to move forward to their beautiful forever. This was a wonderful series, and I adored
this book. In fact, Victoria and Archie
may be my favorite book of the series.
Their love is so encompassing and easy to feel as I read their story. It made me smile and left me with a happy
heart.
5 STARS
Book one in this new series can be read as a standalone and
ends with a HEA. It is written in first
person from an alternating dual POV. It
appears that characters from the author’s Adair Family series are prominent
secondary characters in this book. Even
though I haven’t read that series (yet), that did not detract from this
story. In fact, it only made me want to
read that series soon.
The prologue begins with Sloane, a young single mother who
is not really making it in L.A. while taking care of her nine-year-old
daughter. Chapter one opens 18 months
later as Sloane (27) and her daughter, Callie (10), are thriving in the small
village of Ardnoch in the Scottish Highlands.
Sloane is a wonderful character. Readers
learn early on that she will do absolutely anything to take care of her
daughter. She is brave, strong, and
perfectly fierce. She works hard at
maintaining a pure and happy heart. I
love her mental control; despite the rough times she has. Callie is a sweet
little girl with a wonderful heart. The
bond between the mother and daughter is something special and incredibly
strong.
Walker (38), a former RAF Commando and then bodyguard to the
stars, has settled in nicely into Ardnoch.
He is enjoying a simple life without emotional entanglement until he meets
Sloane. I really appreciated how Walker
tried to avoid, and failed at, falling in love with Sloane. Honestly, he never stood a chance. Their chemistry is sizzling and so are their
intimate moments when they enter a no-strings relationship. Yet strings are unavoidable with this couple
and love wins in the end. I also adored the
relationship he built with Callie. Melt
my heart already. Walker is struggling
with some of the events in his past. He
must reach a point of trust with Sloane, sharing all his secrets, to move into
the future.
Along the way, there are multiple dangerous things that
occur. The book is absolutely
riveting. I was always waiting to see if
something else would try to steal their HEA. Danger, suspense, and strong
emotions are present throughout the book.
There are moments that are steamy and some that are sweet. This was a joy to read. This is only the
second book I have read by this author and I loved it.
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