Book reviews from the week of May 7th

 

Happy weekend!  This week I read two long-awaited ARCs and one new-to-me author.  Piper Rayne's second chance romance for Rylan and Calista has been a long time in the making.  I can only imagine how difficult their story was to put together; but in the end it was true to their characters and just right.  "The Troublemaker" by Jessica Peterson is the second book in her Sex and Bonds series.  Brooks and Greer were hot and emotional. They actually left me with a bit of a book hangover.  My third read this week as a new-to-me author.  Ms. Rampton reached out to me and asked if I had time to read and review her newest release.  I was intrigued and had the time so I jumped at the chance. The book was in KU, so it was an easy decision.  Check out my review below for how much I enjoyed this romantic comedy.  It was the perfect thing to break my book hangover.

I did a little traveling this week so it limited my reading some.  I am awaiting the next round of ARCs to hit my kindle.  In the meantime, I am going to work on reading a few books from my excruciatingly long TBR.  Till next week, happy reading.

The Problem With Second Chances (Lake Starlight #1) 

by Piper Rayne

ARC: Release Date- 05/16/2023

#SecondChance #Sports #SmallTown #ARC

5 STARS

Book one in the new series can be read as a standalone and ends with a HEA.  It is written in first person from an alternating dual POV.  Rylan and Calista have been present in the Baileys and Greene series; I know I am not the only one that has been waiting for their story and HEA.  This book tells that story.  All their firsts with each other are described through first person flashbacks that are tied to events in the present.

Calista is struggling at the beginning of the book.  Readers learn what went wrong and why they broke up before.  It was heartbreaking.  Rylan is not always the most aware.  Calista is sometimes a little self-absorbed.  The right person at the wrong time failed them before, and I was so happy that they finally got the timing right.

This was a steamy and emotional read.  The authors had to make some decisions when branching into this new series since there is a time jump.  Rylan and Calista are now 30.  They have a history that has woven them together since childhood.  Enemies, friends, lovers, and heartaches are all encompassed in their story.  It was a beautiful read.

The Troublemaker (Sex and Bonds #2) 

by Jessica Peterson

ARC: Release Date- 05/16/2023 (wide) 05/18/2023 (Kindle Unlimited)

#BrothersBestFriend #Virgin #AgeGap #GrumpyHero #ARC

5 STARS

Book two in the series can be read as a standalone and ends with a HEA.  It is written in first person from an alternating dual POV.

Greer has a crush on her brother’s best friend, Brooks.  Brooks is 11 years older than Greer, but he can’t stop thinking of her in very unsisterly ways. When they go away together for a platonic weekend, it becomes not platonic very quickly.

Greer is a wonderful character.  She is an incredibly hard worker and is running a successful bakery business. I adored her positive attitude and her perseverance in the goals she sets.  Brooks is a little grumpy and a lot nerdy.  Hot. He has some baggage.  I loved getting to know the vulnerable man under the grumpy exterior.  I also liked that he was not really grumpy with Greer.  I loved how he looked out for her.  His protective attitude toward her melted me. I also loved how Greer accepted Brooks no matter what.  She draws him out from behind his walls and the depth of emotion they share was memorable and special. 

This is a super-hot, low angst read.  No one writes the hot intimate scenes like this author, and they are divine.  If you like a steamy romance with likable, deep characters: this is your book.

Earl Tangled With Star by D.G. Rampton

#modernhistorical #romanticcomedy #bestfriendsbrother #grumpyhero

5 STARS

This book is a standalone and ends with a HEA.  It is written from a third person POV, which allows insight from many of the characters.  There is a large cast of characters in addition to the H & h.  Set in the mid-2000's, I would not consider this a full contemporary as much as a modern historical.   There are several references from that time period that include TV shows and music.  The whole book has a "Love, Actually" vibe and has a lot of the British humor that I love.  Because it is set in more current times, the characters are not pure and virginal.  They use modern vernacular that includes some swear words and crude talk.  Though the MCs do become intimate, it is only referenced and there are no explicit scenes on the page beyond kissing and heated groping.

At the beginning of the book, Ela is exhausted from years of touring as a star classical pianist.  Her life and schedule have been dictated to her for many years and she is fried.  Her best friend and assistant, Susan, makes it possible for her to escape for a while and stay with Susan's brother in London.  Ela has been a little sheltered and carries a naivete that was endearing.  I loved her perseverance when she goes after what she wants.  Certainly, she would not have the success she has achieved if she did not have such a strong will.  I adore the relationship she forms with Murdoch.  He is grumpy, and he has good reasons for that.  They become friends and Murdoch develops a protective instinct for Ela that is sometimes to his detriment.  Murdoch's yearning for Ela was one of the enjoyable events in this book. More than anything, I loved Ela's journey to taking control of her own life and fighting for herself.  Though she uses a radical plan to achieve her goal, it does work in the end.  The HEA was wonderful.

There are moments where misunderstandings lead to a comedy of errors that had me laughing out loud several times.   Reminiscent of "Pride and Prejudice" and other Austin books, I appreciated the modern take amongst the cast of characters.  (Trivia night was one highlight among many.) Each secondary character is important and developed to capture the reader's interest.  Lesley is a Bohemian.  Kat is a radical.  Lady Buchanan is a tough Dowager Countess with high expectations.  Susan is a good friend with potential for her own story set up within this book.  Meredith and Sienna both deliver as solid girlfriends with a "Love, Actually" friend feel. Richie and his cousin also have their roles and made the friend circle complete.  I felt like the cast of characters really represented that time period and they made me a little nostalgic for that time (nearly twenty years ago).  The writing was witty.  The banter was very funny.  The comedy of errors was entertaining.

This author reached out to me to read this book and I was happy to do so.  I don't read a ton a "clean" romance, but I am not opposed to it either.  Because there are sexual references included on the page, the author was certain to make sure readers know that this book is not as "clean" as her regency historical romances. Personally, I felt like it was the perfect blend for this setting and this book.  The intimacy between the characters is what made the dark moment so much more devastating. It also made their HEA that much more rewarding.  This was a very enjoyable read and I look forward to reading more by this new-to-me author.