Book reviews from the week of June 18th

 

Happy weekend.  I have just gotten back from a weekend camping trip with the hubby.  We didn't go far, but the getaway was necessary.  Since we were actually spending time doing other things, my reading was a little light this week.  Even so, I read two ARCs and a book from my TBR that has been on my kindle since it released.

All three books were fantastic.  Piper Rayne's new book in their Lake Starlight series was even better than the first one.  Catherine Bybee is always a favorite.  Getting lost in her D'Angelo family for two books in a row was heaven. 

I hope my reviews help you find your next favorite read.  Happy reading!

The Issue With Bad Boy Roommates (Lake Starlight #2) 

by Piper Rayne

ARC: Release Date 06/27/2023

#OppositesAttract #SmallTown #ForcedProximity #HealingLove #ARC

5 STARS

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

Brinley (daughter of Liam and Savannah from the Bailey series) is a 25-year-old widow. After losing her husband just a year after they were married, she has spent the past four years stuck in her grief and unable to move forward. Van is a 26-year-old Coast Guard diver who has been ordered to take leave before he reenlists for another term. When Brinley’s ad for a roommate finds Carey Van Adler to be a guy instead of the girl she expected, they decide to make it work despite their mutual attraction.

I love forced proximity romance.  As roommates these two characters form a friendship.  Secrets are shared and their attraction is destined to be fulfilled.  Brinley is a fantastic character.  I loved her.  I loved how the authors made me feel her grief and her frustration. I appreciated the small town and the large family who are always willing to interfere.  I adore her relationship with her cousins. Van is everything.  Though he is the picture of a bad boy with his muscles, tats, and motorcycle; he is a good guy.  Inside the big guy beats a marshmallow heart full of honor and self-doubt.  He is broken from his life experiences, and he needs some healing just like Brin.  I adore how he is with Brinley.  The way he encouraged her to move out of her shell and reach for what makes her truly happy was life-changing for her.  Brin sees beyond Van’s image and loves the man he is inside, even when he doesn’t feel worthy.  Together they are a magic that was meant to be.

There are some hot times, lots of emotion, and romantic moments packed into this book.  I loved their story.  I am so excited for this whole series, and I can’t wait for the next book.

Be Your Everything (D'Angelo Family #2) 

by Catherine Bybee

#BrothersBestFriend #FamilySeries #AccidentalMarriage 

 

5 STARS

Book two in the series follows the youngest D'Angelo, Chloe, as she finds her HEA with Dante: her brother's best friend.  It is written in third person from multiple POV and ends with a sweet HEA.

Chloe has had a crush on Dante since boys stopped having cooties.  Dante has appreciated Chloe as more than a little sister for a long time.  When they go to Las Vegas as part of the wedding party to celebrate the bachelor/bachelorette party for Brooke and Luca, they leave with more than just memories.

I love Chloe.  She is a fierce Italian-American woman with a dream.  Her best friend Salena is fun and a supportive character in every way.  Dante takes seize the day to a whole new level and I fell hard for him.  Though their relationship takes a path backwards from most, these two were meant to be together and fight to get their HEA.  He is the very definition of smooth and romantic.  100% swoony.

This series is incredibly heartwarming.  Family is everything.  There is plenty of heat between Dante and Chloe, leading to some hot times.  The emotions they share as they decide to make it work, instead of pursuing an annulment, are beautiful.  They are strong together.  They pursue a future committed to one another and I loved it.  Every book in this series leaves me full of all the feels.

CW: The heroine faces a stalker situation that leads to a physical attack and attempted sexual assault.  Readers who are sensitive to this may need to be aware.

Beginning of Forever (D'Angelo Family #3) 

by Catherine Bybee

ARC: Release Date- 06/27/2023

#FamilySeries #TravelRomance #OppositesAttract #ARC

5 STARS

Book three in the D’Angelo series can be read as a standalone and ends with a HEA.  It is written in third person from an alternating dual POV.

I adore this family! Gio is the middle child.  He is suave, charming, and has a past as a player.  Now that his siblings have settled down and he has his 30^th birthday, he realizes he needs to look toward his future. On the heels of this realization, his family gifts him with a three-week wine tour of Tuscany.  (I want to take this trip.) On the first day of the tour, he meets Emma.  She looks like a hot mess, but he is captivated by her beauty and spirit.  She and her friend Nicole are also taking the tour to celebrate Emma’s 30^th birthday while Emma reevaluates her life and plans her future.

I loved Emma so much.  She gets in her own head and worries constantly.  I could relate to her as she always travels down all the roads of “what if” in her mind.  Gio is charming beyond belief.  They have instant chemistry that they both fight at the beginning.  When they give in, it is all heat and romantic emotions.  I adore how fast Gio falls completely for Emma and how Emma falls despite her efforts at resistance.

The D’Angelo family is one I want to be part of.  They are loud, passionate, and full of love for all those they embrace.  I adore how they support Gio in the pursuit of his dream.  The way they accept and rally around Emma when she faces tough times made me melt.  Gio was perfect as he supported Emma through her diagnosis and treatment.  The men in this series are ovary-pooping, swoony, romantic, hotness.  I loved this book more than I can express in words.  Read this series.