Happy weekend! I am traveling and looking after my dad and all the animals on is farm while my brother has had a well deserved vacation. I have read four ARCs in the almost two weeks since August began. Three of the four are set in small towns and all were heart-warming romances.
I am going to keep this short this week. I hope my reviews help you find a few new reads to add to your TBR. Happy reading!
Start Us Up (Park Avenue Promise #1) by Lexi Blake
ARC: Release date- 08/08/2023
#NerdyHero #CinnamonRollHero #ARC
4 STARS
Book one in this new series tells the story of Ivy and
Heath. It is written in first person
from Ivy’s POV, can be read as a standalone, and ends with a HEA.
Ivy’s life has crashed and burned before she returns home to
NYC to start over. She meets Heath
through one of her friends and quickly goes into business with him. It doesn’t take long for their attraction to
each other to become more than business partners.
I liked the story, though I felt like it was less romance
and more women’s fiction. There is a lot
of focus on Ivy and her relationships with the women in her life. She has two childhood friends (who readers
get to know only a little), a complicated relationship with her mother, and a
mentor/mother relationship with a wealthy woman named CeCe. She also forms a relationship with Heath’s nonna,
Lydia, which is sweet and helps her grow.
In fact, most of the book is about Ivy’s growth in those relationships
and within herself. She learns why she
acts the way she does. She learns to
defend herself and to accept that she has people in her corner.
Heath is a golden retriever hero. I adored him, though I would have liked to
get to know him better. He is supportive
of Ivy and sees and accepts her for who she is.
I liked how he protected her best interest. I loved that he was smart and hunky. I loved the relationship he has with his
nonna. Their physical scenes are open door, but not overly detailed.
Overall, this was a well-written book that I enjoyed. I wish there was more romance in the book,
but the characters were likeable. Ivy
was flawed and made mistakes. I
understood her and was happy she is able to get past the things that are
holding her back.
#FakeRelationship #Fling #SmallTown #ARC
5 STARS
Book three in the series tells the love story of Finn and
Ruby. Though it is a standalone and ends with a HEA, this is an interconnected series
which is probably best read in order.
The MMCs of the last two books have growth and change throughout the
series which will contribute to their story arcs. This book is written in first person from an
alternating dual POV.
Ruby: sister of Thane and professor of marine biology is a
wonderful character. I appreciated her
overall confidence peppered with moments of self-doubt. I loved that she indulges her attraction to
Finn and her acceptance of her feelings when they become more.
Finn is hot and dirty while staying sweet and protective of
Ruby. He falls fast and hard for her. I also loved the relationships he shared with
his brothers. Puffin Bay is a big found
family with parts of born family mixed in.
The Holland brothers are part of that born family mix. Handsome, smart, funny: they are easy characters to picture and read.
There are plenty of steamy moments and the emotional
connection between Ruby and Finn is strong.
Their characters are sometimes surprised by how strong that connection
is. I love that they present a united
front in the face of the adversities that come their way. I adore that readers get to see Amelie, Roman,
Thane, and Fleur as they continue their stories in this book as side
characters. This author does an amazing
job of writing an interconnected series.
Though each book offers a different couple their HEA, the series still
manages to tell the extended growth and story of Gully and Caleb (who will be
the last two MMCs of the series). In
doing this, she never takes away from the couple in the current book while
making those bits of storyline essential to the growth of Gully and Caleb in
this series. It is masterful. I felt all the emotions with this one. My hardened heart even shed a few tears. To say I can’t wait for more books in this
series is an understatement.
#Firefighter #SmallTown #ARC
5 STARS
Book #8 in the Light My Fire series can be read as a
standalone and ends with a HEA, It is written in first person from an alternating
dual POV.
I met Farrah in a previous book in this series and I am
thrilled she gets her HEA with Cooper. She
is beautiful on the outside and calm and efficient on the inside. Alaska is her
fresh start as she and her mom work on renewing their relationship. Cooper is also newer to town as part of one
of the hot shot crews. He moved there
from North Carolina after his life imploded and he is also looking for a fresh
start. Both MCs are dealing with issues
relating to trust. Both have been hurt
in different ways. Neither is looking
for love or a relationship.
Their meet-cute is unique and had me giggling. When they realize they are neighbors, they
quickly add benefits to the arrangement.
Their chemistry is sizzling and leaps off the page. Their intimate scenes are steamy and open
door. I loved the emotional connection
they formed with each other before they even realized it. I also love that they don’t have the big
third act break up. Instead, their “moment”
is more about overcoming fears, admitting trust, and recognizing the deep
feelings they have for each other. This
was a very enjoyable low angst read with the right amount of heat and some nice
romantic moments.
#SingleMom #SmallTown #GrumpyHero #SlowBurn #ARC
5 STARS
This new book stands alone and ends with a HEA. It is written in first person from an
alternating dual POV.
Maisey is a single mom of a sixteen-year-old daughter and is
in the process of starting over. She
inherited a ranch from her Uncle Tony and Wyoming, and it is the perfect place
to escape and rebuild. Her neighbor is
Flint. He is a grumpy, hot, teacher/coach
with his own share of baggage.
Maisey is an incredibly strong heroine. In her I see what every mother feels at some
point: the feelings of failure, the desperation to make things right, and a
deep and abiding love for her child regardless of the cost to herself. I loved her character and how competent she
was at a lot of things people never expected her to be. Her daughter is a typical teenager with all
the eyerolls, insecurities, and bravado.
Flint, readers come to realize, is a man of deep feelings hidden under
his crusty surface. I really liked how
hard he falls for Maisey. I love that he
looks out for her and wants the best for her and June.
The small town has the requisite quirky characters. There are appearances by wildlife and
livestock. There are moments of laughter
and moments of heat between Flint and Maisey.
Though they try to resist the temptation to be together, the chemistry
between them is undeniable. I loved the
healing that each character has over the course of the book. They each must work on their underlying
baggage in order to have the future they deserve together. I have read all this author’s books and
honestly this may be my new favorite. I loved it.
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