Happy weekend! I read five books this week. Four were ARCs of books releasing in the next week and one was by an author I wanted to read more of to meet a reading challenge. All were books you should consider adding to your TBR.
I am keeping this short this weekend. I have a ton of ARCs to read so I will get to it. Wishing everyone a fabulous week reading excellent books.
Her Rake Fiancé (Dukes and Secrets #2) by Mariah Stone
ARC: Release Date- 08/29/2023
#FakeRelationship #Historical #Virgin #ARC
5 STARS
Book two in the series can be read as a standalone and ends
with a HEA. That said, there is a
mystery that will cover the series that begins in book one. If a reader begins with book two, there are
spoilers about the beginning of the mystery presented in book one. This book is
written in third person.
Richard has spent the last five years as a rake. After having his heart broken, he behaved
unlike a gentleman should. Now he is
willing to do anything to get the information regarding his brother,
Spencer. He will even marry a criminal’s
sister. What most don’t realize, but Jane uncovers, is that under the rakish
mask, Richard is a romantic with a hurt and vulnerable heart. Jane is intelligent, driven, and working
toward her higher purpose of helping the poor in Whitechapel where she resides
with her brother. I honestly loved her
character. She was a surprise to Lord
Richard as well. He never expected to
fall for Jane or anyone else ever again.
Her wit, fierce independence, passion, and compassion amazes and inspires
him. Good relationships bring out the
best in both partners. Jane inspires
Richard to think beyond his privilege while Richard helps Jane blossom in the
society where she has never been welcomed.
Richard is protective of Jane but quickly realizes that she is no damsel
in distress. She is a tough cookie that
impresses him at every turn.
There are moments of passion and a couple of open-door intimate
scenes. What I loved even more though was how just a slight touch of their
hands against each other was enough to ignite flames. The writing of the story was beautiful. The plot was interesting. The characters were likeable and fun. I look forward to more books in the series
and to seeing the mystery solved.
ARC: Release Date- 08/29/2023
#GrumpySunshine #FakeRelationship #OppositesAttract #SlowBurn
#ARC
5 STARS
This contemporary romance is a standalone that ends with a
HEA. It is written in first person from
Star’s POV. I would have loved to have Rafe’s
POV also, but I think so much of this book is related to Star’s
self-exploration and discovery that a single POV is appropriate.
I love a good grumpy/sunshine romance, and I love a fake
relationship romance. I was drawn to the
blurb of the book and happy to get an ARC through Net Galley. I have read a few other books by this author,
and I have been impressed with her character development and stories that take
unusual turns while holding me in. Star
is an interesting heroine. Despite her
life being quite different from “norm” and having some emotional baggage
because of it, she is a kind and optimistic soul. I loved her simplicity. She is fearless in some ways as she accepts people
regardless of their differences and sees their hearts beneath the surface masks. Rafe is broody to begin with and readers soon
learn he is tired of having women thrown at him by his family who wants him to
settle down. Once he and Star get to
know each other, I really appreciated the lightness she brings out of Rafe. I love that he can be himself with her and
she calls him out at times when he needs a different perspective. Though they are very different, their
differences complement each other. It
takes some time for them to become physical and for their pretend relationship
to become real. All the while, I could
feel their chemistry and looked forward to seeing that become more.
The story also explores how upbringing affects a person’s
outlook on relationships. I appreciated
the way Star’s childhood, and the neglect she endured, is handled. I could also see that Rafe, with a stable if
slightly dysfunctional family, would have a very different perspective. I
appreciated that Star struggles with how much she should allow herself to
change for love. I think most people
have been in that position at least once.
I also loved that it was not Rafe asking her to change. How love changes a person, what makes a
person happy, where we find our emotional support systems, and how we
communicate with our partner is all a big part of Rafe and Star’s love
story. I didn’t want to put it down and
I finished the book with a smile in my heart.
ARC: Release Date- 08/30/2023
#AgeGap #DadsBestFriend #Fling #SingleDad #Virgin #ARC
5 STARs
This book can be read as a standalone and ends with a
HEA. It is written in first person from
an alternating dual POV.
Finn is 40, recently divorced, and the father of a
7-year-old son. Jules is 25, an
assistant TV producer, and the daughter of Finn’s best friend. I loved both characters. I appreciated that they were both struggling
with pain from their pasts. The depth of
that pain is revealed slowly. Readers get
to know the characters as they get to know each other. There is plenty of heat between them after
they meet at a masquerade party. Even
once they realize their connection, they cannot fight the attraction between
them. Set in both NYC and Paris (where
the romantic moments made me swoon) it was a joy to read as they fell from lust,
to care, to love. I adored the trust in
each other that was there from the beginning.
They are comfortable sharing secrets and difficult memories and feelings
with each other. I loved how they
supported each other. I loved how they
accepted each other: faults and all.
They deal with some heavier topics over the course of the story,
and they are handled gently. Grief, survivor’s
guilt, mental health, loss of dreams, and pain from manipulation by others are
something they share and grow through. There
are hot moments and some seriously swoony romantic moments and words between
them. I loved it. Some books just hit you as more and this is
one of them.
#SingleMom #MarriageOfConcvenience #Firefighter #FirstResponder
#SmallTown #HealingLove #ARC
5 STARS
Book two in this small-town interconnected series can be
read as a standalone and ends with a HEA. It is written in first person from an
alternating dual POV.
Walker and Evelyn share intense grief and guilt after losing
John “Schmitty” in the line of duty. They
are both attempting to move forward yet are not that successful until life
pushes them together. The solution to
the current crisis is obviously to get married. I love how Walker steps in
immediately to care for Ev and her daughter.
I really enjoyed how fast Walker bonds with Kaydence and how honest he
is with Ev when it comes time to discuss feelings. They help each other heal in ways they never
could have alone. Walker is 100% swoony,
brave, fiercely protective, gentle when he needs to be, and perfect for
Ev. Ev has had some rough times that
have made her distrustful. It takes her
a little bit to realize that when Walker is all-in her really means it. She is a loving mother and a wonderful friend
who turns out to be exactly what Walker needs in his life.
There are moments of sadness, grief, anger, passion, and romance in this book. As I finished the prologue, I looked at my husband and told him that I already knew this would be one of my top reads of the year. At the conclusion of the book, my thoughts on that have not changed. The author takes a complicated and realistic relationship between two well-developed characters and builds a love story that I absolutely adored. Their story is so beautifully written. They heal together in a way that joins them forever. They have plenty of steamy moments, but my favorite times are when they are stargazing, or when they bond as a little family unit. I adore it when they each have the depth of their emotions sneak up and surprise them. Every book by this author is better than the last. It is a wonderful thing to read as that happens. You really don’t want to miss this one. It is my new favorite by this author.
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