Book reviews from the week of September 24th

 

Happy weekend! This week I read two ARCs.  Bother were sports romances and yet they were both different and excellent in their own way.  I also read two fairy tale retellings of Snow White.  Again, they were very different takes on modern versions of that story.  All of my reads were hard to put down.  I had company this week with my daughter visiting.  And I caught a horrible cold.  But I still managed to finish September with these four engaging reads.

Take a look at my reviews.  I hope they help you grow your TBR just a little bit.

I wish you a week of wonderful books and maybe a new-you author.

Red Heart Card (Manchester Athletics #6) by Annie Dyer

ARC: Release Date- 09/28/2023

#Sports #AgeGap #OWYM #CinnamonRollHero #ARC

5 STARS

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

When we first met Jude in this series, he was young, excitable, and just plain fun.  Readers have had hints that he and Neva, the team nutritionist, had something going.  Neva is known to be practical, firm, and decisive.  The takes no guff from the players.  This book tells their story.

I love that we finally get their happy ending.  We learn the truth of their past together as they build something new in the present that leads to a future that just melted me.  Jude has matured over this series.  He is an old soul for 25.  Neva, at 35, is desperate to start a family, even if that means doing it without a man.  Jude offers his services when he sees it as a way to get close to her again.

I loved these two together.  They banter and share a comfortable ease between them that I adored.  There is lots of heat as they get to the baby making stage.  There are emotional moments that they share that I related to and adored.  Jude is so good at taking care of Neva.  He is such a cinnamon roll.  To say I loved him is a HUGE understatement.  Neva must accept that her feelings for Jude can be more, and the age gap doesn’t matter.  Jude’s patience with her as she gets there is remarkable.  Neva is a strong woman who values her independence while appreciating the way Jude cares for her.  The found family they share within the team offers them support and guidance, which is amusing at times.

This is an excellent addition to the series that I absolutely loved.

Lovestruck by Julie Capulet

ARC: Release Date- 09/29/2023

#Sports #NewAdult #InstaLove #Forbidden #Virgin #ARC

5 STARS

“Thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you.”

This is the mantra that the heroine of this book lives by.  She cherishes what she can be thankful for in every moment.  It resonated with me. This new standalone (loosely connected to Hopeless Romantic) is written in first person from an alternating dual POV and ends with a HEA.

Elias is the star starting quarterback of his college team.  At forst glance, it would seem he has everything.  Readers learn that his father is ill, and that Elias has stopped playing the second field in addition to football.  He is determined to find the one who makes him whole and fills his void of loneliness.  Zara is an 18-year-old incoming freshman.  She is the youngest daughter of the football coach whose only rule has ever been not to date football players-especially the ones on his team.  Zara is an artist who has buried the grief of losing her mother two years prior in her painting.  She has a very close relationship with her dad and is excited to spread her wings a little at her hometown college.  Neither one of them is prepared for the jolt they feel when they meet the first time.  Neither expects the all-consuming feelings, connection, and chemistry they feel toward each other.

I love Zara’s maturity within her naivete.  She is pure to Elias’ more worldly past.  I adore the connection they build, the passion they share, and the determination they have to fight for what they know is real.  This author does an amazing job at allowing readers to feel the yearning they have for each other.  One of my favorite scenes is the two of them lying on a bed innocently facing each other and gazing into each other’s eyes as they talk and solidify their connection with a greater knowledge of each other.

Steamy, love at first sight at its best: this was a feel-good and heart warming read for me.  They each deal with different levels of grief regarding parental loss that connects them on a deeper emotional level from the beginning.  That feeling of connection and of “knowing” each other only grows over the course of their story.  They support each other’s dreams with action.  I don’t normally read a lot of new adult romances.  Now that my youngest child is 26, it feels a little strange to have the protagonists so much younger than she is.  While discussing this yesterday. That same daughter thought my feelings were funny since I met her dad at 20 and was all-in from the word go.  I guess she’s right.  Age is not the most relevant factor.  When you know, you know.

Honey White & The Sixty-Nine Dwarves 

(Dvergar Gold Mine #1) by Dakota Cockaday

#Fantasy #Escort #Novella

4 STARS

Written in first person from Honey's POV, this book can be read as a standalone and end in a HEA.  This was a new author for me.  I picked up this quick read for free as part of a stuff your kindle event.  When I needed a book I could read in a few hours between ARCs, this one jumped out to me.

I will say it was not what I expected and I was pleasantly surprised. Honey becomes a s3x worker to pay her college debts as she finishes her PHD.  Her assignment leads her to a mining camp of 69 Dvergar men.  They are all well built and have gray skin.  I love that this doesn't bother her in the least.  She is very accepting and go with the flow.  Which she needs to be.  This is not a super steamy read.  Her encounters with the men are one on one and are often awkward enough mt make me laugh.  I appreciated that the author portrayed Honey's job as just another job in the camp.  Her job was to entertain a coworker per night.  There was a reason for this assignment that was more than lust, which I also appreciated.  

I like the friendship that Honey builds with Guiscard while she works.  They fall hard for each other along the way.  They banter and tease each other.  Guiscard's ability to compartmentalize as impressive when it came to Honey's work. I found their romance to be sweet and when they finally get together they have some heat.  I found myself wishing I knew the characters better. Their story was engaging and I wanted more.  Overall it was a book I read in one sitting and did not want to put down.  I have a feeling the rest of the series is just as engaging and I look forward to reading more.

Snow Write... and the rest of the story. by Caera Everly

#FairyTale  #WhyChoose #Virgin #InstaLove #Debut

5 STARS

This book has been on my TBR since this spring when it released.  As the debut book by this author, I was enthralled with the wit, the humor, and the steam.  It is written in third person from multiple POV.

First, the naming of the characters and the entities had me giggling and appreciating the wit and humor necessary to create such a tongue-in-cheek retelling of Snow White.  Second, the story opens like a normal fairy tale: a little over the top but with an added satirical slant that amused and intrigued me.  I loved that Snow was naive, but up for any challenge that came her way.  I loved her spirit of adventure and her willingness to roll with what came at her.  Her seven hunks are actually eight including Prince Charming.  The instant connection between her an each of the very different me was very fun to read.  I appreciated that each relationship felt distinct and unique from the others.

This is no children's tale.  It is definitely for the 18+ crowd.  There are multiple detailed, steamy scenes as Snow finds true love with Charming and his seven "brothers".  The found family element of the story, her friendship with Debi, and the slight intrigue you expect from the fairy tale made this a thoroughly enjoyable read.  If anything, I wanted more, but that is because I am selfish.  If I had not known better, I never would have guessed this was a debut book. I am 100% excited to read Debi's story and whatever this author comes up with next. Well done.