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Book reviews from the week of November 12th

 


Happy weekend.  What a week!  I read three ARCs this week and two books to meet reading challenges.  Though I have read all of these authors before, it was a real joy to get to read them again.  

Lauren Blakely's newest book is inspired by her former Jewel series and I literally could not put it down.  Kathryn Nolan delivers a steamy holiday novella that packs a whole lot of love along with the heat.  Lyndsey Gallagher's upcoming release is a swoony holiday romance that would make a wonderful movie but I want them to keep the steamy scenes too.  

I picked up a holiday shifter book by Zoe Chant to meet a reading challenge where either the hero or the heroine was a person of color. Having read one of her books earlier this year, I found this one with the blurb that made me giggle.  The heroine, Emilia is a force to be reckoned with.  Finally, I needed a book with the word "secret or secrets" in the title.  K.C. Crowne as a wide variety of books that met that, and I found a wonderful over the top romance that fit the bill.

I am still working on reading a lot of ARCs in the coming week but I am also hoping to get to some of the books patiently waiting on my TBR.  I wish everyone a week of captivating books and a happy U.S. Thanksgiving to those celebrating.


A Real Good Bad Thing by Lauren Blakely

ARC: Release Date- 11/16/2023

#RomanticSuspense #Fling #ARC

5 STARS

Inspired by the 2016 Jewel series by this author, this is a completely rewritten standalone that ends with a HEA.  It is written in first person from an alternating dual POV.

Ruby and Jake end up pursuing the same goal for different purposes.  As they keep running into each other, with sparks flying, it only makes sense to work together to achieve the goal.  Jake (38) is a PI working to recover the luxury merchandise that used to be embezzled funds.  Ruby (32) is an adventurist owner of an eco-tour guide business in Florida and the keys.  She is also the former stepdaughter of the suspected embezzler.   Both characters are smart, likable, and have serious trust issues.  Together they find passion, romance, and deep feelings for each other while navigating an investigation that takes more than a few twists and turns.  They are uber-hot together from the beginning.  Their chemistry is undeniable.   I love how they allow themselves to become vulnerable with each other despite their fears.  After a few missteps, they even trust each other enough to communicate in a way that will lead to a long and successful relationship. 

The writing is stellar.  I thought this would be a 2-day read for me.  Honestly, at the equivalent of 64 chapters it should have been.  What I didn’t anticipate going in was that I couldn’t put it down.  I started at noon but stayed up late because I had to know how the mystery was resolved.  There were so many plot twists.  I kept guessing until the end.  An unputdownable mystery full of romance, chemistry, likeable characters, and twists and turns I did not anticipate, this was a fabulous read.


Keep You Both by Kathryn Nolan

ARC: Release Date- 11/17/2023

#MFF #Holiday #FriendsToLovers #SnowedIn #Novella #ARC

5 STARS

This holiday standalone is written in first person from Paige’s POV and ends with a HEA.

Paige is a wedding planner tasked with planning the wedding of her two best friends while keeping her very big feelings for both of them under wraps. All the secrets and feelings come to light when the three of them get snowed in at a small cabin over New Years.

This was a delightfully romantic and steamy read.  I loved each one of the characters so much!  I loved that they were all bisexual and free in their exploration of that and the way they live.  This was a beautifully written love story.  The New Year’s Eve scene made me swoon. I really admired that the author doesn’t pretend that it was an easy path to their HEA, but instead addresses some of the steps they took together to make their complicated relationship not only work, but to be amazing.  This was a heartwarming exploration of big scary love, and I can see myself reading this one over and over.

Dating for December by Lyndsey Gallagher

ARC: Release Date- 11/24/2023

#SingleDad #FakeRelationship #Holiday #ARC

5 STARS

Though this book is related to “The Christmas Crush” that was released earlier this month, it can be read as a standalone and ends with a HEA.  I can say this because even though the first book is sitting on my kindle, I read this one first after receiving an advance reader copy.  I had no problem following it.  The book is written in first person from an alternating dual POV.

Cillian is a man with the world on his shoulders.  As the father of a gorgeous six-year-old daughter, Phoebe, and owner of a thriving law firm he is busy.  When his daughter’s mother bounces back into their life looking for a reconciliation, he is determined that she gets the message that it is never going to happen.  Under his grumpy exterior, Cillian is really a marshmallow.  At first the reader only really sees that in his relationship with Phoebe. Reading as he becomes that same way with Ava was heartwarming and joyful.

Ava is beautiful, intelligent, and strong as she is taking her business and making it a success.  Past relationships have caused her to question her judgement in men, and she must learn to trust herself again when Cillian comes into the picture. I adored her kind heart.  Her family and their outspokenness bring many moments of laughter to the book.  I love how she not only is deeply attracted to Cillian, but she also recognizes how starved he is for real love.  I especially adore the way she is with Phoebe.  Ava’s innate maturity and goodness make where a wonderful heroine, and I could only cheer for to get her happy ending.

This was a steamy, tenderly emotional holiday read.  I loved the author’s writing as she brought the story along.  The use of alliteration in all the right places was perfect.  One of my favorite scenes was Phoebe’s trip to Santa’s workshop.  I was giggling so much I made the hubby listen as I read that whole scene out loud to him. Swoony, romantic scenes mixed with moments that made me giggle, a short wobble, and the grand gesture that I truly appreciated; this was a read that I absolutely loved.  


A Griffin For Christmas (Shifters For Christmas #1) 

by Zoe Chant

#Paranormal #Shifter #Holiday #CurvyGirl #FatedMates

4 STARS

This short and fun holiday read can be read as a standalone and ends with a HEA. It is written in third person from a dual POV.

Emilia Lopez is a woman who takes in strays. She has dogs, cats, rabbits, and a pony to name just a few. It is no surprise that when she finds a hot cop (who turns out to be a griffin shifter) after he crashes through the roof of her shed, that she takes to him as well. I loved Emilia's big heart and the instant attraction she and Rowan share as fated mates. Rowan is a little impulsive and a lot protective. I loved how he and Emilia bond so quickly. I loved how finding his fated mate reorganized his priorities immediately.

Hot times, a little danger, and a lot of interesting side characters made this just the fun read I needed. It was easy to pick up and read in an evening and it met a reading challenge goal for me.


Secret Babies For My Best Friend's Dad 

(Doctors of Denver #13) 

by K.C. Crowne

#AgeGap #SecretBaby #BestFriendsDad #OneNightStand

3.5 STARS

Written in first person from an alternating dual POV, this can be read as a standalone and ends with a HEA.

I chose this book to meet a reading challenge with the word secret in the title. I have read this author before, and I knew what I would be getting. She has many similar books with secret or surprise babies and many with age gap and/or daddy tropes. I knew I would get an easy to read book that packed a lot of heat and an OTT romance. I love age gap. Though I am not a big fan of secret baby, I like to read them from time to time. Occasionally the author is able to justify why the baby was kept secret in a way I find believable. This book did not do that. Sadie's actions were selfish, and even after she was discovered she was unrepentant. I had a tough time liking her character due to her immaturity. Noah, on the other hand, was amazing. He finally found a woman he had a strong attraction to and he pursues it as responsibly as he can. He knows it will be a one night stand and he is OK with that. Though he can't forget their hot night, he moves on. He may never have known that he was a father again. Since he is a wonderful Da, that would have been a crying shame. I loved his passion, his hotness, his Irish accent, and his good character. He was 100% swoony and I felt like Sadie took advantage of him.

The writing itself was a little redundant at times, which I had forgotten since it had been a while since I read this author. Overall, it was a quick and entertaining read with a hot hero and adorable babies. It met the criteria I was looking for when I chose this book.

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