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Book reviews for books read April 14th to April 30th

 


Hello.  I can't believe April is over. It flew by so fast! It was a crazy busy month for me. I did manage to read four ARCs and listen to one audiobook in the second half of the month.  These four books were all so different! The audiobook was a fantastic reread from my very first fantasy romance.  Check out my reviews and add these to your TBR.



Mood Swings and Hockey Flings (Hot Flash Hook Ups #2)
 by Marika Ray and Sylvie Stewart

#Sports #ForcedProximity #EnemiesToLovers #ARC

5 STARS

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

I love, love, love this series.  It is so relatable as a woman of a certain age to see a FMC experiencing some of the same things I am experiencing. It is also fun to have characters who react to life in a more mature manner than some books with younger characters. Ben is sweet and funny. Kaitlyn is fierce, competent, and determined.  They have amazing chemistry, witty banter, and funny moments on the way to their happy ending. Steamy scenes, laughs, and relatability made this an easy 5-star read for me.



Best Laid Plans (Colorado Black Diamonds #2) 
by Emily Silver

#FakeRelationship #GrumpySunshine #Sports #ARC

4.5 STARS

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

Cash is a brooding, tatted, defender for Denver’s pro hockey team. Piper is the sunshiny, intelligent physiotherapist intern who happens to be the sister to Noah, who is also in the team. When they are asked to fake date each other to improve Cash’s image, they both agree for their own reasons.

Cash and Piper quickly fit into each other’s lives. I loved how Cash falls so fast for Piper. When he never opens up to anyone but does open up to her, it made me swoon a little. They have incredible chemistry which leads to some hot times. (He is pierced BTW.) Though they have a wobble, they easily find their way back to each other. This was a fun read that I really enjoyed.



What I Should've Said by Max Monroe

#ContemporaryRomance #GrumpyHero #RunawayBride #SingleDad #SlowBurn #SmallTown #ARC

5 STARS

Written in first person from an alternating dual POV, this book can be read as a standalone and ends with a HEA. I do want to warn readers that this is not like a typical book by this author duo. Though there are moments that made me giggle and laugh, this story has some very heavy elements. The cover and blurb can be a somewhat misleading representation of the story inside the book. After my review, I will list some specific trigger warnings. Please skip that part if you prefer to go into this book blind. You will need tissues while you read this book.

First, I want to say that it takes a lot for a book/movie/tv show to make me cry. After working in a critical care environment for the bulk of the last twenty years, I have substantial detachment skills at the ready. I don’t test them often (I get enough sadness in real life) and I lean toward lighter reads in my down time. That said, this book made me sob. Some would say that the value of any piece of art, whether it be music, visual art, written word, dance, etc., is that it makes you feel emotion. If that is true, then this is a masterpiece. I felt ALL the emotions.

Norah is a kind-hearted and somewhat naive 26-year-old who becomes a runaway bride after learning some truths about her fiancé that also involve her mother. She runs to Red Bridge, Vermont, to her estranged older sister. I loved the development of Norah and Josie’s relationship back to becoming supportive family for each other. (Especially in the face of the dysfunctional relationships they have with their narcissistic mother.) Josie is there for Norah, somewhat begrudgingly to begin with, as she starts over. Ben is the single dad of a very special little girl. He is also an artist. His grumpy exterior hides an artist’s heart that feels everything deeply. The meet cute between Norah and Ben is funny and showcases how stubborn both characters are. Their relationship is a little enemies-to-lovers at the beginning, and quickly changes as they admit their attraction and become more like friends. They share many special moments together with Ben’s daughter that bond them together in a way nothing else could. Ben as a father is tender and protective. I grew attached to him very quickly. When his heart broke, my heart was shattered.

Beautifully written, masterfully developed as secrets are unveiled, this book rocked my soul. The wounds are still too fresh, and thinking about it to write this review makes me want to cry again. If you want a book that will make you feel everything on the way to sweet happy ending, this is your book.

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Trigger Warnings: Mentions of child abuse/neglect, domestic abuse on page, discussion of abortion, child with a terminal illness and death of a child, grief, and loss.



Command and Control: GHOST Operative 
(Alaskan Security #12) 

by Janice Whiteaker writing as Jemma Westbrook

#MorallyGrayHero #STEM #RomanticSuspense #ARC

5 STARS

Written in first person from an alternating dual POV, this book has all the heat, suspense, and protective hero moments you could want and ends with a HEA.

Vincent is growly, dangerous, and having a little internal crisis when Julieanne manages to hack into GHOST’s system and surprise him. It takes him six months before he goes after her with a plan to teach her a lesson. At least that is what he tells himself. Julieanne is a smart woman who has learned her own value after a divorce from a marriage that was anything but good for her. I loved her ability to recognize her needs and worth. Both are mature characters and I adored them.

This book has some seriously HAWT moments. Vincent is definitely an alpha yet he cares for Julieanne with a tenderness I don’t think he even knew he possessed.  He has lived his life closed off from personal connection-until her. He is a filthy talker and a dominant man who happily gets on his knees when it comes to her. 



The Fae King's Curse (Between Dawn and Dusk #1) 
by Jamie Schlosser

Narrated by: Theo Sinclair and Avery Caris

#Fantasy #Royal #FatedMates #Audiobook #Reread

5 STARS

This reread via audiobook was everything I remembered. The narrators did a fantastic job bringing this story to life. It was just what I needed.

Kirian is the Prince of the Night Realm. When this story starts, he is just 12 years old. He is living with a curse that he received 1 year prior. Quinn is a twelve-year-old human girl who pulls the prince from a cold, rushing creek on Earth. Their story is written in first person from a dual POV.
I adored this story! It is one of my favorite reads of the year. The characters are well-developed. The plot is gripping. The description of the two worlds is detailed and complete. The heat level is high. There is humor, banter, suspense, action, and romance. The pace is perfect, and I honestly could not put this book down. The lost sleep was worth it!
The development of Kirian and Quinn’s friendship melted my heart. I loved their unconditional acceptance of each other regardless of what the world might view as flaws. I love that they spend time doing things like reading together, working on homework, and playing games. I love that Quinn helps Kirian explore her world. There is humor as they call each other out, tenderness when he comforts her on the bad days, and romance as they dance under the stars by light of fireflies to the music of crickets. They get to know each other completely and rely on each other to be there.
When they enter the Night Realm, they face danger and the possibility that Kirian’s curse is permanent. I loved the action and suspense. The world is described magnificently. I love the protective attitude Kirian displays toward Quinn. Her compassion for him, and the inhabitants of his kingdom is compelling.
There are trolls, witches, gnomes, griffins and more in this fantastical world. The prequel to the series offers a historical background for the realms. There are underlying political issues between the realms and the new generation of cursed kings are determined to solve them and bring peace. The underlying political story of the realms and the fate of the other two kings will be concluded in additional books. However, this book does deliver the HEA for Quinn and Kirian and can be read as a standalone.



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