Hello. This past couple of weeks have been busy ones. I spent the past weekend in Seattle, Washington at the Rain City Author Event. It was put on by Southern Belles and I am happy to report that kinks that plagued Sweetgrass this spring were nowhere to be seen in Seattle. The venue was spacious and the lines were well controlled. The wristband process was seamless and I was able to see all of the authors and still had time to visit with friends. I was hopeful that would be the case and I am happy that it was.
I read four ARCs over the past two weeks. They were all something special. Check out my reviews and add some fantastic books to your TBR.
Until next time; happy reading.
Just A Little Chase (Dare Crossover #4)
by Carly Phillips and Erika Wilde
ARC: Release Date- 09/19/2024
#GrumpyHero #FakeRelationship #ARC
In my bachelor auction era.
Written in third person from a dual omniscient POV, this can
be read as a standalone and ends with a HEA.
Chase is very wealthy, but it was a little unclear if he was
at the billionaire level. He had a very humble and poor childhood. Although he
appreciates the lifestyle his money can buy, he also enjoys the times when he
can just be himself without societal expectations of the social classes where
he spends time. Lauren grew up in a small Massachusetts town in a middle-class
world and tight familial relationships. Though she and her sister were never
particularly close, the betrayal of her sister and her then fiancé was the
impetus she needed to pursue her dreams in the big city.
Chase is a grumpy guy who walls himself off from emotional connections and committed relationships. The one exception is his half-sister, Billie. Lauren is outgoing and has a spine of steel. I love how she holds Chase accountable. She is a very strong woman who is quick to forgive and find the positive. I love how she doesn’t let anger and bitterness take over her life. She just moves on. I don’t think I could have been as forgiving as she was, but I hold grudges and all that. I really loved how Chase could be himself with Lauren and how they formed a friendship and then more while he stands in as her “fake” boyfriend at her sister’s wedding. I loved their passionate moments and the emotional connection they share. This was a fast and fun read without a ton of angst and a very sweet HEA.
#GrumpySunshine #Workplace #ARC
Written in first person from an alternating dual POV, this
can be read as a standalone and ends with a HEA.
Isla’s grandmother purchases Travis as a date for Isla at a
bachelor auction at the senior center. After their date and an almost one-night
stand, they discover that Isla’s new job is working for the company that Travis
and his brothers own. It’s awkward and there are a lot of tense feelings on
both sides.
I liked Isla. She is competent and a little shy but overall
looks on the bright side of things. Travis is the grumpy brother. He is a
bearded, flannel wearing man’s man. They share an attraction and eventually that
leads them to spicy times and a happy ending.
This was a quick and easy read. There are some funny moments
and some cringe moments along the way. It was enjoyable and I look forward to
the next book in the series.
#GrumpySunshine #ForcedProximity #Nanny #SingleDad #Sports
#ARC
Written in first person from an alternating dual POV, this
third book in series can be read as a standalone and ends in a HEA. Readers should be aware that as an
interconnected series, characters from previous books play important roles in this
one.
Niko is the grumpy goalie who is in a bitter custody battle
with his ex for his 7-year-old daughter. He growls and grumbles and has the
funniest sayings that just don’t translate well into English. His focus is
narrow and consists of his career and his daughter.
Chloe is a 42-year-old widow who returns home to Tampa to be
closer to her dad, who is the coach for Niko’s team. I love how she chooses to
take this time after loss to reinvent herself and become the confident sexy woman
that she has hidden for so long. I
really appreciated her maturity and her ability to stand up for herself and what
she wants and deserves as she pursues her dreams. When she becomes the short-term
nanny to Niko’s daughter to help him win visitation, she forms a very sweet
relationship with little Alana that I adored.
The heat between Niko and Chloe is intense. Their chemistry flies off the page and I loved the spicy scenes as Chloe embraces that part of herself. It takes Niko a minute to realize that he had fallen hard for Chloe when he really wanted to avoid it. The man is loyal and tender under his gruff exterior though. He shows how much he cares with a bunch of actions even when he won’t say the words. The writing flowed and there are several laugh-out-loud moments. This was a very enjoyable read. I love this series and how relatable it is. The maturity of the characters helps avoid some of the irritating miscommunication that sometimes find their way into romance. I loved it.
Pretend For Me (Haircuts and Heartthrobs #1)
by Swati M.H.
ARC: Release Date- 09/26/2024
#Billionaire #MarriageOfConvenience #Opposites Attract #ARC
Written in first person from an alternating dual POV, this
can be read as a standalone and ends with a HEA. Readers who have read the Elements
of Rapture series will appreciate that Dev is friends with Hudson from Abyss, and
by extension the Meyer brothers. The four men and Dev have hilarious group
texts in this book that had me rolling.
Piper and Dev meet at her salon in one of the funniest meet-cutes
ever. That same morning, Dev also meets the salon’s three hairless rescue cats.
The author’s names for these cats had me giggling throughout the book and one
of them fell instantly and madly in love with Dev.
Piper is a feisty heroine. She and her two best friends have
a successful salon that caters to wealthy and celebrity male clients. Piper has
fought to build her self-esteem after a lifetime of her father’s horrible comments
and a high school romance that reinforced them. She has zero interest in love
or a committed relationship. Her quirky friends, her cats, her bunnies, and
casual hookups are enough for her. Or so she thinks.
Dev, a beautiful and extremely wealthy man, can be ruthless
in business. Readers see very quickly that inside he is a marshmallow who is
loving and loyal to his family. Dev and
his father have a strained relationship that improves drastically over the
course of the book. I appreciated that Dev’s character grows enough to
communicate with his dad, and that his dad’s character is fully developed
enough to take that forward into a better relationship. It is easy to see how
close he is with his mom and the special relationship they share. He falls fast
for Piper without realizing it and his patience with her was sweet and
charming.
This was a beautiful story. There are moments that made me
giggle, laugh out loud, and even cry (no easy task). I love how the author
embraces the fun quirks of Piper’s character and just goes with it. I adored
the heat between Dev and Piper. This book is spicy! I especially loved how Dev
and Piper fit together in a day-to-day life pattern and come to rely on each
other as friends and companions. Their emotional connection to each other was
truly special and I appreciated that they could read each other so well. I can
see rereading this book. It would be incredible in audio or as a spicy Netflix
movie. 5 stars is not enough for this one.
Author's Note:
Content warning: This book is intended for mature audiences. It deals with themes related to parental death, saying goodbye to a parent, and cancer that may be triggering for some readers.
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