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Book reviews for books read between October 20-31st

 


It is hard to believe October is over. The second half of the month was so busy I only read two books on my TBR and a novella I somehow missed. I really enjoyed them. It was so good to be back with Maria Luis' Boston Blades. Nikki Castle's debut was my first real MMA romance. And One Taste was a series prequel I somehow missed by Lena Hendrix. Until next time, happy reading.


Slap Shot (Boston Blades #5) by Maria Luis

#FriendsToLovers #MoC #Sports

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

Daisy and Weston are the perfect couple in a return to the Blades series. It was like coming home to me. Weston is such a good guy. He is focused on hockey and maybe a bit on proving his parents wrong with his success. Daisy becomes his best friend in college and remains so even almost ten years later. West would do anything for her. He sees her as “sunshine, strawberries, and hope.”  Though she is his coach’s daughter, that never stands in the way of their friendship.  I adore the banter and sarcasm between them. I love that they are comfortable enough together to give each other grief and tease each other unmercifully.

Daisy has experienced a few life-changing events in her short life. She is strong, resilient, and fierce. I absolutely adored her. I loved how she managed so successfully in survival mode until she didn’t. I understood her character and some of her trauma much too well. I appreciated how Weston treats her when everything is exposed. “It is okay to not be okay.”  I love that he gives her all the space she needs.

Two friends that are incredibly close without revealing that they each love the other until well into their marriage of convenience; this was a fantastic read.  I loved that they take their time with a l-o-o-o-o-n-g extended foreplay before moving their relationship forward physically. I love the romantic ways they care for and communicate with each other. I loved how supportive they were of each other.  They were truly made to complete each other.

The author has had a personally tough few years and I am beyond happy to see this book as her reentry to publication. I understand trauma., I am thrilled she took a time out she needed. I am beyond ecstatic that she is back.  This was a fantastic read that I would recommend to anyone looking for a swoony, romantic, emotional friends-to-lover, marriage of convenience, hockey romance. I have a ton of highlighted passages that made me swoon and I am sure you will too.

(I feel like I need to address some of the early negative reviews. Amazon initially published the incorrect file of this book, and the error was corrected quickly. However, some readers initially received the incomplete file. If Kindle users go to Content and Devices, Digital Content, an update is available. It seems highly unfair to base a review on a corrected problem. The file Amazon is now sending out is the complete book, so you can buy or borrow this one with full confidence.)



5 Rounds (The Fight Game #1) by Nikki Castle

#Debut #EnemiesToLovers #ForcedProximity #MMA #Sports

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

This was my first book by this author and my first truly MMA romance. I loved how much I learned about the sport as Tristan is training hard and focusing on getting into the UFC. I loved that Remy also was involved in the sport. I could tell that the author put a lot of herself into Remy’s character and I liked her. Remy is snarky and fun. She is tough on the outside but hides her vulnerabilities. Tristan has been a bit of a playboy. I didn’t think it was very unusual since he was a professional athlete focused on his sport and not on relationships. I appreciated the family dynamics both characters have that are woven into the book. They each deal with some baggage of expectation verses reality. I liked how Remy struggled with the adulthood she found herself in instead of the dream she wanted to pursue. I appreciated Tristan’s conflict with his family as he pursed his UFC dream.

I found this to be a very spicy and entertaining read. The secondary characters were interesting, and I am looking forward to their stories. This was a solid debut, and it makes me want to read more by this author.


One Taste (Sullivan Family #0.5) by Lena Hendrix

#Prequel #InstaLove #Novella

Written in first person from an alternating dual POV, this novella introduces the town of Outtatowner, Michigan.  This town is the setting for the Sullivan Family and King family series.

Cass is a reporter sent from Chicago to cover the fluff piece of a fall festival in the small town. Her guide is to be the local bakery owner, Huck. I love that they are immediately drawn to each other. I love how protective Huck feels for Cass. I loved how safe he makes her feel. I loved their chemistry. I think this was a wonderful set up for the two series and I adored that it comes from the perspective of a local who is impartial to the feud.

This story can stand alone as a sweet and spicy insta-romance, unlike many prequels. I really enjoyed it.


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