Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise, the side characters, and the dog.
The Not-So-Good: The humor, while mostly good, felt a little too fo3.5 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise, the side characters, and the dog.
The Not-So-Good: The humor, while mostly good, felt a little too forced at times. Especially the beginning because I honestly wasn't sure if I would continue because it just felt OTT ridiculous in how they met.
The Bad: If I had to say something bad, I'd say that I wanted more depth. At least with the H and instead of hearing about his baggage from other characters, maybe having him open up himself about his trauma.
Overall: This was cute and funny, but not necessarily deep or something that I'll be putting on my favorites shelf. I enjoyed it for what it was and it was a nice escape for when my real life is a little hectic.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Begonia and Hayes' story. Hayes finds himself the last eligible billionaire under the age of 40 and goes to one of his many houses to escape the madness that comes along with that. Only he meets Begonia, who is a recently divorced high school art teacher that thought she was getting a vacation rental on the cheap for her and her crazy dog. They but heads, something happens to a priceless artifact, and Hayes snatches the opportunity to blackmail Begonia into being his face girlfriend to get everyone off his back. There are lots of shenanigans, some sweet and sexy times, and some past baggage they have to work though...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Begonia and Hayes' POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well.
Instalove: No, they take a while to develop stronger feelings.
H (Hero) rating: 3 stars. Hayes. I liked him, but I wanted some more depth in his character.
h (heroine) rating: 3.5 stars. Begonia. I liked her sass and strength in self-acceptance.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes, but mild (view spoiler)[the H pushes away but is also who I would say is the main pursuer in the relationship too (hide spoiler)]
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes (view spoiler)[ there are a few OW that are vying for the H or presented from his family and some of the H's exes (that he is not interested in) that cause some very mild drama (hide spoiler)]
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: Yes (view spoiler)[They are separated shortly (weeks?), but there was no mention or suggestion of other partners during this time. (hide spoiler)]
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[ loss of a loved one/bankruptcy (off page) and the h is divorced (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This ends with a super cute epilogue but with what I would call a HFN ending (view spoiler)[they get engaged (hide spoiler)], but I'm sure many readers would be fine calling this a HEA.
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers (view spoiler)[ - Does Not have cheating - Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with OW/OM - Does have the H pushing the h away - Does have a separation between the h and H - Does Not have abuse - Does Not have a HEA ending (IMO) (hide spoiler)]...more
Quick Opinion: I technically skimmed the last ~45ish% so I'm not feeling like using my typical review template. I struggled with this one. I 2.5 Stars
Quick Opinion: I technically skimmed the last ~45ish% so I'm not feeling like using my typical review template. I struggled with this one. I think I stopped fully reading once the "babygirl" nickname came out and I cringed too much. It didn't feel like it fit. It didn't feel like the typical angst that I enjoy with these taboo type storylines. Yes, she dated the H's son. Yes, she kissed the son (but didn't have sex or develop any strong feelings). Yes, she was ~19 years younger than the H. Yes, she was a virgin. And yes, she was crushing on the H well before she got with the son/knew their relation. Honestly, I was...bored. The few GR friend reviews on this were pretty great, so it could just be a me thing again ...more
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise, the humor, and the opposites attract aspect.
The Not-So-Good: The dreaded miscommunication. There's a3.5 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise, the humor, and the opposites attract aspect.
The Not-So-Good: The dreaded miscommunication. There's a big secret revealed right before the epilogue that I was frustrated came out so late.
The Bad: This went on a Kristen Ashley-esque type overly descriptive explanation of the decor and resort more than a few times that I really didn't care about and it didn't add to the story at all.
Overall: This was cute! I enjoyed it and read it pretty quickly but I'm not thinking this is one I'll re-read or put on my favorites shelf. Why? I'm not sure I can pinpoint exactly why I feel that way except for a few nitpicking things here and there. I just felt like there was something missing for me to love it.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Anna and Liam's story. Anna and Liam married to get family housing while in college, only Liam returns years later to get Anna's help. They're still married and he needs her to attend his little sister's wedding without tipping anyone off that it's fake so he can get his very large inheritance. There are some funny side characters, some awkward situations, and some sexy times...and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Anna and Liam's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed (except the decor talk) and I thought it flowed well.
Instalove: No, they've known each other for a while before they start to develop other feelings.
H (Hero) rating: 3.5 stars. Liam. I liked him but I wanted him to trust the h enough to communicate before they had any issues.
h (heroine) rating: 3.5 stars. Anna. I liked her and appreciated how loyal she was. I wanted her to stick up for herself a little more though.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes (view spoiler)[ they each push away and I'd say they both pursue the relationship at times too (hide spoiler)]
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes, but mild (view spoiler)[some jealousy because the h's ex is at the wedding (hide spoiler)]
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: Yes, but not really (view spoiler)[They are separated shortly (day?), but there was no mention or suggestion of other partners during this time. (hide spoiler)]
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[ Poverty (h - on page), emotional abuse/blackmail/gaslighting (H's parents - on page), and parent with cancer (h - on page) (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This ends with a cute and pretty long epilogue that I would call gives us a HEA ending (view spoiler)[they're still married and going to have another ceremony ~year later (hide spoiler)]
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers (view spoiler)[ - Does Not have cheating - Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with OW/OM - Does have both the h and H pushing away - Does Not (technically) have a separation between the h and H - Does Not have abuse by mcs - Does have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]...more
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise, the banter, and the side characters.
The Not-So-Good: The closure. I wanted more even though I know I c3 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise, the banter, and the side characters.
The Not-So-Good: The closure. I wanted more even though I know I can probably get them again in other books, but even the fact that the epilogue was about a side character and not them, left me disappointed.
The Bad: The lack of depth in the emotions. There was potential for it in some of the baggage they both had, but I felt like it was disappointing in a way, because it just didn't go there (if that makes sense ...more
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The banter and chemistry.
The Not-So-Good: How the h allowed others to treat her at the beginning (she does come arou3 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The banter and chemistry.
The Not-So-Good: How the h allowed others to treat her at the beginning (she does come around though)
The Bad: The H's attitude at first (he does give good grovel at the end)
Overall: This definitely was more morose than I had expected. It has a big trigger of a parent with cancer, so if you are like me and had that experience yourself, consider yourself warned! I enjoyed parts of it, but others not so much. I didn't necessarily love the H's POV at first since he was so deep in his denial that he even thought like a douche and not only acted like it. I'm honestly kind of torn on how to rate this one, so I'm going with middle of the road 3 "just okay" stars.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Maddie and Chase's story. Maddie is trying to move on with her date when she comes home to find her ex on her doorstep. Chase's dad is sick and he needs Maddie to pretend to still be with him because his family (and he) needs her, so he uses her sweet nature to ask her to pretend for a while. Maddie reluctantly agrees because she still cares for him and his family even though things ended bad between them. There are some sad moments, some funny scenes, and some sexy times...and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between (mainly) Maddie and Chase's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: I did find the beginning a little slow, but otherwise it was good. I never skimmed.
Instalove: No, but residual feelings were there from when they were together before the book.
H (Hero) rating: 3 stars. Chase. He was pretty damaged from his past relationship (see trigger spoiler tag below), but I really wanted to shake him because he was in such strong denial for most of the book.
h (heroine) rating: 3 stars. Maddie. I liked her and I appreciated her growth as a character, but I wanted her to be stronger in the beginning.
Sadness level: Low/moderate. I shed some tears but it was mainly because I had lost my mom to cancer and this brought up some feels.
Push/Pull: Yes (view spoiler)[ they both push away and I'd say the H is the main pursuer of the relationship (hide spoiler)]
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes (view spoiler)[the h is casually dating OM when the H approaches her for help, but she was open in communicating what the situation with the H was with the OM (hide spoiler)]
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: Not technically (view spoiler)[ see trigger spoiler tag below and the h was kind of dating OM that she kissed but was open with him about her situation with the H (hide spoiler)]
Separation: Yes, they are separated before the story begins (view spoiler)[They are separated (off page). The h dated OM (but only kissed him and was forcing it) and the h's coworker that's also the H's neighbor told her that there were different OW coming and going from his home during this time (hide spoiler)]
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[Loss of a parent/parent with cancer (on page), the h thinks he H cheated on her (view spoiler)[she was waiting in his apartment for him and he knew it and allowed her to believe he was with another woman that he brought with him because he was having cold feet about the relationship they had when he realized how deep they were getting (hide spoiler)], and the H was cheated on by his ex fiancé that married his cousin that was raised like his brother (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This ends in a good place with what I would call a HEA ending (view spoiler)[they're married with a baby (hide spoiler)]
Safety: This one should be either Safe or Safe with exception for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences (view spoiler)[ - Does Not have cheating (see above) - Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with OW/OM - Does have both the h and H pushing away - Does have a separation between the h and H off page before the story starts - Does Not have abuse - Does have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]...more
Quick Opinion: This was the end of the duet and I felt like it was just alright. It was full of miscommunication (which already isn't my favori3 Stars
Quick Opinion: This was the end of the duet and I felt like it was just alright. It was full of miscommunication (which already isn't my favorite) and then when they finally communicated, it was the end of the book. And then! I needed to sign up for a newsletter to get an extended epilogue! While I was greatly tempted because I had invested in these characters by reading two books for this, I didn't because I had already invested by reading two books! Nowhere near enough closure. Their conflict was resolved at the very end and there were so many unanswered questions. I also wanted to shake both mcs to just talk to one another! I would call this a HFN ending (view spoiler)[they've shared "ILYs" and she moved back from Paris (hide spoiler)]. I didn't hate it, but I'm definitely in the minority because I didn't love it. I might read the 3rd book because it's about side characters, but only if I know I get a HEA for them...
Safety: I would call this Safe with exception depending on your personal preferences. **BIG SPOILERS**(view spoiler)[Drug use/abuse/addiction (mostly off page), cutting (on page), unexpected pregnancy/miscarriage (off page), parent with health issues (on page), the H got injured in the military (off page), the mcs are step-siblings, and the h was with many other men (off page) while the H was celibate during their ~4 year separation (hide spoiler)]...more
Brief Opinion: This was intriguing. This had me engaged enough to want to go to the next book. While it did tap into my emotions, I wanted mo3.5 Stars
Brief Opinion: This was intriguing. This had me engaged enough to want to go to the next book. While it did tap into my emotions, I wanted more. I'm hopeful that I'll get that in the next book, the final book of this duet, This Life and All the Rest. They were completely dysfunctional, but I do like dysfunction sometimes. On to the next...
Safety: Probably Not Safe(view spoiler)[Cheating (H at least kisses OW who is his on again off again f-buddy and the h sees after they have kissed and established feelings, and there is an OM that is pursuing the h that it could be considered she cheats on emotionally with the H - on page), loss of a parent to OD/bipolar (off page), drug/alcohol abuse/use/addiction (on page), child abuse/abandonment (off page), and the h's dad and the H's mom get married making them step siblings (on page) (hide spoiler)]...more
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise and banter.
The Not-So-Good: The h.
The Bad: The off page slight time jumps that took the place of on pag3 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise and banter.
The Not-So-Good: The h.
The Bad: The off page slight time jumps that took the place of on page connection between the mcs -- it felt like I was just told they connected instead of experiencing it with them.
Overall: This was alright. I'm honestly surprised I made it through because the beginning was slow and I didn't really like the h. I liked the premise and banter, so I think that's what had me sticking with it. I would've liked more time with them connecting on page because I do feel like some of that was done off page in slight time jumps. This, potentially, would've made me feel their connection to each other more, which is probably my biggest issue.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Duffy and Riggs story. Duffy catches Riggs in a compromising position with her married high-profile boss and takes advantage of the situation by blackmailing him into marriage for her visa that is about to expire. Riggs agrees to it to get his own boss off his back and to prevent it coming out that he is the billionaire he is. They bump heads and eventually give into their attraction to become f-buddies while married and waiting for the immigration meeting and end up catch feelings for the first time with one another. There is some ex drama, some secrets revealed, some baggage they both have to work through, and some sexy times...and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Duffy and Riggs POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good for the most part. The beginning felt slow. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well otherwise.
Instalove: No, more like hate-to-f-buddy-to-more
H (Hero) rating: 3.5 stars. Riggs. I liked him but he really was immature a lot of the time.
h (heroine) rating: 3 stars. Duffy. I struggled with her a lot at first but I appreciated her character growth by the end.
Sadness level: Low/moderate. I shed a few tears but didn't get as emotional as I thought it would.
Sex scene with OW or OM: Yes (view spoiler)[there is a scene at the very beginning of the H and the h's boss, who is his f-buddy (hide spoiler)]
Cheating: Not between mcs
Separation: Yes (view spoiler)[They are separated shortly, and both said there were no other partners during this time. (hide spoiler)]
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[Loss of a parent/child abandonment (off page), loss of a parent to Huntington's Disease (on page), cheating by side character (off page), the H was a manwhore before the h (mostly off page), and growing up in poverty (off page) (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This ends in a cute place with what I would call a HEA ending (view spoiler)[they're still married and she is pregnant (hide spoiler)]
Safety: This one should be either Safe with exception or Not Safe for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences (view spoiler)[ - Does Not have cheating - Does have a descriptive sex scene with the H and OW - Does have both the h and H pushing away - Does have a separation between the h and H - Does Not have abuse - Does have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]...more
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise, the tension, and the characters.
The Not-So-Good: the fact that we go from the big conflict solution 3.5 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise, the tension, and the characters.
The Not-So-Good: the fact that we go from the big conflict solution right into a HEA in an epilogue. It made it feel kinda like it wasn't fully resolved.
The Bad: Not necessarily bad, but the H's daughter's reaction and continued feelings were a little annoying to me.
Overall: This author has a tough job of writing the next Still Beating! Even though I tried not to, the idea of some yummy similar angst was super enticing and I know that I had my hopes way too high. I didn't dislike this or anything! I enjoyed their connection, I cried, and I liked the characters. I just think I did it to myself with setting those expectations up there. Overall, it was an enjoyable forbidden romance, and if you like the romances that sit in the grey area, this will be a good read for you! If you haven't read Still Beating yet, read this first -- then make sure to read that one ...more
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise and the side characters.
The Not-So-Good: The lack of chemistry.
The Bad: The lack of emotional connect2.5 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise and the side characters.
The Not-So-Good: The lack of chemistry.
The Bad: The lack of emotional connections. The abrupt ending.
Overall: This had the potential of being a fun fantasy story but I struggled to connect to the characters and I don't think it was all that romantic. Yes, they form feelings for each other. But I didn't feel any emotional connection to those feelings. I didn't feel anything past entertained by the fantasy aspect/different world/kingdom politics of it. It might be because of the lack of steamy scenes, but I don't think so. Even the kissing scenes were very meh. Since the scenes are towards the end and the whole book had mostly been told by that point, I would expect some tension or feelings of something with those kisses! Nope, just meh, they kissed ...more
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise, made family aspect, and the H's son.
The Not-So-Good: The unanswered questions in the end that I had 3.5 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise, made family aspect, and the H's son.
The Not-So-Good: The unanswered questions in the end that I had.
The Bad: The ending. I wanted way more closure.
Overall: This was a cute single dad/athlete story. I also liked that the h had a career too. I liked the side characters and the made family they have by the end. The H's son was too cute and their interactions with him were probably what stood out to me as my favorite. The ending was underwhelming, sadly, as I did enjoy the rest of it for the most part.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Miller and Kai's story. Kai went through yet another nanny when his coach tells him he is going to use his daughter, Miller, who is taking a break after being burnt out from being a famous pastry chef that travels around consulting menus for fine restaurants. They bump heads at first but then start to see more in each other than they initially had and become important to each other. There are some sweet moments with the H's son, some funny scenes, and some some sexy times...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Miller and Kai's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good until the very end. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well.
Instalove: No, they take a while to develop deeper feelings.
H (Hero) rating: 4 stars. Kai. I liked him and especially how he was for his son.
h (heroine) rating: 3.5 stars. Miller. I liked her but I was also frustrated with how she pushed the H away.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes (view spoiler)[ they both push away (h more so) and also pursue the relationship at times (H more so) (hide spoiler)]
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: No, just mild jealousy
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: Yes (view spoiler)[They are separated for a while (couple weeks/month?), but there was no mention or suggestion of other partners during this time. (hide spoiler)]
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[Loss of a parent/child abandonment (off page) and the H is ~7 years older than the h (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This ends too abruptly for my liking. I would call it a HFN ending (view spoiler)[they get engaged (hide spoiler)]
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers (view spoiler)[ - Does Not have cheating - Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with OW/OM - Does have both the h and H pushing away - Does have a separation between the h and H - Does Not have abuse - Does Not have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]...more
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The H's daughter. The side characters. The H's pursuit at the beginning.
The Not-So-Good: The pacing.
The Bad: The 2.5 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The H's daughter. The side characters. The H's pursuit at the beginning.
The Not-So-Good: The pacing.
The Bad: The dramatic elements.
Overall: This had a lot going on but I surprisingly didn't feel all that invested in the end. While I did enjoy the un-dates and the interactions with the H's daughter, I felt as though the rest of it was a little much while being shallow at the same time. I know I probably don't make sense, but it felt like drama elements thrown in for the sake of drama elements and that they weren't necessarily evoking the feels like I'm sure they were intended to do. Idk! Overall, I just thought it was meh ...more
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise and the relationship among brothers.
The Not-So-Good: The chemistry, both romantic and sexual.
The Bad: T3 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise and the relationship among brothers.
The Not-So-Good: The chemistry, both romantic and sexual.
The Bad: The ending.
Overall: This was an alright read. Especially because it was a freebie! Not anything spectacular and not anything that has me ranting because it was so upsetting either. I was a little bored but I never skimmed and I definitely think it could've had better chemistry and a better ending. Just okay for me.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Magdalena and Rook's story. Magdalena is trying to hire a fake boyfriend for her yearly birthday dinner at home, only she approaches the wrong man at the diner. Rook is a little bored with life after retiring as a hit man, so when this case of mistaken identity lands at his feet -- he decides to play along. What neither of them expect is to run into trouble and get kidnapped together. There is some family drama, some suspenseful scenes, and some sexy times...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Magdalena and Rook's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Alright. I never skimmed but I did feel like it was slow at times.
Instalove: No, while it is quick in the grand scheme of things, it didn't feel insta.
H (Hero) rating: 3 stars. Rook. I liked his protectiveness over the h, but didn't feel necessarily connected to him.
h (heroine) rating: 3 stars. Magdalena. I liked how she was strong but other than that...meh.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Not really
Heat level: Alright. They have some alright tension and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story. I felt like it was lacking chemistry.
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[Violence/Kidnapping/torture /attempted rape/drugging/murder (on page), the H was a hit man before meeting the h, and the H is older than the h (~14 years?) (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This ending in an alright place but I felt like the epilogue was more about the h's family drama than giving us the good closure for their relationship. I would call it a HFN even though I'm sure others will be fine calling it a HEA (view spoiler)[they're living together and about to get married (hide spoiler)]
Safety: This one should be either Safe or Safe with exception for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences (view spoiler)[ - Does Not have cheating - Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with OW/OM - Does Not have the h or H pushing away - Does Not have a separation between the h and H - Does Not have abuse by mcs - Does Not have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]...more
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The sexy times and premise.
The Not-So-Good: The lack of depth in characters.
The Bad: The last 1/4 of the book fel2.5 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The sexy times and premise.
The Not-So-Good: The lack of depth in characters.
The Bad: The last 1/4 of the book felt repetitive in the drama and lacking plot-wise.
Overall: This was what I consider pure smut. Nothing wrong with that! If that's what you're looking for, this was a pretty steamy read that will be right up your ally! I just got bored and ended up skimming.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Vanessa and Reed's story. Vanessa is shocked to find a man in her family's cabin where she goes to film her secret sex videos with her alternate personality. Reed just got out of prison and isn't expecting to see his best friend's sister all grown up and tempting. They had a secret encounter years prior that neither of them forgot, and the sparks fly instantly. When Vanessa reveals what she's there for, Reed is furious, but after a while and realizing how much money they could make which he needs, he starts participating in her videos. There is some family drama, some sweet moments, and a good bit of sexy times...and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Vanessa and Reed's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Alright. I did skim the last few chapters because I wasn't feeling it anymore, but that could've been a me thing and not the pacing.
Instalove: No, but some feelings were there from their past.
H (Hero) rating: 3.5 stars. Reed. I liked how protective he was of the H.
h (heroine) rating: 3.5 stars. Vanessa. I liked her strength and sassiness.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Not really
Heat level: Hot. They have some hot tension, chemistry, and many scenes -- and I would call this smut because the amount of it (vs erotic romance where it's balanced more on the romance part)
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: No
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: No
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[ The h is the H's best-friend's sister, the H was in prison for robbing and assaulting a man to the point he had brain damage (off page), loss of parents (off page), parent with dementia (partially on page), and the H is ~11 years older than the h (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This ends in a pretty good place with what I would call a HEA ending (view spoiler)[they got married (hide spoiler)]
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers (view spoiler)[ - Does Not have cheating - Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with OW/OM - Does Not have the h pushing the H away - Does Not have a separation between the h and H - Does Not have abuse - Does have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]...more
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise, the opposites attract aspect, and the characters.
The Not-So-Good: The pacing towards the end and how3.5 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise, the opposites attract aspect, and the characters.
The Not-So-Good: The pacing towards the end and how we didn't get an explanation of how the drama with the h's dad impacted everything else (especially the H)
The Bad: The ending and lack of closure.
Overall: This was different! It has the storyline where people from totally opposite lifestyles connect despite their differences -- which I'm always a sucker for. The H was really darkly intense and the h was sugar sweet, so they were kind of an awesome match! I didn't like how they were separated up until the very end and how it ended. I also didn't like that the epilogue/very last chapter was more about setting up the next book than about giving us more closure. Other than that? I enjoyed it.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Alex and Xi's story. Alex is the mega rich daughter of a senator that finally gets to get away from his severe expectations when she goes off to college a few months after a traumatic event. She constantly meets Xi, a guy from the wrong side of town, when she finds herself in need of saving. They start up an intense relationship that gets messy quickly when feelings develop and secrets are exposed. There are some suspenseful moments, some big changes, and some sexy times...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Alex and Xi's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well.
Instalove: No, they take a while to develop stronger feelings (instalust for sure)
H (Hero) rating: 4 stars. Xi. I liked him, but it feels weird saying that. He was probably a sociopath that became obsessed about the h and did some crazy things without hesitation ...more
Overall: This was right up my ally since I 2.5 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise. The h.
The Not-So-Good: The ending.
The Bad: The conflict.
Overall: This was right up my ally since I have a weakness for fake-to-real or arranged marriage type stories, only this fell flat for me. I liked the h but I felt like I never really connected with the H. Beyond lust, I didn't really feel the progression to feelings or even the tension that typically comes with these stories (at least the good ones), and then on the flip side, it felt like a switch was flipped and then it became a little too fluffy. The conflict was weird (view spoiler)[with the brother in law (hide spoiler)] -- I'm still confused what that was about! I'm giving it a little less than 3 "just okay" stars.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Saoirse and Luca's story. They meet at a house party and have a steamy encounter that gets interrupted only to meet soon after from mutual friends. Saoirse is also working as a temp in Luca's family business. Luca is told he needs to change his image and get married for his newly appointed CEO position, and he propositions Saoirse for a temporary arrangement. They dance around each other but finally give in to their attraction and start to develop feelings. There is some family drama, some sweet moments, and some sexy times...and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Saoirse and Luca's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Alright. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well for the most part, but it did feel a little slow for the last 1/4 or so.
Instalove: No, they take a while to develop stronger feelings.
H (Hero) rating: 3 stars. Luca. I thought he was okay. He still kind of felt like a mystery in some ways.
h (heroine) rating: 4 stars. Saoirse. I liked her. I liked her self confidence, strength, and kindness.
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: No, just some mild jealousy
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: No
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[ Marriage of convenience (on page), messily divorced parents (mostly off page), and embezzlement/cyber stalking/other criminal behavior (side character off page) (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This ends in an alright place with what I would call a HEA ending (view spoiler)[they're still married (hide spoiler)] even though I would've liked a farther glimpse into their future.
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers (view spoiler)[ - Does Not have cheating - Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with OW/OM - Does have both the h and H pushing away - Does Not have a separation between the h and H - Does Not have abuse - Does have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]...more
The Not-So-Good: The conflict. Too fluffy and easy for me.
The Bad: The lack of connections. My connec2.5 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise.
The Not-So-Good: The conflict. Too fluffy and easy for me.
The Bad: The lack of connections. My connections to the characters. The connection between them. And my overall connections to the book. Didn't feel any of it.
Overall: I'm honestly surprised I finished this one tbh. It was so fluffy and actually pretty boring. The characters were meh, their tension was meh, the sexy times were meh, and the conflict was meh. Overall, I'm rating this below "just okay" because I really probably should've just called it quits and found a better book for me. This might be great for those of you that like the H falls for the h hard and expresses it easily, full of fluff, no angst type reads!
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Ellie and Zach's story. Ellie gets a temp job as a new private practice doctor's assistant that she desperately need to save up money to go to Le Cordon Bleu. Zach is having some issues because he is enjoying this new time away from medicine to focus on writing the mystery novel he's been writing for a while but never had the time to commit to, so he keeps putting off Ellie and her attempts at helping him set up his practice to start seeing patients. They end up snowed in together and that is when their relationship changes and they start to develop feelings for one another. There are some sweet moments and some sexy times...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Ellie and Zach's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good, I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well.
Instalove: Kind of because it didn't feel all that developed.
H (Hero) rating: 2.5 stars. Zach. He was so...bland.
h (heroine) rating: 2.5 stars. Ellie. She was okay, I guess but her constant references to her previous relationship got really old.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes (view spoiler)[ the h pushes away and I'd say the H is the main pursuer of the relationship (hide spoiler)]
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Not really (view spoiler)[ the h carries a good bit of baggage from her ex and this causes some issues for the couple, but not the ex specifically (hide spoiler)]
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: Yes (view spoiler)[They are separated shortly (week/s?), but there was no mention or suggestion of other partners during this time. (hide spoiler)]
Possible Triggers: Yes, but mild (view spoiler)[Verbal/emotionally abusive ex (h off page) and h was cheated on by ex (off page) (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This ends in an okay place but I would call it a HFN ending (view spoiler)[they're living together and get engaged (hide spoiler)]
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers (view spoiler)[ - Does Not have cheating - Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with OW/OM - Does have the h pushing the H away - Does have a separation between the h and H - Does Not have abuse by mcs - Does Not have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]...more
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The mystery, the premise, the main characters.
The Not-So-Good: The ending. I wanted a farther glimpse into their 3.5 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The mystery, the premise, the main characters.
The Not-So-Good: The ending. I wanted a farther glimpse into their future (view spoiler)[maybe married with their own children at the community event (hide spoiler)]
The Bad: The amount of POVs. It worked at times, but otherwise it was just a little too much.
Overall: This was a fun surprise! I've kinda been digging the romantic suspense sub-genre lately! So, if anyone has some recommendations-- please send them my way!
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Meg and Blake's story. Famous true-crime author Meg gets challenged on live tv to write the story of her sister's murder. Her fiancé breaks up with her and says that she might need to write it for closure so she can fully commit to someone. So she heads back home after a really long time to write the story. There's only a few people happy to see her and she finds resistance everywhere with the idea of bringing up the worst moment in the town's history. There are some secrets revealed, some suspenseful moments, and some sweet and sexy times...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between many characters (mainly the mcs) in 3rd person narrative.
Overall Pace of Story: Good for the most part. It did take me a little bit to get into this, but once I did it mostly flowed well (with some slow parts with side characters that I skimmed a little).
Instalove: No, but some old feelings rush back when they are reunited.
H (Hero) rating: 4.5 stars. Blake. I really liked him. I appreciated how he was patient for the h and was protective of her, his brother, and his son.
h (heroine) rating: 4 stars. Meg. I liked her. I appreciated how strong and calm she was in the face of danger.
Sadness level: Low/moderate. I shed a few tears but never needed any tissues.
Push/Pull: Yes (view spoiler)[ the h pushes away a good bit and I'd say the H is the main pursuer of the relationship (hide spoiler)]
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes (view spoiler)[the h thinks she wants to win back her ex fiancé when she reunites with the H and this causes some jealousy (hide spoiler)]
Sex scene with OW or OM: No, just side character
Cheating: Not mcs (view spoiler)[ The h's ex cheated on her (off page but one scene with OW) and she is separated when she gets with/restarts feelings with the H (hide spoiler)]
Separation:Not on page (view spoiler)[They are separated for ~18 years (I think), but this is when the story begins and their previous relationship was off page (hide spoiler)]
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[murder/rape (on page through memories), assault/kidnapping/violence (on page), the H has a son with his dead ex (on page), and loss of a spouse to cancer (off page) (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This ends in a good place but I wanted much more for the couple. I would call this a HFN ending even though the mystery is all solved.
Safety: This one should be either Safe or Safe with exception for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences (view spoiler)[ - Does Not technically have cheating - Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with (side character and) OW - Does have the h pushing the H away - Does have a separation between the h and H (off page) - Does have abuse - Does Not have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]...more
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