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
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise, the side characters, the emotions, and the paper rings.
The Not-So-Good: The vague details of their dat4 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise, the side characters, the emotions, and the paper rings.
The Not-So-Good: The vague details of their dating lives while separated and I wanted the H's POV.
The Bad: The length of their separation and horrible communication.
Overall: This was a fun surprise! I'll fully admit that I do judge a book by its cover! While this illustration is perfectly cute and nothing aesthetically wrong with it per se, I've come to be cautious with these types of covers. I've found that the cutesy illustrated covers are usually over hyped and often disappointing reads. Don't hate me ...more
Quick Opinion:. I was disappointed in the ending tbh. I even skimmed a good bit because it felt like it was a never ending and repetitive inter3 Stars
Quick Opinion:. I was disappointed in the ending tbh. I even skimmed a good bit because it felt like it was a never ending and repetitive internal battle the h was going through with herself and I was over it. I felt like it was slow and stretched out to then end abruptly -- which if you follow my reviews, you know I hate! I wanted much more of a HEA. I would barely classify it as that because the ending sucked and was in the same chapter as the conflict resolution -- which, again, is something I also usually hate! Overall, it was an enjoyable trilogy. I liked the Greek mythology aspect. I know there is at least one more book (if not more) of side characters which could give me more closure should I read them, but I'm not super eager to do that rn.
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise and the story's potential.
The Not-So-Good: The ending. I know I didn't sign up for the extended epilogu3 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise and the story's potential.
The Not-So-Good: The ending. I know I didn't sign up for the extended epilogue because I'm stubborn like that, but it wasn't enough closure the way it was written for me.
The Bad: The lack of emotional connections to both the characters and the story itself.
Overall:This was alright. I wanted more of an emotional connection to the story than I got, because this had some great potential to be a pretty angsty read. I liked the characters, but they too felt lacking. I wanted more depth all around I guess. I didn't hate it, but I definitely am part of the minority, yet again it seems, in not loving it ...more
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise and the characters.
The Not-So-Good: The mcs didn't really have a conflict to overcome.
The Bad: Not ne3.5 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise and the characters.
The Not-So-Good: The mcs didn't really have a conflict to overcome.
The Bad: Not necessarily bad, but the main reason for not giving a higher rating is my lack of emotional connection to the story.
Overall: This was enjoyable. I like the mob/bad guy theme every once in a while and this was good enough that I think I'll look into the rest of the series. If any of you have a recommendation as to which other book from this series to read next, please share! I liked the characters and it's no secret I'm a sucker for both arranged marriage and disabled mc themes, so this worked for me. I just wanted more depth of feelings while reading it. Especially because I felt like there was the potential for them!
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Sienna and Drago's story. Sienna gets forced into an arranged marriage by the Don of a crime family that her older brother works for. Drago wants the relationship with the Italian mob boss to improve after previous issues. Sienna is expected to spy on the Serbian mob boss, but she quickly realizes that she likes his family and him too much to put them in danger, so this causes some conflict for her. There are some suspenseful scenes, some sweet moments, and some sexy times...and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Sienna and Drago's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well.
Instalove: No, but instant attraction (view spoiler)[he claims he fell in love at first sight later, but he wasn't saying or thinking it at that point (hide spoiler)]
H (Hero) rating: 4 stars. Drago. I liked him. He was OTT possessive and might not be everyone's favorite, but I liked him.
h (heroine) rating: 3.5 stars. Sienna. I liked her. She was quirky and funny, but I think I wanted her to allow herself to be more vulnerable with the H.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes, but mild (view spoiler)[ the h pushes away emotionally for a while, but it was pretty mild (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
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: No
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[Arranged marriage/blackmail/criminal activity/murder (on page), loss of loved ones (off page), the h was a virgin (on page), the H has partial hearing loss (on page), and the H is ~15ish (?) years older than the h's 20 (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This has a few jump ahead epilogues that we're cute and gave good closure, so I would call this a HEA (view spoiler)[they're still married with 3 children (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 emotionally - Does Not 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 banter/dialogue and premise.
The Not-So-Good: I liked the H so much that I wanted the h to consider him a little 4 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The banter/dialogue and premise.
The Not-So-Good: I liked the H so much that I wanted the h to consider him a little more at times.
The Bad: The closure, or lack there of.
Overall: This was better than expected! Sadly, it still didn't quite hit the mark for me though. I liked it and I was feeling this it had the potential for being on my favorites shelf about halfway through, but sadly it didn't end that way for me. I needed way more closure than what we got. I wanted scenes of them making their permanent lives together! I wanted scenes where they worked through the h's trauma! I felt like the ending was way too abrupt and left me with way too many questions. I loved the instant banter and dialogue between the mcs and the premise was super cute. I also wasn't mad about the idea of mental illness and making them more human with their struggles. I just needed some...more in the end. Still a win with 4 stars from me though!
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Emma and Justin's story. Emma reaches out to a Reddit post that Justin wrote about having a curse of the people he breaks up with go on to meet their soulmate next because she has the same curse. They start texting and Justin comes up with the idea that if they date each other they could break the curse, so they give it a try. Only life gets complicated with the appearance of Emma's abusively flighty mom and Justin now being in possession of his three younger siblings, making an already gun-shy Emma even more scared. There are some cute and funny moments, some past trauma they have to work through, and some sweet moments...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Emma and Justin's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well (up until the abrupt ending).
Instalove: No, but instant connection (they do claim to have loved each other from first site at the end)
H (Hero) rating: 4.5 stars. Justin. I liked him a lot. I think I just wanted him to be a little more alpha ...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 first part of the story.
The Not-So-Good: The pacing.
The Bad: The mush.
Overall: This was cute. I can3 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise and first part of the story.
The Not-So-Good: The pacing.
The Bad: The mush.
Overall: This was cute. I can see where many readers might love this. I honestly liked the first half-ish better because of the angsty feelings I got. Once they get together, it felt like a totally different story to me. It was too fluffy/mushy. While I can appreciate that they were exactly what each other needed, it was a little too quick and easy after that. I didn't hate it or anything, but I just felt like it was alright.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Chloe and Warren's story. Chloe finds out she is the next of kin for her biological mother's newborn. She knows that by being adopted herself after being taken away from her mother, that she has to step up for her new sibling and do all that she can. She gets approved as a guardian for all the requirements but steady income since she is a freelance graphic designer, so she gets paired up with Warren, who is in the same boat with his 15 year old brother and needs housing that Chloe already has secured. They move in together and while it is rough at first, they start to develop feelings,.... and get a HEA.
Point Of View (POV): This was told in Chloe's POV (with epilogue in Warren's).
Overall Pace of Story: It was alright. Once they got together, it got a little too mushy for my tastes and felt slow. I skimmed a little here and there because I didn't feel like anything was happening.
Instalove: Kind of, more like hate-to-love but it was like a switch was flipped
H (Hero) rating: 4 stars. Warren. I liked him. I appreciated how he cared for the h, her sister, and his brother. He did have his own issues, but he did seem to try to do the right thing by them.
h (heroine) rating: 3.5 stars. Chloe. I liked her strength and kindness. I did appreciate her character growth, especially because she didn't stick up for herself very well at first.
Sadness level: Low/moderate. I shed some tears in the first parts but never needed any tissues.
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[Addict parent/child abandonment/loss of parent to overdose/growing up in foster system (off page), anger issues (H mildly on page), and H's brother and h's adopted dad are deaf (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This ends with a cute jump ahead epilogue with what I would call a HEA ending (view spoiler)[they're married and have adopted the h's sister (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 have a separation between the h and H IMO - Does Not have abuse by mcs - Does have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]...more
I hate doing this, I really do. I was feeling nostalgic or something. I thought going back to something old of KA's that I never had read wouDNF @ 56%
I hate doing this, I really do. I was feeling nostalgic or something. I thought going back to something old of KA's that I never had read would help me out of this funk. Sadly, not so much. I was cautiously optimistic with this one because it had mediocre reviews, but I also thought why not? I was bored. Like mega bored. I'm limited on my reading time lately but this was a struggle to get this far. I guess in terms of pages, I probably would've finished any other book because this was listed as 700 pages! I got to the point where she added a dramatic element to keep the story going. It could've easily been finished with where it was but we had to have some stupid work drama thrown in. It was fun seeing the At Peace characters again, but not for another ~350 pages worth. Overall, a disappointment for sure....more
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise and the side characters.
The Not-So-Good: The lack of conflict and emotional connection for me as a read3 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise and the side characters.
The Not-So-Good: The lack of conflict and emotional connection for me as a reader.
The Bad: I wouldn't necessarily say this was "bad," but the fact that the HEA epilogue was right after the conflict was resolved is one of my pet peeves.
Overall: This was a cute, quick read. Nothing too memorable tbh since I even had to remind myself of their names when writing this review (granted I did sleep in between ...more
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The characters, the banter, the premise.
The Not-So-Good: The pacing. The depth of feelings as a reader.
The Bad: T2.5 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The characters, the banter, the premise.
The Not-So-Good: The pacing. The depth of feelings as a reader.
The Bad: The lack of real conflict and the ending.
Overall: This was cute and I definitely liked the beginning, where it sucked me in, the most. It was just a little too fluffy for me. It was too underdeveloped for some things and even felt rushed at times and this feels like it was because of the length. For example, their shared "ILYs" seemed sudden even though I'll admit they were headed that way. Not a win for me, but I'm sure others will really enjoy it!
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Abbi and Weston's story. They've both been crushing on each other as Abbi is a waitress at Weston's hockey team's after game hangout bar. When Abbi overhears that Weston offers himself up as a fake date for Thanksgiving, she decides to hire him because she needs a buffer to her uncomfortable step-step family's event. Weston isn't eager to have it end at Thanksgiving and ends up asking Abbi to act as his fake girlfriend for Christmas with his uncomfortable family dynamics. They start up a friends with benefits relationship that has them developing stronger feelings, there is some past baggage they have to work through, and there are some sexy times...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Abbi and Weston's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Alright. I thought this flowed well and I never skimmed, however, it was on the short side (245 pages on my kindle app) and I thought it could've been longer to include either more of a conflict, depth, or more closure.
Instalove: No, they take a while to develop stronger feelings (though their mutual crushes started before this happened)
H (Hero) rating: 3.5 stars. Weston. I liked how positive he always was and kind, but I also wanted him to allow himself to be a little vulnerable more often.
h (heroine) rating: 3.5 stars. Abbi. I appreciated her strength and how hard she tried to get past all the crappy life circumstances she was given, but I also wanted her to stick up for herself a little more.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes (view spoiler)[they both push away emotionally and they both pursue the relationship at times. (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)[an ex ONS comes to the H's house and expects more and the h overhears it all (hide spoiler)]
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: Kind of, but very short (view spoiler)[They are separated very shortly (day/s?), but there was no mention or suggestion of other partners during this time (though they were not really official to make it a separation) (hide spoiler)]
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[Sexual harassment (on page), loss of a parent (off page), parents with hostile divorce (partially on page), and the H was a manwhore/against relationships before the h (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This ends in an alright place but I would've liked a farther jump ahead to get what I would consider a HEA. I would call this a HFN ending.
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 have both the h and H pushing away - Does have a (short) 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 characters and side characters.
The Not-So-Good: The emotional connection amongst the characters and for me to2.5 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The characters and side characters.
The Not-So-Good: The emotional connection amongst the characters and for me towards the characters.
The Bad: The ending. Not at all KA level closure or HEA.
Overall: This was...underwhelming. I keep on living in a dream world, obviously, where I expect to get a book similar to the old KA that I love so much and reread way too often. Sadly, it is a dream world, because this was not that. It wasn't bad or anything, but I didn't connect in a way that it made me feel and if I was to assign one word for it, it would be "flat." I'm not quite sure why that word comes to mind, but it was the first one I thought of when I started writing this review.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Hellen and Core's story. Core has been assigned to keep an eye on Helen because her bad news cousin that has a rocky relationship with a fellow mc gave them the heads up that she's on her way to cause trouble. When Core finds Hellen and her friends getting into trouble, he makes his presence be known. They dance around each other but eventually give in to their attraction. There is some past baggage they have to work through, some secrets revealed, and some sexy times...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Hellen's POV and focusing on Core in 3rd person narrative.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well.
Instalove: Kind of. They move pretty quickly.
H (Hero) rating: 4 stars. Core. I liked him and how he didn't hesitate to show how much he cared for the h.
h (heroine) rating: 3.5 stars. Hellen. I liked her but wanted to shake her at times to communicate better.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes (view spoiler)[they both push away at one point and I'd say the H is the main pursuer of the relationship (hide spoiler)]
Heat level: Alright. They have some alright tension and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story. I thought it was a little lacking in chemistry tbh.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes (view spoiler)[the h's ex wants to get back together and they run into the H's ex and this causes some jealousy (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 (view spoiler)[ the H and his fellow MC members beat a woman close to death while high before meeting the h (off page), catfishing/criminal behavior (side characters), and drug use (marijuana - on page) (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This ends in an alright place but not with nearly enough closure or even close to the amount I've come to expect from KA (view spoiler)[they're living together and he's been forgiven by Rosalie (hide spoiler)], so I would call this a HFN.
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 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 on page - Does Not have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]...more
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise, the starting 3/4ish, the beginning angst, the H's daughter!
The Not-So-Good: The closure. I know I sa3.5 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise, the starting 3/4ish, the beginning angst, the H's daughter!
The Not-So-Good: The closure. I know I say below in the "bad" about the end, but I think there were too many other unanswered questions not necessarily about the mcs' romance that I felt I wanted closure with.
The Bad: The last 1/4ish. It started getting to be OTT drama and then it ended abruptly with not nearly enough closure! After ~448 pages on my kindle app, I invested a lot of time and attention for such a lackluster ending!
Overall: I was totally digging and excited about this book for the first probably 3/4ths! Then it took a turn to not turn out the way I was hoping. This author offers an extended epilogue if you sign up, but if you follow me you know I just don't do that. I am bummed that this turned into such fast-forward super drama! It was angsty enough with the bad timing they already had -- it didn't need the OTT soap opera stuff! I honestly don't know how to rate this one...
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Savannah and Levi's story. Savannah would seek out her friend, Levi, to escape her home growing up. When she runs away from home after they share their first kiss at 15, they think that goodbye is forever. Only they meet again at 18 and the feelings for each other flood back in. But their timing is bad again. Fast forward and Savannah is a famous rockstar and Levi is a single dad trying to get by with his architectural company. There are some secrets revealed, some hot sexy times and some sad and some sweet moments...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Savannah and Levi's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good until the end. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well.
Instalove: No, they've known each other most of their lives.
H (Hero) rating: 4 stars. Levi. I liked him. He was a good combo of sweet, protective, loyal, and sexy.
h (heroine) rating: 4 stars. Savannah. I liked her too. I appreciated her spunk and how she was loyal. I also loved her relationship with the H's daughter and her fans.
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: Hot. They have some hot 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's friend/band mate/ex causes some drama and their label demands that the h pretends to be engaged to him even though she told him no when he had proposed (hide spoiler)]
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: Yes (view spoiler)[They are separated for ~3 years and then ~8 years, and both of them had other partners during at least the 2nd time. (hide spoiler)]
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[Domestic violence/drug abuse and addiction by parent/assault/drug abuse and addiction by h (on page), date rape (side character), loss of a spouse to cancer (off page), the H has a daughter with his dead spouse (on page),the h is a stripper when they reunite at 18 (on page), and the h was a virgin (on page) (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This ends in an alright place but I felt like it was way too abrupt and not nearly enough. I would call it a HFN ending (view spoiler)[they've shared "ILYs" and are living together (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 have the h pushing the H away - Does have a few separations between the h and H - Does have abuse - Does Not have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]...more
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise, the banter, and the characters.
The Not-So-Good: The chemistry. I thought they had great banter, but 3.5 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise, the banter, and the characters.
The Not-So-Good: The chemistry. I thought they had great banter, but the steam/tension/chemistry was very mild.
The Bad: The ending. I wanted much more closure!
Overall: This was cute and enjoyable. I definitely wanted more in the end and I was disappointed because of it, but I didn't hate it or anything. I liked the characters, the banter, and the overall premise was good. I think this might be a new-to-me hr author I might look for in the future!
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Prudence and Gideon's story. Prudence and her sisters are on the run from their abusive grandfather. One of them must marry to be able to support themselves, so when their great uncle demands that Prudence, the oldest plain sister, has to be the first to find a husband -- this puts a wrench in their plans and quick timeline. Prudence makes up a secret betrothal to a hermit Duke she read about but when her uncle says he will call on him the next day, she must get ahead of her lie and get things in order. Only the infamous rake Gideon pretends to be his cousin, the Duke, and gets thrown into the middle of her antics. There are some secrets revealed, some funny moments, and a few sexy times...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between focusing on Prudence and Gideon in 3rd person narrative.
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: 4 stars. Gideon. I liked him. I liked how he was witty and smitten with the h in a not off putting way.
h (heroine) rating: 3.5 stars. Prudence. I liked her loyalty, strength, and how she was with her sisters.
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: Alright. They have some tension and a few scenes at the end -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes (view spoiler)[ there is an ex mistress of the H that causes a little bit of mild drama and the h believed to be betrothed to OM for 4.5 years prior but he was a scam artist and this causes drama too (hide spoiler)]
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: No, they aren't really considered together to be considered separated IMO
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[Loss of parents (off page), domestic violence/emotional abuse (mostly off page), and assault (on page) (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This ends kind of a abruptly and it was disappointing. I would've loved to see farther glimpse into their future with a true HEA. I would call this a HFN ending (view spoiler)[they get actually engaged(view 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 Not have a separation between the h and H - Does have abuse - Does Not have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)](hide spoiler)](hide spoiler)]...more
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise, revisiting the old characters, and the chosen family/teammates dynamics.
The Not-So-Good: The speed in 3 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise, revisiting the old characters, and the chosen family/teammates dynamics.
The Not-So-Good: The speed in which the drama was resolved towards the end. It was like someone hit the fast-forward switch and all sorts of things got ironed out very quickly
The Bad: The lack of emotional connection. There were some elements here that I felt had the potential for tapping into the feels, but didn't quite get there.
Overall: This still is not up to par with the Off Campus series where the h's parents get their story told. I think I've been waiting for that success from Ms. Kennedy every time I see a new release from her and jump right on it, but sadly I don't feel they are ever as good. I didn't hate it or anything, but I didn't necessarily connect emotionally like I wanted to either. It was a just okay 3 star read for me.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Gigi and Ryder's story. Ryder's school closes down and his hockey team is being absorbed by their rival, Briar college, where Gigi is a hockey player too. Ryder gets assigned as co-captain along with Gigi's ex and the two teams are not meshing at all. Ryder really wants the opportunity to help coach a charity hockey camp with Gigi's famous father and Gigi desperately wants to earn a spot on the US Olympic team, so they work out an agreement to get what they both want. Only they start up something else too when the tension gets too high and they start a friends with benefits agreement that eventually turns into more. There is some past baggage they both have to deal with, some current drama, and some sexy times...and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Gigi and Ryder'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.
H (Hero) rating: 4 stars. Ryder. I liked him. I appreciated how he became vulnerable and opened up towards the end.
h (heroine) rating: 3 stars. Gigi. I liked her independence and self confidence, but she ticked me off a little when/how she pushed the H away
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
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's ex is a co-captain of the H's hockey team and is still trying to win her back (hide spoiler)]
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: Not really. They get in a fight, but not necessarily "separated"
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[ H witnessed his father killing his mother when he was young (off page), H was in abusive foster homes (off page), and the h was cheated on by her ex (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This ends in a pretty good place but I would've like a farther glimpse into their future to see how it all worked out (view spoiler)[they're married (hide spoiler)]. I would call this a HEA ending.
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 by mcs - Does have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]...more
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise with the idea of unrequited love/arranged marriage/sister's man and the potential for some yummy angst.
T2 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise with the idea of unrequited love/arranged marriage/sister's man and the potential for some yummy angst.
The Not-So-Good: The speeches the H would give. They were super long and repetitive and then the h would be the martyr (doormat) that we were supposed to feel bad for......more
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise, the setting (bull riding sport), and the side characters.
The Not-So-Good: The build up. The build up t3 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise, the setting (bull riding sport), and the side characters.
The Not-So-Good: The build up. The build up to them being together, the build up to the conflict, and the build up to the end. Just kind of lacking imo.
The Bad: The ending. It was right after the conflict and not enough to call a HEA for me.
Overall: Eh, I liked the second book better. It very well could be the massive book slump I've been in too. I didn't hate it or anything, but I do feel pretty much apathetic about this one ...more
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise, the cult aspect, Maggie and her husband, and baby Chloe!
The Not-So-Good: The ending. I got some dece3.5 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise, the cult aspect, Maggie and her husband, and baby Chloe!
The Not-So-Good: The ending. I got some decent closure for the couple, but there were a lot of unanswered questions in the end for me.
The Bad: If I had to say something "bad," I think the closest for me was the fact that feelings were already developed when the story began. I would've liked to experience some of that in page! While I liked their connection, I think I could've felt it more if I did experience some of that development.
Overall: I liked this, but maybe not quite as much as I had hoped and built up my expectations for. I just wanted more, I guess. But, again, it's probably me just being really greedy ...more
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise. The fact that it was a second chance at love for both of them. And the blending of families/friends.
T2.5 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise. The fact that it was a second chance at love for both of them. And the blending of families/friends.
The Not-So-Good: The ending and overall focus on other storylines. It felt so disconnected at times. I feel as though only a small percentage of the story was actually about the couple. The epilogue was even focused mainly on side stories! If you haven't read the other books in the series, I imagine you would really struggle with this one. I also was annoyed with the constant political/advocacy talk in this one, but I do recognize that the rest in this series have the same spin -- so I guess I should've known better. I just like my books to be void of that stuff to be able to truly escape into new worlds...
The Bad: The lack of a connection among the mcs. I usually don't have that issue with KA, but I just didn't feel it here in this book. There were too many references to how they connected years prior on such a deep level and we didn't ever experience that. I didn't even feel like the sexy times were that connected, they felt like scenes for the sake of scenes tbh.
Overall: This was yet another disappointing KA read. I cannot help it! I just keep on seeking out her old magic in these new books! I read so many of my GR friends reviews where they liked this one too, but sadly, I ended up really struggling. I'll probably still read her next books, but I think I'm slowly but surely learning my lesson...
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Mika and Tom's story. They meet and instantly connect but Tom is married to another woman and Mika puts a stop to their budding friendship because she knows that they connected on a deep level and friendship wouldn't work. Years later, they reconnect after they have both lost loved ones and have grown children. There is some side drama, some blending of families, and some sexy times...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between mostly Mika's POV and focusing on Tom in 3rd person narrative, but some other parts were focused on side characters.
Overall Pace of Story: Meh. This was a little rough (see above).
Instalove:Yes, but not declared.
H (Hero) rating: 3.5 stars. Tom. I mostly liked him but his lack of self forgiveness got a little old.
h (heroine) rating: 3.5 stars. Mika. She was a little better than just alright. I appreciated her self confidence and how she bred that in her daughter.
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 has a f-buddy when he is reunited with the h, and they both have feelings for their previous spouses (hide spoiler)]
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[ Loss of a spouse (mostly off page), the H cheated on his wife (off page), rape (off page side characters), and rape coverups (off page) (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This ends with a pretty long epilogue but it was not focused that much on the couple. I would call this a HFN ending (view spoiler)[they've shared "ILYs" and moved in together (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 by mcs - 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 (one they get together) - Does Not have abuse by mcs - Does Not have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]...more
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