Book Review: It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey

I’m a bit all over the place with this one. It may be my favorite Tessa Bailey. It was good and I cared about these characters, but the romance was just a bit too rushed for me. 

People say this is grumpy/sunshine, but I don’t fully agree. Piper is very sunshine, but I don’t see Brendan as a grumpy hero. He’s exacting and set in his way, but not grumpy. I never would’ve expected it but the materialistic and vain heroine is becoming a favorite.

I do also like a fish-out-of-water trope and a small town romance so I shouldn’t be surprised I liked this. Both Piper and Brendon learn from each other. They push each other to grow and become better people which I’m a fan of in my romance. 

The romance was also very intense when it comes to sexytimes. I always forget Tessa Bailey does write steamier. It also was steamier than I expected from a traditionally published  novel. This is not a complaint.

I also really liked the relationship between Piper and Hannah. They are very supportive of each other and have a great sister bond. I’m definitely excited to read Hannah’s romance now.
Thanks for reading!
Holly

Book Review: The Little Android by Marissa Meyer

I re-read this for a YouTube video. This is also the first time I read it after reading the original story. It’s a fantastic retelling and I highly recommend it. 

I’m mainly writing this because I need to work through some stuff.

While reading this, I realized the little mermaid doesn’t have a name. Here, Mech6.0 doesn’t either until he names herself. The fact that she’s able to transform herself and name herself is so moving. It’s a small thing, but part of being an individual/human.

The original is very complex and I think this is, too. Both show a girl/womance/person seeking love and being disappointed/heartbroken. But I think it’s more complicated than that. I think Mech 6.0/Star thinks it’s love she wants, but it's really humanity and perhaps the ability to feel. ITsn’t that something we can all identify with.

I actually liked that the guy isn’t a bad guy. He is just attracted to and in love with someone else. That other woman, Miko, is also not a villain. She actually is very kind to Star and ultimately views her as a friend. I think this adds to the tragedy of the story.

Speaking of tragedy-that ending. It’s sad, but also has a hopeful element like the original. It shows the complexity of human life and emotion. Star was able to experience this complexity and I think it brought her some level of joy or peace.

If you read this whole thing, thanks for listening to my rambly thoughts. I really just needed to vomit out my experience.

Thanks for reading!
Holly

Book Review: The Marriage Contract by Katee Robert

This was fast and I cared about the characters more than I expected. It’s a little short and the romance was a bit rushed. I would’ve liked an epilogue, but I always would like an epilogue.

This is set around Boston Mob (all Irish I think) families, but the series follows the O’Malley siblings. Callie and Teague are getting married to consolidate power. They also both have some secrets. 

Callie and Teague are immediately attracted to each other. That’s not the same as insta-love, but it did feel like it moved quickly. I was mostly fine with it though. There’s some not talking to each other. Normally, I hate this, but it actually made sense why they kept their secrets.

I did grow to care about these characters and their families. I’m interested to see what happens with Teague’s siblings. They have a lot of different personalities so it’ll be fun to read their stories. This one wasn’t too dark or heavy although it does have sad stuff. But I think the future ones will be worse/darker. 

Overall this felt like Katee Robert, but a little more tame. I liked the audio especially because it included accents. Now, I have to decide if I want to pay to buy the rest on audio-I’m sure they’ll never go on sale.
Thanks for reading!
Holly

Book Review: Shenanigans by Sarina Bowen

I could not put this down. Sometimes a book just clicks with you. This was one of those. It was also great returning to the world of the Brooklyn Bruisers/Bombshells.

This had different tropes for me. I think I’ve only read one married in Vegas story so I didn’t know how I would feel. It was great so it may be a new trope for me. It does have a marriage of convenience vibes, so that could be why I like it. Neil is incredibly wealthy-like billionaire money-not just hockey money. I’m not always a fan of obnoxiously rich characters, but he was great. It helps that he’s fairly self-aware.

It’s also a hockey romance. I’m always on board for a hockey romance-especially if it’s written by Sarina Bowen. And both main characters were hockey players which makes me so happy. Both Neil and Charli are passionate about hockey. I’m just a sucker for that. 

Now, let’s get more into the romance. Bowen is an expert at pacing a romance. Neil is actually attracted to Charli and has been for awhile. He’s excited for this opportunity. She’s attracted to him, but not a fan of being involved with a hockey player, especially a filthy rich one. This causes some great push and pull tension. It was definitely steamy and you could feel the chemistry. But I really liked the little things. Neil would do very subtle things to show he cared about Charli. Sometimes he would just casually touch her. I’m a sucker for a a casual non-sexual touch. Quarantine may have made me like it even more.

The conflicts were a bit predictable, but that’s rarely an issue for me. I don’t want to go into details on that because…spoilers. There was one thing I thought would happen for Neil, but it didn’t. That actually made me happy.

I really liked how Bowen handled Neil’s diabetes. She showed how potentially dangerous it can be, but also you can have a normal life. My brother is diabetic so I see this often.

There are some mentions of SA. It’s brief, but I want to  provide a bit of a warning.

This has some very sweet and touching moments. It’s also funny and full of shenanigans. Bowen is really good at finding that balance. 

I listened to this on audio which I really enjoyed and recommend. Jason Clarke is definitely becoming a favorite. I'm not a fan of this cover though. It’s like uncanny valley Chris Pine. I’ll still buy a physical copy, but it’s a tad weird.

Should I re-read the previous books now?

Thank you for reading!

Holly

Book Review: Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim

I am obsessed. Obviously I thought I would like this but I didn’t expect to fall in love. There are some glossed-over things and I can see why people might have an issue, but this sucked me and didn’t let go.

This is pitched as Mulan meets Project Runway and it delivers on the premise. Maia pretends to be her brother to compete in a competition to be a Master Tailor for the emperor. That competition is definitely like Project Runway. There’s odd tools and materials and dramatic tasks. It’s an interesting plot point, but it does end about ⅓ of the way through. I think some readers wanted it to last longer.

Considering how much visual clothing design is, Lim executes this concept well. She thoroughly describes the clothes made by Maia. I also liked how she described the process and how Maia felt working on her craft. 

The romance is very prominent. As a romance reader this doesn’t bother me at all, but I can see people wanting less romance. It did occasionally feel like it was rushed. Maia does make some extreme choices for “love”. That half bothered me but also half felt like something an 18 year old would do. I do care about this romance and am on the edge of my seat about where it’ll go. 

Something that surprised me was Maia’s family. I did not expect to care about them so quickly. Lim obviously has some magic. 

Speaking of the magic-what is it? This may be the weakest part of the story. I don’t understand the magic at all. There appears to be rules, but we don’t get to know any of them. I can’t tell if it’s supposed to be a soft magic system or if Lim;’s just poorly explaining things. Maybe I’ll decide after teh second book.

While I’m invested in teh romance, the other plot is compelling, too. I’m not sure who we’re supposed to like or trust. That adds to the tension. It also means I have no idea what’s going to happen in the next book. Honestly, I don’t know what our endgame is.

They don’t have a lot in common, but this made me feel a lot like I felt when I read Poison Study. After I finish the second book it may be time for a Poison Study re-read. I’m definitely glad I gave Elizabeth Lim a chance.

Thanks for reading!
Holly

Book Review: Electric Idol by Katee Robert

I’m obsessed with this. I was nervous because book one occasionally felt disjointed, but this had none of that. And this had tons of similarities with the original Cupid/Psyche story. I thought it was a great adaptation.

Psyche. I loved her. She is confident and competent. I love a competent character. Her skill with social media and subtle manipulations were great. But she’s also a sweet character. That may sound like a contradiction, but it does work.

Eros is on the grumpy/brooding side. He’s been manipulated by his mom, Aphrodite, and is now her fixer. So he has done some bad things and that’s really messed him up. He views himself as a monster and undeserving of love. I thought this was a great twist on the monster aspect of the original story.

The romance is a marriage of convenience and has some Romeo & Juliet elements. Psyche and Eros’ moms are feuding and the stakes are high. They end up in a compromised situation and get married to try and get out of that. They’re attracted to each other, but know acting on that could cause more problems. So there’s some angst with the sexual tension. The steamy bits were just perfection. The passion lept off the page. And the scenes progressed the story and showed character development. Katee Robert is very good at using sex to explore her characters. And she certainly knows how to write a hot sex scene. She has magic.

The politics of Olympus were further explored here and I’m getting more invested. The stakes were raised. I also am getting invested in more characters. It’s hard because I never know if I’m supposed to like a character. Although Katee Robert will make you fall in love with a villain. I particularly want Psyche’s roaming two sisters to get a romance-especially Euridice. There’s so much there and I need it. Sadly, nothing’s been announced yet.

The next book will be connected to another family. I’m curious to get a different view on politics in the world. It’s also going to be poly. Fortunately, we only have to wait a few months.

Thanks for reading!
Holly

February Wrap-Up (2022)

I really felt the shortness of February this year. Probably because work was horribly busy. That did cause me to be pretty tired when I got home which cut into my reading.

I finally read The Flame and the Flower. I’ve wanted to read it for years because I think it’s a foundational text in the romance genre. And oh boy did I hate it. I did a reading vlog if you want to  heck that out.

Besides that it was a pretty good reading month. Below are the books I read with my ratings and some thoughts.

Thanks for reading!
Holly

Book Review: The Doctor by Nikki Sloane

Books like this still make me a bit uncomfortable, but I did enjoy myself. Riley from Riley Marie on YouTube said this is the middle ground between Penelope Douglas’ Birthday Girl and Katee Robert’s You’re Dad WIll Do. I see what she’s saying, but this is still very heavy on the banging bits.

This was very hot. Greg (I can’t take that name seriously for some reason) was a bit on the dominating side. Not in a jerky way, but in a kind of sexy way. He’s a father, but I wouldn’t say daddy if you know what I mean. I’m happy about the daddy talk in my books.

Cassidy was definitely young, I always would like a slightly older heroine. She just turns 20 during this. That’s a tad young for me, but I just aged her up in my head. But she was also on the immature side. Just in the way she reacted and the drama. Oh, everything was a big thing for her.

It’s been a bit, but this did feel like it had a lot of plot point similarities to Birthday Girl. It also happens basically the way you would expect. At one point, I literally thought of course this would be the conflict! It also was very fast. Cassidy breaks up with her boyfriend of 3 years and immediately falls in love with his dad. That always bothers me in my romance, but I think it’s part of the game. 

Nikki Sloane wrote a gripping and steamy book. I definitely see why she’s popular, and this worked for me. I do plan to read more of her books-especially if I can get them on audio.

Thanks for reading!
Holly

Book Review: Who Ate the First Oyster by Cody Cassidy

I love this type of nonfiction. It’s probably the pop music of non-fiction, but I’m here for it. And Cody Cassidy has another book in this vein which I’m excited about.

This takes a look at several firsts in human history-fire, clothes, murder, etc. Cassidy hypothesizes on who the person was to make the discovery/invention. It helps ground you in history. What’s presented is not 100% accurate-how could it be? But it is contextualized with the scientific knowledge we currently have.

The writing is approachable and easy to digest. And you could easily just read this chapter by chapter whenever you want to. You don’t have to read this all at once even though I did. I do recommend the audiobook though. 

Thanks for reading!
Holly

Book Review: Our Overtime by S.C. Kate

Why is starting a review so hard? 

This is a second chance romance which is one of my favorite tropes. It also has some pretty angsty moments. It also has a lot of hockey which I like in my romance. At times, the relationship dynamic reminded me of the District Ballet Company books. There are also moments of domestic violence if that bothers you. 

I read this in a few hours and was easily engaged. It kept me turning my figurative Kindle pages. But it was also a little bit lacking. Sometimes I needed breathing moments. That may have helped me connect more. The characters weren’t quite as flushed out as I would’ve liked. The romance was also a bit underdeveloped. I never really saw the love-especially when they reconnected. Instead, I was just told. I believe the romance, I just wanted it to be a bit more.

This does have closed door/fade-to-black scenes. Some people prefer that and others hate it, so I like to point it out. Personally, I don’t care as long as the romance is written well.

While this wasn’t my favorite, S.C. Kate has a lot of potential. She is still a new author and I think her books will get better as she practices her skill. I will continue to try books by her-especially if they’re still on Kindle Unlimited.

Thanks for reading!
Holly

Book Review: The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Anderson

I don’t normally write reviews for something this short, but I think I need to process what I just read. I’ve known the basics for years, but I didn’t know how much there was to this. Honestly, this was even more tragic than I expected. But it also has some hopeful bits.

I have no plans to avoid spoilers. You’ve been warned. 

This was longer than a lot of fairy tales I’ve read. I was happy with that because it feels like more than a parable or quick fable.

There’s some gruesome stuff here. There’s weird blood stuff and the thing where her feet hurt constantly while walking. I’ve only read one other Hans Christian Anderson story and it also has bloody feet stuff. Sir, what happened? Who wronged you?

Obviously, it’s very sad that the little mermaid gives up everything, including her life for a man who doesn’t care about her. But what really got me was the scene when her sisters came up to her. So many people/mermaids were heartbroken here.

The way the Prince talks to or about The Little Mermaid is so weird/uncomfortable. He treats her like a dog and she just laps up the little bits of attention.

I’m not sure what I was supposed to get out of this and the ending. Is there a religious message? What is it? Is she good because she sacrificed herself? Does she even regret anything? She’s a child! Is it a commentary on adolescence and rash judgment? Does Anderson dislike women? Does he think they should be meek? Or the opposite? Am I overthinking this?

I may need to change my rating to five stars since this is causing me to think so much. I will also be reading some scholarly stuff on this because I need more perspectives.

Thanks for reading!
Holly

Book Review: The Best Men by Sarina Bowen and Lauren Blakely

I definitely recommend reading the prequel novella. The audio is available for free on Sarina Bowen's YouTube channel. I think it sets up the story well and makes the beginning more clear.

This has a lot of tropes that I and many romance readers love. There's bickering, personality clashes, and some forced proximity. There's also "let's just bang...oops I fell in love." Mark is also a recently divorced dad with a daughter, Rosie.

The romance was fairly steamy. You could feel the chemistry jump off the page. Sometimes I would've liked Asher and Mark to talk a bit more, but I still buy their love story. They do have pretty good banter.

I've read a couple Lauren Blakely books so I don't really know her style. This definitely had a lot of the hallmarks of a Sarina Bowen book though. It was funny and I love when she includes bits of her financial background. I also work in that area so I'm sure that's why I like it. Although this was a lot lighter than most of her books. It kind of gave me Good Boy vibes.

Oh, I really liked the friendships here, too. They were mostly little short bits, but they were so good. I love a positive and supportive friendship. They also help make the story feel more flushed out.

Disclaimer: I received a copy from the author. This is my honest review.

Thanks for reading!
Holly

January Wrap-Up (2022)

2022 is off to a great start-at least when it comes to reading. I finished 17 books and really enjoyed most of them. I did have one DNF. But I think that was really just the audiobook narrator not working for me.

I honestly don’t know what happened in my personal life. It was a huge blur. There was a winter storm and it was on a weekend. That was nice because I could enjoy the beauty of the snow without the stress of driving in it.

I also read my first Nikki Sloane book this month. It was gripping and I definitely want to read more books by her. Below are all the books I read this January along with some quick thoughts.

Thanks for reading!
Holly

Book Review: Super Hot Wingman by Sarina Bowen and Lauren Blakely

This was a surprise. It’s a little prequel novella before The Best Men and I didn’t know we were getting this. It made me even more excited for the full-length story. 

This mostly follows Mark who is a divorced father. His sister starts dating Asher’s best friend so they spend time together. There’s attraction between them, but they also have completely different personalities. This just sets up the tension and I’m here for it. I love a good personality story difference that pushes both characters. 

The ending was great and engaging. It definitely set me up to want to pick up the full-length story.

Teddy Hamilton and Jacob Morgan did a great job with the narration. I mean would you expect anything else? Definitely check it out-Sarina Bowen posted the audio on her YouTube channel.

Thanks for reading!
Holly

Book Review: Hearts in Darkness by Laura Kaye

I picked this up after it was recommended in a YouTube video. I read it in almost one sitting and will continue the series. It could easily stand alone, but I love more character development so I definitely want more.

This basically takes place in a 24-hour time period. So, you could argue it's insta-love, but I’m ok with that. Maybe it helps that I know there’s more to come. 

Caden was in a car accident as a kid and is still dealing with trauma from that. So, he doesn’t react well to being trapped in a dark elevator wll. But talking to Makenna helps ground him.

Makenna felt a bit like she just existed for Caden. I hope she becomes more developed and isn’t just a perfect angel designed to save him.

I really just wanted this to be more emotionally raw. And that was something I really wanted-sometimes you just want a book to give you a good cry-or at least I do. Again, the next book may have that especially since it looks to be longer. I’m sure I’ll find out soon. 

Thanks for reading!
Holly

Book Review: The Simple Wild by K.A. Tucker

This is such a popular book. Even people who don’t love the sequel(s), give it high praise. I like an enemies-to-lovers thing. And I’m drawn to stories set in Alaska. But this felt like Mariana Zapata.

So, I liked it well enough, but I don’t see what other people do.

Now, I’m not a big fan of single first person romances. 99% of the time I don't buy or connect to the romance. I definitely had that issue here. The ending was also a bit abrupt for me. The next book may fulfill that need, but I’m not sure I care enough to seek it out. 

I liked a lot of the characters individually. Calla could be unlikable-she’s fairly vain, but I have no issues with characters who care about their appearance. I actually was happy Ms. Tucker made the choice not to write a “not like other girls” heroine. Jonah was the weaker part of the romance. Getting his POV could’ve helped with this. Instead he came across a bit childish. Simon was a scene stealer though. He was so kind and precious. I always love a positive stepfather character in my books.

While the romance wasn’t my favorite, I did enjoy some of the other relationships. Mable was a great character and I liked her and Calla’s sister-like connection. I actually would like a story for Mable when she’s older.

Then, there’s Calla’s relationship with her dad, Wren. They’re reconnecting because he has cancer. He has strong Charlie from Twilight vibes and I mean that in the best possible way. Ms. Tucker developed that relationship in a very real way. I was worried it would be rushed or forced, but it wasn’t. The way their story was resolved wasn’t what I expected, but I think it was the right choice.

I realized I’ve actually never read a KA Tucker story before. I will read another book or two by her, but probably not right away. She may be another author who just isn’t quite for me. 

Thanks for reading!
Holly

2021 Wrap-Up and 2022 Reading Goals

Last year was even more of a blur than the previous year. Maybe it’s the state of the world or maybe it’s that thing where as you get older and time goes faster. It could be a little bit of both.

It was also a very rough year for me emotionally. While my anxiety was better, I often felt depressed or lethargic. I also felt lonely a lot. I’ve always been happy with my own company-my mom is the same. But this year I felt my aloneness in a way I never have before. Again maybe getting older and still being single is part of that. 

I did read a lot: over 250 books. I’m very happy with that, especially since I didn’t finish a single book in November or December. I did have a secret goal to read 365 books that I obviously didn’t accomplish. I’m a bit disappointed, but am happy I didn’t push myself to read when I didn’t want to.

I read a ton of audiobooks and I think that was a factor in how many books I finished. I also discovered some new favorite authors like Lauren Rowe and Cara Bastone. I also gave Katee Robert a second chance which was a great choice. Now, I’m obsessed with her and even support her on Patreon.

Below are some of the stats on my year of reading that I like to track.

Star Ratings

Genres Read

Age Category

Book Source

Book Format

I have one main goal for 2022-to read 100 books. That’s usually my only goal because it’s low pressure and I like my reading to be fun and not an obligation. I would like to also finish a bunch of the series I have on my TBR shelf. At the end of last year, I  did a YouTube video on series I need to finish.

There’s also a video up where I review last year and talk about my goals.

Thanks for reading!
Holly

Book Review: Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert

Where do I start?

I think I like this a bit more than the first book. A lot of that is because of Zafir. Talia Hibbert has a specific voice which is a bit like other British authors I’ve read, but still her own. There’s something about it I still don’t 100% connect with, but I don’t know why. I have had this problem with other British authors. I’ll definitely keep reading her books though.

Let’s talk characters. Zafir is a gem. He’s a sweet cinnamon roll of a man. He’s so easy to like and care about. Zaf deals with anxiety and has grieved a lot. Because of this he has learned about dealing with emotions and works to help teenage boys manage their emotions. He’s also romantic, observant, and a lover of romance novels.

Then, there’s Dani. She’s a much harder character to connect with. I think that was a purposeful character choice. She is incredibly focused on her career and is a tad prickly. I think Dani is the kind of person who would be a great friend, but you have to work hard to build that friendship. 

The romance was good. They both are attracted to each other. Zaf has a crush on Dani and she wants a physical no-strings attached relationship. After a viral video linking them together, they decide to fake-date. It progresses as expected. Sometimes Dani’s behavior was frustrating, but I understand why she is that way. Zaf, unsurprisingly, is a great partner. 

Just like the first one, there’s quality family relationships here. The Brown sisters clearly love and support each other. Gigi, the grandmother, is also wonderful. Zaf’s family is also loving and supportive. My only issue would be that I’d love some more of them, especially his mom because they’re so great.

Thanks for reading!
Holly