Tag: 5-Star

Book Review:: Play Along | Liz Tomforde

Play Along is the 4th book in the Windy City spicy sports romance series by Liz Tomforde. If you’re a fan of sports romance, this series is a must read. Play Along lives up to the same meant-to-be, charged with heat romance, and it has the same deep heart healing running through it too.

Play Along Liz Tomforde Book Cover

Isaiah Rhodes (pro shortstop) and Kennedy Kay (an athletic physical therapist for his pro baseball team) met in a bathroom on a bad day for them both. Three years later, they get drunk as skunks and married in Vegas so Kennedy can feel some sense of power in her f*cked up family dynamic. The next morning the real world comes at them like the world’s worst hangover, and they realize that if Kennedy is really going to get what she wants (professionally), they’ll have to play out this marriage like it’s real for the whole baseball season. The only problem is Isaiah has a very real thing for Kennedy, and she is looking forward to having actual freedom for the first time in her life – which means D-I-V-O-R-C-E, A.S.A.P.

I love this series. Tomforde has built up a big ol’ cast of characters that are supportive and spunky and endearing and sprinkled throughout each other’s stories. Isaiah is the younger brother of Kai, the hero of my favorite book in the series, Caught Up. But man, Isaiah really gives Kai a run for his money. I’m honestly conflicted at this point on which to claim as my favorite, but in the end it doesn’t matter – they’re both (all) brilliant.

I love the depth that this series explores in each volume. They’re fairly long books compared to many in the genre, but still, I’m left wanting more (seriously, I had to look up if there is a fifth book in the series coming, and – rejoice – there is!). Both lead characters always get a robust backstory and very real conflicts and insecurities that they work through that gives them such depth and allows us to empathize with them deeply. In this case, Isaiah lost his mother at the age of thirteen and is dealing with some severe anxiety when triggered, and is also learning that it’s okay to be himself instead of the mask of humor and the relentless easy-going nature he forces himself to wear at all times. For Kennedy, she comes from a cold family who has never expressed love or affection for her and uses her like a pawn in their own schemes. She has trouble feeling important or worth anyone’s time, and has problems with physical touch. Through all the tropey gimmicks, these two come together to heal each other in all the right places.

If Liz Tomforde wrote ten books in this series, I would read them all. I trust that she can string together a story that I’ll care about no matter the context. She’s good at characters with heart, and they’re all living rent-free in my head. If you love that all-consuming possessive longing love feeling, you’d be hard pressed to find something better than this series. Pick it up! You won’t be sorry.

Details

Title:: Play Along
Author:: Liz Tomforde
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: Golden Boy Publishing LLC
Length:: 272 pages
Audio Length:: 12h 32m
Audiobook Narrator:: Jacob Morgan & Samantha Brentmoor
Audiobook Publisher:: Golden Boy Publishing LLC
Published:: July 11th, 2024
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars
Spice Level:: 4 (open door, explicit language)

Linky Links!!

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Liz Tomforde Author Website
Amazon Affiliate Links
[Paperback] [eBook] [Audible]

If you liked this book, check out…

The Unhoneymooners | Christina Lauren
Savor It | Tarah DeWitt

Book Review:: Wildfire | Ilona Andrews

This is the third book in the Hidden Legacy series. If you’ve not read the first two books, please read this review of book one to convince you to read them 🙂 The review for White Hot (book two) can be found here.

Wildfire Ilona Andrews Book Cover

Nevada and Rogan have finally given into the inevitability that is their love. Now, it will be tested as Nevada is asked to investigate the disappearance of Rogan’s ex-fiancée Rynda’s husband. There are many unanswered questions about this case, and it starts to seem like it’s tying into the same conspiracy that’s been plaguing them all year. Rynda is a mess, and she leans on Rogan to help her and her kids through this difficult time. At the same time, Nevada has registered to become House Baylor in order to protect her family. With that comes new dangers. Everyone’s eyes are on her, and when she’s approached with interest by another truthseeker house, Rogan steps back to make sure Nevada’s vision isn’t clouded as she’s making decisions that will dictate the rest of her life.

The rest of this review will contain some spoilers, because I just have to gush about this incredible series. Just know this is an epic conclusion, and if you’ve read the first two books, the third will certainly not disappoint. Trust me, you’ll want to keep reading, because Catalina’s trilogy after this is leveled up still further. Please, please keep reading. They’re so.fucking.good.

This is such a skillful and satisfying conclusion to Nevada’s trilogy. While her relationship with Rogan is tested again and again, hope is never lost. There is no unnecessary stress, and the trust between the two is never broken. They are tested just enough to ensure the strength of their bond, which makes their partnership all the more unbreakable.

This is the kind of romance people read romance for. Nevada and Rogan have eyes only for each other, and the trust that’s been forged between them through fire and ice and everything in between as they’ve fought so hard to survive through the trials in these books translates to their personal relationship too. They trust each other. And they’ve absolutely earned the happy union that awaits them.

Rogan is a hero’s hero. He’s driven, determined, richer-than-god, and protective while never smothering. He admires and respects Nevada, and allows her to make her own decisions. And once she makes them, accepts them, regardless of his own feelings. There’s something about the intense stakes of this series and the payoff of the made-for-each-other romance that is just magical. I’ve never read anything quite so satisfying and justified as this series.

I can’t ever go longer than a handful of months before revisiting this series in some capacity. They are a comfort read for me, in every sense of the word. I’ve never read anything like them before, and I’m convinced they’ll never be matched in quite the same way by anything else.

Details

Title:: Wildfire (Hidden Legacy Book #3)
Author:: Ilona Andrews
Genre:: Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy
Publisher:: Avon
Length:: 391 pages
Audio Length:: 12h 44m
Audiobook Narrator:: Renee Raudman
Audiobook Publisher:: Harper Audio
Published:: July 25th, 2017
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars
Spice Level:: 3 (open door, infrequent)

Linky Links!!

Goodreads
Ilona Andrews Author Website
Amazon Affiliate Links
[Hardcover] [Paperback] [eBook] [Audible]

If you liked this book, check out…

Haunted Ever After | Jen DeLuca
In the Likely Event | Rebecca Yarros

Book Review:: White Hot | Ilona Andrews

This is book 2 in the Hidden Legacy series. If you haven’t read book one yet (Burn for Me), peek a few reasons why you should in my review here.

White Hot Ilona Andrews Book Cover Hidden Legacy Series Book Two

Nevada is back to business as usual after the explosive experience of hunting down Adam Pierce – until Cornelius Harrison turns up on her doorstep, begging for help to discover the truth about the violent death of his wife, Nari. After reviewing the ME report, Nevada knows taking this job would spell nothing but trouble for her and her family, but she can’t say no. She wouldn’t be able to sleep at night if she turned him and his young daughter away. Her instincts prove true as the first day of investigation leads to the death of her primary suspect, and the universe conspiring to-quite literally-throw her back into Connor Rogan’s magnetism. He is investigating the circumstances of Nari’s death for his own reasons, and, at Cornelius’ grief-stricken insistence, they’re teaming up again to get to the root of the crime.

Once again we are in for a ride of non-stop action and drama sprinkled with genuine moments of connection and the quirky humor that is so special about this series. Cornelius is hyper-focused on his revenge, which both compels and complicates the plot in unexpected ways.

In this installment, Nevada is forced to re-evaluate her opinion of Connor Rogan when she sees how authentic his pain is for the people lost in this conflict. She learns so much more about him and his past, and they’re able to truly connect for the first time. He’s not a psychopath, he’s just guarded and driven as hell. He is the Baylor’s filthy rich protector, and goddamn it’s hot. The slow burn romance we longed for in book one is finally realized, and it only gets better from here!

He smiled at me. It was the kind of smile that blazed a trail from your heart to your mind and popped into your head the next time you wondered why you put up with a man who made you want to punch things.

Nevada and Rogan bicker and challenge each other constantly, and it is their respect for one another that always keeps it civil and brings them back together. They are cut from the same cloth. They’re both relentless and dedicated and will do anything to save the ones they love – even each other.

What sets this series apart so well to me are the side characters. Both Nevada and Rogan have people on their teams that add so much color to the story. Bug the crazy-intense and hilarious computer specialist, Dr. Arias, his dedicated personal physician, the entire Baylor family including the gear-head grandmother, the sassy youngest sister Arabella, the know-it-all sister Catalina, the down-but-never-out cousin Leon, and the steadfast and reliable cousin Bern.

Burn for Me was a good book. This one is great, and it’s only the stepping-stone to something even better.

Details

Title:: White Hot (Hidden Legacy Book #2)
Author:: Ilona Andrews
Genre:: Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy
Publisher:: Avon
Length:: 389 pages
Audio Length:: 13h 18m
Audiobook Narrator:: Renee Raudman
Audiobook Publisher:: Harper Audio
Published:: May 30th, 2017
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars
Spice Level:: 3 (open door, infrequent)

Linky Links!!

Goodreads
Ilona Andrews Author Website
Amazon Affiliate Links
[Hardcover] [Paperback] [eBook] [Audible]

If you liked this book, check out…

The Midnight Feast | Lucy Foley
In the Likely Event | Rebecca Yarros

Book Reviews:: Burn for Me | Ilona Andrews

The Hidden Legacy series by Ilona Andrews is one of my favorites of all time. Since the summer of 2022 when I first read these books, I’ve read them probably 10 times each (that’s six books, they’re all amazing). They’re something special, and I’m going to try to convince you to give this urban fantasy series a chance.

Burn for Me Ilona Andrews Book Cover Hidden Legacy Series Book One, Burning Carnation Flower

Nevada Baylor is a private investigator who can tell who’s lying. It’s her magic. Subtle, but accurate AF. She uses it to solve cases and earn good money for her large family that’s been struggling since the death of her father. She is steadfast and reliable – she wears responsibility on her sleeve like an albatross. In order to keep the company afloat during difficult times, she had to mortgage the company to Montgomery Enterprises, a larger PI firm in the greater Houston area who owns the Baylor Investigative Agency as one of its subsidiaries. Now, they’re calling in a mandatory case that will more than likely end in flames – locate the bad-boy wannabe Adam Pierce, a man who can burn whatever he wants with his prime status magic, and bring him back to his powerful family. Nevermind he doesn’t want to be found, after he incinerated a bank and killed two police officers. But Nevada can’t refuse or her family will lose everything. She must take on the case, and pray she makes it out alive.

But Nevada isn’t the only one looking for Pierce. Connor Rogan, one of the most powerful prime level magic users in the world, is looking for him too. The last thing Nevada wants is to get involved in magic-user politics, but she’s getting nowhere on her own, and Rogan may be the only one who can help her finish the job. Nevada and Rogan must work backward to find the why behind Adam’s masquerades, so they can anticipate his next moves and save Houston from the heat of his power. But as they dig deeper, they realize Adam is tangled up in a conspiracy that is far greater than they realized.

Not only are these books action packed with compelling mystery and time-sensitive stakes, but the characters are well-rounded and the cast as a whole is so darned loveable. Nevada and her family each have their strengths that combine well to make their agency work, and they continue to develop as the series progresses. They’re a quirky family, but they are bound by deep love, and they’ll do anything for each other.

The world in this series is a twist on our own. Earth, but with a magical twist. Early in the twentieth century, scientists distilled the Osiris Serum, which, when taken, either kills the recipient, warps them (don’t ask!), or gives them enormous magical abilities which are passed down through generations. This has led to the development of magical families, called Houses. These magical elite scheme for generations to hone the magical abilities of their offspring, all in want of more power in society. Their matches are rarely for love, so when they are, it’s often a sacrifice.

Burn For Me Ilona Andrews Original Book Cover, Models

Underneath the investigation, this is a love story, though I’m not sure Burn for Me can technically be classified as a romance (just don’t tell that to the first cover, lol). There is a little bit of spice, but if you’re one who doesn’t prefer it, or needs to skip it for some reason, the spicy scenes are separate enough from the narrative that the story still works well. One of my favorite scenes in this first book is not spicy, but Nevada and Rogan are trapped for a time in a confined space, and the humor and tenderness of it is just perfection.

I am convinced that just about every type of reader could enjoy this series, and I’m so glad the first trilogy got new covers because the first ones, the old-school bodice rippers, don’t reflect the depth within the pages.

I wish I could pluck out and distill the feelings reading this series gives me and share it with you, because if you could experience it, you wouldn’t hesitate to pick it up. I’ve read these books again and again (and again), and I only fall more in love every time I get to revisit them. They’ve become my ultimate comfort read, and lucky for me, I get six (and a half) volumes to relish. That’s a lot of comfort.

But seriously Ilona & Andrew – when are you going to grace us with a trilogy for Arabella?! (And Leon!) You could write a hundred books in this series, and I, for one, would eat them ALL up. Bravo!

Details

Title:: Burn for Me (Hidden Legacy Book #1)
Author:: Ilona Andrews
Genre:: Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy
Publisher:: Avon
Length:: 382 pages
Audio Length:: 12h 46m
Audiobook Narrator:: Renee Raudman
Audiobook Publisher:: Harper Audio
Published:: October 28th, 2014
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars
Spice Level:: 2 (just a hint, descriptive)

Linky Links!!

Goodreads
Ilona Andrews Author Website
Amazon Affiliate Links
[Paperback] [Mass Market Paperback] [eBook] [Audible]

If you liked this book, check out…

In the Likely Event | Rebecca Yarros
The Midnight Feast | Lucy Foley

Book Review:: Business Casual | B.K. Borison

I received this book as an e-arc for review by the publisher via netgalley, but only a handful of chapters in, I added the paperback (and the rest of the series) to my cart. Already I trusted the writing enough to know this was going to be amazing, and it was exactly the wholesome fulfilling romance I was hoping for.

Business Casual BK Borison Book Cover

Nova Porter is overwhelmed with the launching of her very own tattoo shop in her hometown of Inglewild. She’s drowning in paperwork, to-do tasks, and responsibility. She needs a release. When fun-loving New Yorker and obnoxious flirt Charlie asks her to dance at the wedding they’re both attending, she thinks he might be just the thing to help. But a proposition was the last thing he expected from Nova, and (adorable) awkwardness kills the moment. But now Charlie knows she’s interested in that kind of relationship, and that changes everything.

Nova is a spunky, hard-working woman setting out on her own to make her dreams come true in the hometown that just feels right. She has regular dinners with her supportive family, and knows everyone in town. She knows she can handle it, but also – can she actually handle it? Charlie comes from an upper-class broken family with a father that makes him feel like he’s only as good as what he can accomplish, and that he’s not even good at that. He’s gotten to know Inglewild through his half-sister, Stella, who runs a Christmas tree farm there, and it makes him feel whole in a way he’s never experienced before, but he still feels like he doesn’t quite belong.

This is an example of a story that works well because of character (not to belittle the idyllic setting, which was also amazing). Nova and Charlie are perfectly suited, but their character and backstory drive the conflict. If Charlie was with someone else, it wouldn’t have the same ending. If Nova was with someone else, it wouldn’t have the same inciting incident. They are so thoughtfully designed to create this engaging story full of so much longing, and a resolution that doesn’t leave you feeling damaged, but with a bigger heart than you had before.

I adored Charlie. He’s that not-a-puppy-anymore aged golden retriever pup at the shelter who was abandoned by his family and just looking for someone to tell him what a good boy he is. And he’s a good boy. He’s such a good boy. I dare you not to fall for him right along with Nova.

This is the fourth book in the Lovelight Farms series by BK Borison. Each volume corresponds to one of the seasons, and Business Casual is centered around fall. Nova and Charlie both find themselves on the Harvest Festival committee and work together to help the town make it a great event.

Business Casual is a feel-good read. You get that warm fuzzy feeling all the way through. Now that I’ve turned the last page, I have that book hangover feeling, like I just want to hold on a little bit longer. Luckily, there are three other books in the series I get to dive into next! If you’re looking for your next romance fix, you can’t go wrong with this one.

Details

Title:: Business Casual (Lovelight Book #4)
Author:: B.K. Borison
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: Berkley
Length:: 384 pages
Audio Length:: 11h 37m
Audiobook Narrator:: Pippa Jayne & Benjamin D. Walker
Audiobook Publisher:: Dreamscape Media
Published:: July 16th, 2024
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars
Spice Level:: 4 (open door, frequent)

Linky Links!!

Goodreads
Author Website
Amazon Affiliate Links
[Paperback] [eBook] [Audible]

If you liked this book, check out…

Play Along | Liz Tomforde
Funny Story | Emily Henry
The Rom-Commers | Katherine Center

Book Review:: The Most Fun We Ever Had | Claire Lombardo

This isn’t a book you read for entertainment. This is the type of book you read to remind yourself what it is to be human. To connect on another level to humanity itself. To recognize little pieces of yourself in the stories of others: the bright pieces, and the dark ones too. It teaches you things you don’t even realize you’re learning. It’s not a surface level book – it reaches deep parts of you that are often forgotten or neglected. It’s a revelation.

The Most Fun We Ever Had Claire Lombardo Book Cover

The tangled web of emotional turmoil within the Sorenson family is taut with tension. The steadfast love between Marilyn and David produced four beautiful daughters who are grown now and living their own lives. Wendy, the girl who was always too much as a child grew into a woman all too acquainted with grief. Violet, the good girl, has a picture-perfect life complete with two point five kids and a loving husband. Liza, the third child often forgotten in the chaos of her two older sisters, is still struggling to find purpose. And Grace, the baby, is being crushed by great expectations pressured by the weight of the family who all came before her. But when a fifteen-year-old secret walks back into their lives, the effects ripple through them all, bringing many old hurts and hidden feelings to a much-needed reckoning.

Lives are shaped by the butterfly effect. One little moment leads to the next, leads to the next. On and on we go. An overheard and misunderstood conversation can plant the seed that sets roots of anxiety and doubt deep in the psyche of a young girl. An avoided occasion can set long-burning embers of animosity to light that sizzle and pop for decades. Actions have consequences, and they won’t always be the ones you expect to confront.

The narrative is presented in a constant flow of the now and the before, exploring family experiences from multiple sides, because when things happen in a family, it isn’t only about one person. Everything affects everyone, to different degrees. Not only did I find it engaging all the way through, by the time we arrived at certain landmarks in the family history, I found myself simultaneously surprised and satisfied. We’re given so much context to understand the complex feelings between the family members. It feels real. It feels like the Sorenson’s are out there somewhere, having lived these lives we get to read about.

I don’t even know how you write a book this bold and beautiful. The complexity that is the Sorenson family is at once romantic and heartbreaking and tender and sometimes so cliche in a way that is simply human nature. Children are born with personalities, and they will cause tension and conflict and love and joy too. This family isn’t broken, but it isn’t perfect either. They are bound by love, in both the best and worst ways, and Lombardo highlights them both with skilled artistry.

I loved this book in the most surprising way, and I will cherish this experience of reading it for the first time as long as I can, because I know it won’t be the last.

Details

Title:: The Most Fun We Ever Had
Author:: Claire Lombardo
Genre:: Literary Fiction
Publisher:: Doubleday
Length:: 532 pages
Audio Length:: 20h 33m
Audiobook Narrator:: Emily Rankin
Audiobook Publisher:: Random House Audio
Published:: June 25th, 2019
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

Linky Links!!

Goodreads
Author Website
Amazon Affiliate Links
[Hardcover] [Paperback] [eBook] [Audible]

If you liked this book, check out…

Amazing Grace Adams | Fran Littlewood
The Last Love Note | Emma Grey

Book Review:: DNA Duo(logy) | Christina Lauren

Book #1 | The Soulmate Equation

The Soulmate Equation Christina Lauren Book Cover

Summary:: GeneticAlly is a new dating service, pioneered by Dr. River Pena, that uses your DNA to find romantic matches. The science appears to be undeniable. The more genetic markers you have matching with someone, the more likely you are to find a successful relationship.

Jess’ best friend Fizz loves the idea. River frequents the same coffee bar Jess & Fizz do (them – to work, J on freelance statistics work, F on romance novels, Dr. Pena – for the lattes), and when he tells them about it, he gives them his card for them to stop by and check it out. Fizz is all in. She jumps in – vag first – into her pool of potential suitors. She and Jess discuss the ethics and ramifications ad nauseum (literally, I think they covered every question a reader could possibly have about the tech), and on a desperate, lonely night of single motherhood, Jess finally decides to submit her spit sample, too. What’s the harm? Her parameters are sky high. She only wants to see a match if their potential is essentially off the charts. Cut to, GeneticALLY calls her in for a meeting, and instead of a statistical analysis job offer, like she’s expecting, turns out she’s matched with the highest numbers the company has ever seen…with donor #1 – River Pena himself. With all of Jess’ responsibilities, is she willing to finally put her heart at risk? What about if the company offers her a big fat wad of cash to go on a few dates and see what happens, as a marketing ploy?

Book #2 | The True-Love Experiment

The True Love Experiment Christina Lauren Book Cover

Summary:: Serial dater “Fizzy” Chen has been off her love game ever since she found out she was ‘the other woman’ in the one romance she thought might actually go the distance. That’s a problem, for a romantic novelist. The words aren’t just uninspired, they’re not coming at all. With her next novel due soon and fans chomping at the bit for whatever comes next, she’s feeling the pressure. When an offer comes out of left field for her to be the star on an upcoming reality dating show that uses GeneticALLY technology to find her matches, it might just be the thing to push her out of her funk. And when she meets the producer (who is really a documentarian forced to make something popular work in order to get the funding he needs for his ‘real’ job), a hunky single dad, they work together to design a show that will be a smash, until it becomes clear she may not need to meet any of the contestants to get her mojo back after all. Except she has to. For weeks. And then go on a super romantic getaway with the winner. All with the man she really wants looking on from behind the camera.

Thoughts

Let’s just get this out of the way – both of these books are charming, wonderful reads. I’m learning Christina Lauren (a pseudonym for a best-friend writing duo) can be relied upon for that. I’m not even sure I could pick a favorite, under duress. Luckily, I don’t have to.

The premise is intriguing – what if all you needed to do was swab your cheek to sift the wheat from the chaff in your dating prospects? Was it fair? Did it mean you might be closing yourself off to real potential love because some computer said you weren’t compatible enough? Did a high match number make you more likely to fall in love, or stick with it longer, just because you both know there’s a big chance it’ll be worth it in the end? Did the results dictate the result just by knowing what they are? Do the numbers even mean anything at all? All of these questions and more are discussed in detail, lending itself to some deep philosophical ponderings about what love is, how we find it, and what makes it stick. I loved the depth this offered in the background of both stories. Honestly? Brilliant.

Jess and River’s romance is fraught with uncertainty. Jess is a cautious gal – she has to be, as someone shouldered with so much responsibility – her young daughter & her aging parents. She’s also a statistician. She’s not one to take risks. She’s done the math. There is some true romance in this book – River really steps up, once he accepts that the results are valid, and gives this connection the chance he hasn’t given love since he was burned in college. There’s a lot of pomp and circumstance, instigated by the company, but ultimately, their connection proves true, and despite the hiccups and whatever the test results may be, love is always a risk. It’s fake dating without it being fake. It’s a chance, just like love in real life.

On the other hand, Fizzy and Connor share a forbidden spark they both know they shouldn’t pursue. The timing is way off. Both of them need this show to be a hit, or their careers could be in ruins. But the sizzle between them refuses to die out. Maybe they just need to get it out of their systems – then they’ll be able to move forward with clear heads and do what they need to do…right?

I’m so impressed with Christina Lauren’s talent for crafting compelling love stories. They are romantic as hell with secondary plotlines playing into the bigger story so naturally while supporting the themes and complicating the stakes like the stories couldn’t be told any other way. One, or both of these ladies knows a lot about story structure, and it’s wielded like a weapon. Just try putting one of these down. I dare you.

Details

Title:: The Soulmate Equation (DNA Duo #1)
Author:: Christina Lauren
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: Gallery Books
Length:: 360 pages
Audio Length:: 10h 26m
Audiobook Narrator:: Patti Murin
Audiobook Publisher:: Simon & Schuster Audio
Published:: February 8th, 2022
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

Title:: The True Love Experiment (DNA Duo #2)
Author:: Christina Lauren
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: Gallery Books
Length:: 409 pages
Audio Length:: 10h 52m
Audiobook Narrator:: Jonathan Cole & Cindy Kay
Audiobook Publisher:: Simon & Schuster Audio
Published:: May 16th, 2023
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

Linky Links!!

Goodreads
Author Website
Amazon Affiliate Links
[Hardcover] [Paperback] [eBook] [Audible]

Goodreads
Author Website
Amazon Affiliate Links
[Hardcover] [Paperback] [eBook] [Audible]

If you liked this book, check out…

The Unhoneymooners | Christina Lauren
Business Casual | BK Borison
Funny Story | Emily Henry
The Rom-Commers | Katherine Center

Book Review:: In the Likely Event | Rebecca Yarros

This book may have ruined me for all other romances. I stayed up until 3 am because it is unputdownable. I am still stunned as I sit to write this more than a week later, but I will try to piece together something coherent to explain the ways in which this book moved me.

In The Likely Event Rebecca Yarros Book Cover

This is where I normally provide a quick summary of the plot. In this case, I cannot do that. Don’t read the back. Don’t read the blurb. Don’t read any other reviews. Just pick it up, and read. Trust me.

The first four chapters gave me full body chills. Chills. I had to put it down after that because it was already getting late and I knew if I started one more, I’d never put it back down. I stewed over what I’d read the whole next day until I felt brave enough to pick it back up, knowing it would knock me out, in one way or another. I was right. I didn’t put it back down until I’d read every last word.

This is a love story, and the stakes are sky high. It’s about the universe conspiring to bring two people together, as many times as it takes. It’s about enduring love, tragic love, protective love, and being there in the ways that count, even if it can’t always be physically.

It’s about bearing vulnerabilities and sacrificing what might have been for what one day could be. It’s about life, about loss, about holding onto the family you find in others, and letting go of the ones that hurt you. It’s about taking risks for those you love, and not holding grudges for all the little hurts, or the big ones either. It’s about patience, and fighting for what you know is real, even if you’re the only one who still believes it.

There is so much packed in these pages, and the longing and yearning and waiting is enough to bring you to your knees. It is shaped to pull you in and wring you out in all the best and worst ways. I’m not sure I’ve ever felt this way about a book, and I’m not sure I ever will again. It is something special, and I’ll carry it with me, always. I hope you’ll read it too.

Details

Title:: In The Likely Event
Author:: Rebecca Yarros
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: Montlake
Length:: 350 pages
Audio Length:: 10h 30m
Audiobook Narrator:: Carly Robins, Teddy Hamilton
Audiobook Publisher:: Brilliance Audio
Published:: August 1st, 2023
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

Linky Links!!

Goodreads
Author Website
Amazon Affiliate Links
[Paperback] [eBook] [Audible]

If you liked this book, check out…

Burn For Me | Ilona Andrews
This Summer Will Be Different | Carley Fortune

Book Review:: My (not so) Perfect Life | Sophie Kinsella

Life doesn’t always follow the plan, no matter how carefully and passionately you’ve outlined it. Even when you’re on track, the details of what you have to suffer through on the way to the end of the rainbow are often so frustrating, it might drive you to madness. Goals are not accomplished on a straight line. It’s more like a line graph with wild ebbs and flows making it look more like a Richter Scale reading than an exponential curve to success. But all the little detours move you forward, even when they seem like a step back, and eventually you learn that happily ever after looks a little different than what you once dreamed.

My (Not So) Perfect Life Sophie Kinsella Book Cover

Kat-Katie-Kat is chasing her dreams in London, working for a boss who is living a picture-perfect life. Demeter is everything Kat wants to be, except she’s also an aloof, often degrading, unapologetic bitch. Kat dreams of being a successful advertise marketer, but is struggling to get Demeter to notice she exists at all, let alone any of her design and campaign ideas. One day, a mystery man named Alex shows up needing help with a couple of things. Kat and Alex work well together, but when she finds out he’s one of the higher-ups, she realizes how out of her league he is. Then, she gets fired (not because of Alex). That was certainly not part of the plan. She’s on a desperate search for another job in her field, when her dad and step-mother call on her expertise to help launch their new glamping resort in the countryside. She’s afraid if she leaves London, she may never end up going back, but there are few other options unless she wants to sleep under a bridge in the name of staying put. The glamping endeavor gives Katie a chance to show off how great she is at her dream job. She’s so good, in fact, it accidentally draws in exclusivity-connoisseur Demeter and her family to stay. It is then Katie begins to see that a picture-perfect life isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be.

This book is far more than a romance. It’s an anthem. It is self-discovery and integrity and enlightenment. Katie’s story is at once a girl-boss-revenge story and a coming-of-age reinvention, with a dash of mean-girl-justice on the side.

I was surprised how much I loved this book. It has a depth that I wasn’t expecting. I expected another run-of-the-mill contemporary romance, but this was a book all about girl power and making the most of whatever opportunity is in front of you. And standing up for what’s right, even when you don’t have to. And…yeah, sure, some romance too. Katie’s is the kind of story that sticks with you because its lessons are so meaningful, and the whole thing is just so darned endearing.

This is the kind of story that leaves you with warm fuzzies. Read this if you’re looking for something to make you feel more empowered and uplifted. If you’re not looking for just-another-romance. If you enjoy Emily Henry books, or The Devil Wears Prada (goes glamping, lol). I hope you get as much enjoyment out of it as I did!

Details

Title:: My (Not So) Perfect Life
Author:: Sophie Kinsella
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: The Dial Press
Length:: 464 pages
Audio Length:: 11h 58m
Audiobook Narrator:: Fiona Hardingham
Audiobook Publisher:: Random House Audio
Published:: July 11th, 2017
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

Linky Links!!

Goodreads
Author Website
Amazon Affiliate Links
[Paperback] [eBook] [Audible]

If you liked this book, check out…

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Book Review:: The Cheat Sheet & The Rule Book | Sarah Adams

Are you craving a sweet romance that will leave you with a big goofy smile? The Cheat Sheet series by Sarah Adams delivers on a low-stakes, pure bliss experience that serves as a perfect palette cleanser if you’ve been reading heavier things and need a little break. Did I mention there are sports? Because there’s just something about a good sports romance, amiright?

The Cheat Sheet

The Cheat Sheet Sarah Adams Book Cover

Bree and Nathan have been friends since high school. Both serious athletes, they take up running together to keep up their fitness. They stay fast friends through high school, until Bree has an accident that leaves her unable to continue her sport (ballet), and Nathan is off to college. They lose touch awhile, until they end up in the same town where Bree runs a dance studio & Nathan is a professional quarterback. They reconnect and take up their habit of running again, and it becomes a sacred tradition. All this time they’ve each harbored a secret crush on the other they are too afraid to pursue, because their friendship is such an integral part of their lives. But now, for the first time since they met, each of them are single at the same time, and Nathan doesn’t want to let the opportunity slip through his fingers. With the help of his friends, they create a cheat sheet of romantic ‘plays’ to try to woo the girl of his dreams.

The Rule Book

The Rule Book Sarah Adams Book Cover

Being a sports agent has been Nora’s dream for as long as she can remember. Finally, in an industry dominated by men, she gets her chance to succeed – except her new (first) client is the one-who-got-away in college, (Nathan’s teammate) Derek Pender. She broke his heart, and now he’s out to punish her awhile before he drops her and gets a new agent – obviously there is a conflict of interest. Only thing is, Nora’s great at her job. In order to be professional, they make a set of ground rules to follow. But being near each other stirs up a lot of feelings, and after growing up a little more, they can recognize their own mistakes from the past. Will they be able to move forward as a team? Or will they need to part ways, for good this time?

Of the two, I rated The Cheat Sheet higher. Without giving anything away, The Rule Book used tropes that were a little too far-fetched to work well for me. The Cheat Sheet was so sweet and romantic, and I was just rooting for the two of them to be together. It was very low-stakes, and the only thing that bothered me was Bree’s inner monologue occasionally being a little too obnoxious. The Rule Book is a little more complex. Nora’s career is very much on the line, and Derek is holding onto a lot of anger from the past. The romance itself felt maybe more realistic (because of the complexity), but overall I just didn’t like it as much. They both have that Sarah Adams lighthearted tone, and while there is conflict, she never leaves you sweating for long.

They certainly fall into the romantic comedy umbrella. Plenty of antics ensue in both books of quirky situations the characters get themselves into that usually ultimately add to the romance. I found myself smiling so often while reading, and I honestly didn’t want to put them down!

The Cheat Sheet is completely spice free, and honestly? I didn’t even miss it. However, The Rule Book does have a dash of it. Both stories stand out to me as simply hopelessly romantic, not particularly sexy.

I like this series because I think it’s great for younger romance readers, and those who prefer less spice. Sometimes it’s nice to have something light and quick and enjoyable to read just for the joy of it. I’m learning Sarah Adams is a great place to turn to for that. I think When in Rome is still my favorite Sarah Adams book I’ve read though! It’s a celebrity small-town romance *swoon*.

Details

Title:: The Cheat Sheet (The Cheat Sheet #1)
Author:: Sarah Adams
Genre:: Romantic Comedy
Publisher:: Dell Books
Length:: 306 pages
Audio Length:: 8h 57m
Audiobook Narrator:: Renee Dorian & Teddy Hamilton
Audiobook Publisher:: Dreamscape Media
Published:: August 17th, 2021
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

Title:: The Rule Book (The Cheat Sheet #2)
Author:: Sarah Adams
Genre:: Romantic Comedy
Publisher:: Dell Books
Length:: 356 pages
Audio Length:: 10h 50m
Audiobook Narrator:: Hathaway Lee & Will Damron
Audiobook Publisher:: Random House Audio
Published:: April 2nd, 2024
The Litertarian Rating:: 3-Stars

Linky Links!!

Goodreads
Author Website
Amazon Affiliate Links
[Paperback] [eBook] [Audible]

Goodreads
Author Website
Amazon Affiliate Links
[Paperback] [eBook] [Audible]

If you liked this book, check out…

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The Tourist Attraction | Sarah Morgenthaler