It’s been awhile since I’ve posted one of these, so I thought I’d talk about some of the books that DIDN’T work for me, for one reason or another. That’s almost as good as reviewing them, lol, and I think it’s important to talk about. There’s no shame in setting aside books that aren’t working for you personally.
Do you ever DNF (do not finish) books? I do! Though I love a bad book almost as much as a good one (sometimes you’ve just gotta roll your eyes and see how it all turns out), there are times when I will abandon a book along the way. Sometimes it’s really just a “it’s not you, it’s me” thing, sometimes it’s clear right away that a book is just BAD, and other times a tired trope will get on my nerves. There are so many different reasons to DNF a book, and not all of them indicate that it’s subpar.
And, yes, sometimes I do go back to books I tossed aside and realize that I must’ve been PMSing that day because they work much better the second time around!
Starry-Eyed Love by Helena Hunting
DNF Reason: Disappointing series
I also abandoned the first book in the series, so my expectations couldn’t have been lower going in – and this was another disappointing read. This will officially be remembered as the series that lost Hunting her spot on my one-click list. And that doesn’t make me happy. The storyline is filled with miscommunication, problematic elements, and drama that doesn’t reflect well on either character – just like the first book in the series. Hunting is a skilled writer, so there are things that were working, but this certainly didn’t feel like the same author who delivered four 5-star reads in a row for me just a year or two ago.
Charming, hilarious, and emotional, Starry-Eyed Love is Helena Hunting at her very best!
Having just broken up with her boyfriend, London Spark is not in the mood to be hit on. Especially not when she’s out celebrating her single status with her sisters. So when a very attractive man pays for their drinks and then slips her his number, she passes it right back to him with a ‘thanks, but no thanks’. As the business administrator for their family’s event hotel, the Spark House, London has more important things to worry about, like bringing in new clientele.
As luck would have it, a multi-million-dollar company calls a few months later asking for a meeting to discuss a potential partnership, and London is eager to prove to her sisters, and herself, that she can land this deal. Just when she thinks she has nailed her presentation, the company’s CEO, Jackson Holt, walks in and inserts himself into the meeting. Not only that, but he also happens to be the same guy she turned down at the bar a few months ago.
As they begin to spend more time together, their working relationship blossoms into something more. It isn’t until their professional entanglements are finally over, that London and Jackson are finally ready to take the next step in their relationship. But between Jackson’s secretive past and London’s struggle with her sisters, London must question where she really stands – not just with Jackson, but with the Spark House, too.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3K6SPjK
Reason to Believe by Rebecca Yarros
DNF Reason: Playboy problems
LOTS of people are loving this one, but the playboy hero who is secretly in love with his best friend’s little sister really rubbed me the wrong way. I tried to power through several times because the storyline is super swoony, but it was bugging me and I’ve set it aside for now.
From USA Today bestselling author Rebecca Yarros comes a brand-new small town, older-brother’s best friend standalone romance.
“I’ll take them!”
That’s what I tell the social worker when my pre-k student and his baby brother need an emergency foster placement. I’ll do anything to keep the brothers from being split up. But my apartment’s flooded and there’s only one house I can take them to on such short notice…his.
Knox Daniels, my older brother’s best friend, offers his new place without hesitation. He’s not moving back to our tiny town until next month—that’s when all our hotshot firefighters are returning for their one and only chance to rebuild our fathers’ fallen, iconic crew.
It doesn’t matter that I’ve been silently in love with Knox since we were kids.
It can’t matter that we pretend that reckless prom night kiss never happened.
It won’t matter that my feelings for him could destroy his lifelong friendship with my brother and threaten the certification of their hotshot crew.
Because I’ll be out of his house long before he gets back.
Except Knox just walked in…a month early.
And the icing on this awkward cake?
He’s gorgeous as always and I’m covered in baby puke.
He takes one look at the boys and tells me we can make this work—
We can temporarily fake a relationship to keep them from being separated by the system.
Suddenly, everything matters.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3uBuSeK
Praise by Sara Cate
DNF Reason: Not for me
This book has been on the bestseller list all month, so I wanted to at least give it a try, but I was worried that it was going to be too kinky for my personal tastes, so I ended up skipping around a bit and spoiled the book for myself. The good news is that I actually really did like the writing style – it was immensely bingeable, and the story is compelling. Yeah, it’s too kinky for me, but it’s also steamy, soapy fun, so there’s definitely an audience for it.
He calls me perfect.
His flawless pet.
His good girl.
Broken down and wounded by my emotionally neglectful ex, I wanted someone to tell me I was good enough.
Then, I stumbled into a new job with a boss who brings me to my knees—literally. He has me do things a real secretary would never do.
Emerson Grant tells me I’m more than just good enough.
I’m worthy of his praise.
There are a million reasons why I should stay away. The owner of the Salacious Players’ Club is not just my new boss, he’s twice my age.
And my ex-boyfriend’s father.
With him, I am treasured. I am adored. I am his.
I’m a good girl, but I’m falling for the wrong man.
Emerson Grant knows what he wants—
And he wants me.
So how far will I go to hear his approval?
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3EWwSD1
Eyes on Me by Sara Cate
DNF Reason: Curiosity killed the cat
The writing is bingeable so I wanted to give the series a second chance, but it’s still too much for me.
I’m a voyeur—it means I like to watch.
And in my line of work, that’s a gift.
As one of the four owners of the Salacious Players’ Club, I’m comfortable on the sidelines. This is what I was made to do, and I work better alone.
Until the day I stumble on a certain cam girl app and find myself watching the one person I should never have watched—my step-sister.
There are three big problems with this.
One, Mia and I can’t stand each other.
Two, she has no idea I’m the man on the other end of the video.
And three…I’m hooked—on the app and on her.
Now, Mia has me wanting and doing things I said I’d never do again, like opening upand getting attached. I’m falling for her, but she’s falling for the mystery man I’m pretending to be.
If I’m going to make this right, then I have to do more than just watch.
But how far will I go to keep her eyes on me?
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3rKsyBg
Under One Roof by Ali Hazelwood
DNF: For Now
I adored The Love Hypothesis, but I have not had any luck with the audio editions of this novella series so far. For books that are so short, they just haven’t been holding my interest, and I don’t want to ruin my love of the author’s work by pushing through. Maybe they’ll go better in ebook at some point, I don’t know!
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis comes a new steamy, STEMinist novella…
A scientist should never cohabitate with her annoyingly hot nemesis—it leads to combustion.
Mara, Sadie, and Hannah are friends first, scientists always. Though their fields of study might take them to different corners of the world, they can all agree on this universal truth: when it comes to love and science, opposites attract and rivals make you burn…
As an environmental engineer, Mara knows all about the delicate nature of ecosystems. They require balance. And leaving the thermostat alone. And not stealing someone else’s food. And other rules Liam, her detestable big-oil lawyer of a roommate, knows nothing about. Okay, sure, technically she’s the interloper. Liam was already entrenched in his aunt’s house like some glowering grumpy giant when Mara moved in, with his big muscles and kissable mouth just sitting there on the couch tempting respectable scientists to the dark side…but Helena was her mentor and Mara’s not about to move out and give up her inheritance without a fight.
The problem is, living with someone means getting to know them. And the more Mara finds out about Liam, the harder it is to loathe him…and the easier it is to love him.
To read Sadie and Hannah’s stories look for the novellas Stuck with You and Below Zero, coming soon from Berkley!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3k9K2mg
In the Weeds by B.K. Borison
DNF Reason: Not enough of a standalone
Despite tons of potential in the writing, this doesn’t read well as a standalone, as the blurb claims. I’ve heard great things about the series, so I decided to jump right in, but I’m about 75 pages in and there have been several time jumps, lots of references I don’t get, and VERY little interaction between our couple. It lost me. I’ll probably give the first book in the series a chance once the holiday season approaches, and maybe revisit this afterwards. I don’t know, this didn’t start off on the right note.
Evelyn St. James isn’t the kind of woman you forget.
Beckett Porter certainly hasn’t. One incredible weekend in Maine, and he’s officially a man distracted. He’s not unfamiliar with hot and heavy flings. He knows how it goes. But Evie wove some sort of magic over him during their tumble in the sheets. He can’t stop thinking about her laugh. Her hand pressed flat against his chest. Her smiling mouth at his neck.
Also, her eyes. And her legs.
So when she suddenly appears on his farm as part of a social media contest, he is … confused. He had no idea that the sweet and sexy woman he met at a bar is actually a global phenomenon: social media influencer Evelyn St. James. When she disappears again, Beckett resolves to finally forget her and move on.
But Evelyn St. James has a problem.
Feeling disconnected from her work and increasingly unhappy, she’s trying to find her way back to something real. She returns to the last place she was happy, Lovelight Farms and the tiny town of Inglewild.
It has absolutely nothing to do with the hot farmer she spent two incredible nights with.
Nothing at all.
In The Weeds is a sweet and steamy second-chance romance about finding your happiness. It features a grumpy farmer, a no-nonsense social media influencer, a small town of busybodies, and four very cute kittens. This is the second book in a series of interconnected standalones following the three Lovelight owners.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3FcWdsB
Kamila Knows Best by Farah Heron
DNF Reason: Annoying heroine, romance troubles
This heroine is a LOT, and that was obvious right away. I’m also not a fan of friends to lovers romances where the hero is a playboy, so the role reversal here wasn’t appealing either.
Jane Austen’s Emma goes Bollywoood in this delightful retelling from the highly acclaimed author of Accidentally Engaged, perfect for fans of Abby Jimenez and Jasmine Guillory.
Kamila Hussain’s life might not be perfect, but, whew, it’s close. She lives a life of comfort, filled with her elaborate Bollywood movie parties, a dog with more Instagram followers than most reality stars, a job she loves, and an endless array of friends who clearly need her help finding love. In fact, Kamila is so busy with her friends’ love lives, she’s hardly given any thought to her own . . .
Fortunately, Kamila has Rohan Nasser. A longtime friend of the family, he’s hugely successful, with the deliciously lean, firm body of a rock climber. Only lately, Kamila’s “harmless flirting” with Rohan is making her insides do a little bhangra dance.
But between planning the local shelter’s puppy prom, throwing a huge work event, and proving to everyone that she’s got it all figured out, Kamila isn’t letting herself get distracted—until her secret nemesis returns to town with an eye for Rohan. Suddenly, it seems like the more Kamila tries to plan, the more things are starting to unravel—and her perfectly ordered life is about to be turned upside down.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3s1Lig7
What Lovers Do by Jewel E. Ann
DNF Reason: Spoiled it for myself
So the blurb doesn’t mention something we discover in the first few pages – this heroine is pregnant. She agreed to be a surrogate for her sister, and didn’t bother mentioning it to her live-in boyfriend because she knew she was going to dump him anyways. I didn’t trust Ann not to have the baby turn out to be her soon-to-be ex’s (the timing is really sketchy because they specifically mention some recent pity sex), so I skipped ahead a bit and spoiled most of the story for myself, lol. Not sure how I would’ve felt about the story if it unraveled naturally, but there were definitely some things that I think would’ve bugged me. The heroine is lying for a LONG time, the ex is in the picture in one way or another for most of the book, and the romance has some MAJOR issues revolving around miscommunication. I did like the uniqueness of the concept and the writing is solid though.
How did Scottsdale’s sexiest pet store guy get dumped by his wife, forced into shared custody of their dogs, and fall for Dr. Sophie Ryan, the world’s most unavailable bachelorette?
What starts out as a disastrous first meeting involving a coffee catastrophe and mistaken flirting, turns into an unconventional friendship.
Fake phone sex.
Dog park dates.
And eighteen holes of golf.
What’s not to love about Sophie the adorable optometrist?
Nothing. Except … she’s taken herself out of the dating pool for a mysterious reason, imprisoning Shep in the friend zone for all of eternity.
In all fairness, Sophie gives Shep full disclosure: only friends. Nothing personal. She needs an escape from reality, and Shep’s the perfect solution.
When their competitive personalities hit a boiling point, the gloves come off and so do their clothes. The problem? Sophie’s “real” life is far more complicated than Shep could have ever imagined.
Can Shep let go of his past to chase the one that might get away?
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3sVezs6
Mr. Wrong Number by Lynn Painter
DNF Reason: Didn’t hold my interest
I might come back to this another time, I don’t know. It’s got rom com vibes, but the story didn’t keep me hooked, and I abandoned it quickly.
Things get textual when a steamy message from a random wrong number turns into an anonymous relationship in this hilarious rom-com by Lynn Painter.
Bad luck has always followed Olivia Marshall…or maybe she’s just the screw-up her family thinks she is. But when a “What are you wearing?” text from a random wrong number turns into the hottest, most entertaining—albeit anonymous—relationship of her life, she thinks things might be on the upswing….
Colin Beck has always considered Olivia his best friend’s annoying little sister, but when she moves in with them after one of her worst runs of luck, he realizes she’s turned into an altogether different and sexier distraction. He’s sure he can keep his distance, until the moment he discovers she’s the irresistible Miss Misdial he’s been sort of sexting for weeks—and now he has to decide whether to turn the heat up or ghost her before things get messy.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3DjHuLd
Starlight by Deborah Bladon
DNF: For Now
I was just in the wrong mood for this, it’s sweeter and lighter than expected. I’ll probably come back to it another day!
STARLIGHT, a new standalone novel from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Deborah Bladon.
Stars shine brighter when the moon is dim.
I’ve always been the moon.
That’s what happens when you push your dreams aside to fulfill the wishes of the people you love.
It’s what brought me to a New York City subway platform with my guitar and a heart full of love songs written from pain and sung with hope.
When Berk Morgan tosses a handful of coins into my guitar case, he accidentally throws in a key.
It’s the key to someone’s heart.
Berk comes looking for it. What he finds is a connection neither of us can deny.
He tells me I’m his star. He wants me to shine brighter than I ever have before, but that comes with a sacrifice I’m not sure I can make.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3IWOJKx
The ARC by Tory Henwood Hoen
DNF: Not for me
It was clear early on that the writing style was not for me. I’m all for a quirky character, but this was odd more than anything. I had high hopes for the unique concept, but even that couldn’t keep me hooked. I’m sure there are readers out there for this, but it was a miss for me.
Can you curate your soulmate? Thirty-five-year-old Ursula Byrne, VP of Strategic Audacity at a branding agency in Manhattan, is successful, witty, whip-smart, and single. She’s tried all the dating apps, and let’s just say: she’s underwhelmed by her options. You’d think that by now someone would have come up with something more bespoke; a way for users to be more tailored about who and what they want in a life partner––how hard could that be?
Enter The Arc: a highly secretive, super-sophisticated matchmaking service that uses a complex series of emotional, psychological and physiological assessments to architect partnerships that will go the distance. The price tag is high, the promise ambitious––a level of lifelong compatibility that would otherwise be unattainable. In other words, The Arc will find your ideal mate.
Ursula is paired with forty-two-year-old lawyer Rafael Banks. From moment one, this feels like the electric, lasting love they’ve each been seeking their whole adult lives. But as their relationship unfolds in unanticipated ways, the two begin to realize that true love is never a sure thing. And the arc of a relationship is never predictable…even when it’s fully optimized.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vggSJf
Something Fabulous by Alexis Hall
DNF: Not for me
I’ve been meaning to check out Alexis Hall’s work, but the vibe of this M/M historical romance was sooooo not for me. It’s super ridiculous and over the top, and I abandoned ship quickly.
From the acclaimed author of Boyfriend Material comes a delightfully witty romance featuring a reserved duke who’s betrothed to one twin and hopelessly enamoured of the other.
Valentine Layton, the Duke of Malvern, has twin problems: literally.
It was always his father’s hope that Valentine would marry Miss Arabella Tarleton. But, unfortunately, too many novels at an impressionable age have caused her to grow up…romantic. So romantic that a marriage of convenience will not do and after Valentine’s proposal she flees into the night determined never to set eyes on him again.
Arabella’s twin brother, Mr. Bonaventure “Bonny” Tarleton, has also grown up…romantic. And fully expects Valentine to ride out after Arabella and prove to her that he’s not the cold-hearted cad he seems to be.
Despite copious misgivings, Valentine finds himself on a pell-mell chase to Dover with Bonny by his side. Bonny is unreasonable, overdramatic, annoying, and…beautiful? And being with him makes Valentine question everything he thought he knew. About himself. About love. Even about which Tarleton he should be pursuing.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3rcukva
Whiskey Moon by Winter Renshaw
DNF: Not right for me
I always look forward to Winter Renshaw’s unique romances and never know quite what to expect from her books because the vibes can vary so much. This one just wasn’t a good fit for me. It’s much more of a second chance romance than anticipated, with a brief introduction to the couple as they’re breaking up and then a 10-year time jump. It’s one of those “her dreams were bigger than this small town” second chance romances with an extra secret thrown into the mix. Unfortunately, I’ve read enough of this particular trope to last me a lifetime, and I could not get into the story at all. I did not finish. So I’ll call this an “it’s not you, it’s me” read and look forward to the next book by Renshaw.
A broken marriage pact gives way to a devastating love that won’t let go in this heart wrenching contemporary romance from Wall Street Journal bestselling author Winter Renshaw.
Bogie had Bacall. Carrie had Big. I had Wyatt.
Growing up, he was the handsome cowboy next door, an unlikely confidant, my best friend, my first kiss, and my favorite person.
We were just a couple of small town kids with ambitions bigger than the stars in our eyes. The summer after graduation, we made a pact: I’d go to college in New York and he’d stay and take over his daddy’s ranch. If by twenty-eight we were both still single, we’d get married …
But as we stood in our high school gymnasium the night of our ten-year reunion, Wyatt told me he loved me too much to marry me.
He’d never broken a promise to me in his life, but in a single heartbeat he broke the only one that ever mattered.
He said it would all make sense someday, that there would come a time I might even be able to forgive him.
But then I stumbled upon the truth.
And there was no forgiving a secret this shattering—one that made me question if I ever knew him at all; one that only made me want him that much more.
Bogie had Bacall. Carrie had Big. I had Wyatt.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3G2ZDOm
Maybe We Should by Melissa Foster
DNF: Not right for me
It seems like I have the same complaints every time I pick up one of Foster’s books, and I’ve come to the conclusion that her writing style just isn’t for me. The quality is there, but it feels dated and some of the gender dynamics feel problematic. They’re also very, very interconnected, and even reading the other books within a series is often not enough to make sense of all the characters. I didn’t love the first book in this series but I thought I’d give this one a chance. It didn’t go any better, so I set the book aside. Many will love this, but it’s a DNF for me.
An emotional and sexy novel about guarded hearts, finding love, and families lost and found by Melissa Foster, the New York Times bestselling author of Maybe We Will.
After spending years wondering who she was, tattoo artist Cait Weatherby finally found her answers on the sandy shores of Silver Island. With two half sisters she never knew existed, a group of friends she adores, and a devastatingly charming admirer who flirts with her at every turn, she’s ready to figure out her next steps. The trouble is, Cait lives in the shadows of a dark past, and she can’t afford complications that might cause her to lose the family she’s only just found—complications like blue-eyed boatbuilder Brant Remington, who is as open as she is guarded. If only the sexy charmer would take the hint…
Brant is Cait’s opposite in every way, but he’s drawn to everything about the sexy newcomer—from the quiet strength that rivals the caution in her mossy-green eyes to her tough facade that he can’t wait to strip away.
As Brant works his magic, Cait’s walls come down. But as sweet as that feels, Cait knows how quickly good things can turn bad. It’s going to take more than a little trust to beat the ghosts of her past and claim the future they both deserve.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3m35R97
A Certain Appeal by Vanessa King
DNF: Boring
It wasn’t bad, but I was bored. This Pride and Prejudice retelling with a burlesque twist will probably work for some readers better than others, but the writing didn’t keep me hooked. I chose to not finish rather than struggle through.
A sparkling contemporary retelling of Pride and Prejudice set in the tantalizing world of New York City burlesque, perfect for fans of The Kiss Quotient and The Roommate.
After a betrayal derailed her interior design career, Liz Bennet found a fresh start in New York. Now an executive assistant by day and stage kitten by night, she’s discovered a second home with the performers at Meryton, Manhattan’s top-tier burlesque venue. Love’s the last thing on her mind when she locks eyes with Will Darcy across the crowded club, yet the spark between them is undeniable—that is, until she overhears the uptight wealth manager call her merely “tolerable.”
Bennet is determined to write Darcy off, but once their besties fall head-over-heels, they’re thrown into each other’s orbit again and again. Each encounter begins to feel more heated than the last, but is their chemistry enough to topple that terrible first impression? What’s more, when a charming newcomer arrives on the scene with accusations against Darcy, and a sudden development leaves Meryton’s fate in jeopardy, Bennet will have to decide who to trust in time to salvage her design dreams, her heart, and the stage she shares with her found family…
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2ZhEzmO
There’s Always Someday by Harloe Rae
DNF: Wasn’t loving it
I got about 100 pages into this on release day, set it down, and promptly forgot about it. I just don’t find the hero appealing AT ALL – he’s taken advantage of the heroine’s kindness for years and become a deadbeat father. I like the uniqueness of the storyline and the double “unrequited” love scenario is interesting, but I’m struggling with this. The premise sounded cute in the blurb, but in reality it’s not cool.
“Give your heart to a man worthy of the claim.”
That’s been his constant excuse for keeping distance between us.
Little does he know that I’m his for the taking.
If only he’d have me.
Nolan Jasper has been my broody neighbor for almost six years.
I’ve been hopelessly infatuated with him just as long.
The bond I have with his little girl only serves to strengthen that hold.
Since they moved in that stormy night, I’ve been trying to restore what was lost.
I would do just about anything for those two.
Acting as Nolan’s reliable doormat is getting old, though.
Especially when he seems incapable of accepting love.
I’m finally willing to admit that man is a lost cause.
Too broken.
Jaded.
Withdrawn.
Nolan Jasper has pushed me away for the last time.
If only he realized it before I’m already gone.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/30woE4l
The Holiday Swap by Maggie Knox
DNF: Boring
It was just really boring! Super Hallmark-y, and not compelling.
A feel-good, holiday-themed romantic comedy about identical twins who switch lives in the days leading up to Christmas–perfect for fans of Christina Lauren’s In a Holidaze and Josie Silver’s One Day in December.
All they want for Christmas is a different life.
When chef Charlie Goodwin gets hit on the head on the L.A. set of her reality baking show, she loses a lot more than consciousness; she also loses her ability to taste and smell–both critical to her success as show judge. Meanwhile, Charlie’s identical twin, Cass, is frantically trying to hold her own life together back in their quaint mountain hometown while running the family’s bustling bakery and dealing with her ex, who won’t get the memo that they’re over.
With only days until Christmas, a desperate Charlie asks Cass to do something they haven’t done since they were kids: switch places. Looking for her own escape from reality, Cass agrees. But temporarily trading lives proves more complicated than they imagined, especially when rugged firefighter Jake Greenman and gorgeous physician assistant Miguel Rodriguez are thrown into the mix. Will the twins’ identity swap be a recipe for disaster, or does it have all the right ingredients for getting their lives back on track?
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3iMVqoB
Rushed by Aurora Rose Reynolds
DNF Reason: Forgettable
I, uh, forgot that I was reading this. It’s never a good sign when you’re almost halfway through a book and you forget about its existence. So, needless to say, it wasn’t a total win for me. The story is very instalove, with a sweet, inexperienced heroine and a hero who falls for her quickly. This reads very much like the typical story from Reynolds (with a toned down hero), and I can picture how things are going to play out. Unfortunately, the laidback, instalove feel didn’t work for me with this one, and it’s a forgettable read. Intriguing as a series starter though.
New York Times and USA Today bestseller Aurora Rose Reynolds turns up the heat in this tale of new adventures, dangerous decisions, and undeniable attraction.
Cybil is the queen of bad timing. First, her fiancé breaks up with her days before their wedding. Next, she’s stuck going on a couples retreat in the Montana wilderness alone. And worst of all, now she’s fighting a growing attraction to the wilderness retreat’s rugged owner, Tanner.
Tanner has built his wilderness adventure service on a few key principles: never take unnecessary risks, never put anyone’s life in danger—and never, ever sleep with a client. The arrival of a beautiful new visitor, however, might mean bending the rules.
Two people looking for anything but romance may have just bumped into their soul mates. In the Montana wilds, any misstep can spell danger. Cybil and Tanner just have to decide if they’re brave enough to face their next adventure.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3C90Xgj
Washed Away by RC Boldt
DNF Reason: Not what I expected
I’ve been meaning to check out this author’s work and the blurb sounded right up my alley – fast-paced, intriguing, and mysterious – but the book is actually pretty slow-paced, and I was bored. I just couldn’t get into it. Rather than continue reading something I’m not enjoying, I’m leaving this one unfinished – but according to other reviewers, it gets better later on.
USA Today bestselling author RC Boldt brings us a sizzling romance chock-full of intrigue and deceit in this brand new romantic suspense…
All that’s forgotten isn’t always gone…
I’m at death’s doorstep when my body washes up on shore in Panama.
My memory is a blank slate. I can’t even remember my name. I don’t know who shot me and left me for dead—or why.
Patient and kind, the lone doctor there mends my body while offering me refuge.
But as tiny flashbacks of my past occur, I wonder if there’s anyone I can trust.
It’s up to me to discover whether I’m in danger or a danger to others. Whether I’ve actually found love or if it’s all been a lie.
I need answers to find out who I really am.
If only I could remember…
Amazon: https://amzn.to/30lEbnh
Window Shopping by Tessa Bailey
DNF: Awful audio
First audiobook I’ve ever returned – the hero sounds like a creepy sexual predator hitting on his employee when the female narrator is doing his voice. I practically shivered when it happened, and I paused in the middle of making dinner to make a run for my audiobook and make it stop. Then proceeded to make dinner in silence, because silence was better than listening to that. So. Yeah. Not a great read for me. Things were already not going well prior to that – this is not really a reverse grumpy/sunshine, the hero’s reason for giving her the job felt really slimy, and it was already heading in the direction of instalove with creepy vibes coming off of the hero. He’s a Ted Lasso-sweet guy in the streets and a freak in the sheets, and having him proposition his employee so quickly – and mention how he’s not-so-nice in bed so unsubtly – was really, really off-putting for me. I probably would’ve stuck around longer had I been reading the ebook, but this wasn’t going to work for me either way. Preserving my love of the author’s work by erasing this from my memory.
A sizzling, standalone, feel-good holiday romance from Tessa Bailey, New York Times bestselling author of It Happened One Summer.
Two weeks before Christmas and all through Manhattan,
shop windows are decorated in red and green satin.
I’m standing alone in front of the famous Vivant department store,
when a charming man named Aiden asks my opinion of the décor.
It’s a tragedy in tinsel, I say, unable to lie.
He asks for a better idea with a twinkle in his eye.
Did I know he owned the place? No. He put me on the spot.
Now I’m working for that man, trying to ignore that he’s hot.
But as a down on her luck girl with a difficult past,
I know an opportunity when I see one—and I have to make it last.
I’ll put my heart and soul into dressing his holiday windows.
I’ll work without stopping.
And when we lose the battle with temptation,
I’ll try and remember I’m just window shopping.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3kFiZR3
Want to know more about the books that actually worked for me?
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*As of April 1st!
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Jeeves Reads Romance 
I liked this post a lot! Aside from the books you like, it’s also interesting to see what you didn’t like and why.
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Happy to hear that! I’m a mood reader and I love to try new-to-me authors, so DNFs are inevitable. No sense trying to finish if it’s just not a good fit.
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