It’s been awhile (about six months!) 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!
DNF: Super cute cover, super boring vibes. After reading an okay book by this author, I tried her newest release. I don’t remember anything about the plot, lol. And when I saw it partially finished on my kindle a few weeks later, I almost thought the percentage was a mistake – I had forgotten that I’d even started it. So… not ideal.
The Nice Guy by Abi Sabina
Here’s my advice: Never fall for your boss when he is a walking red flag.
After finding out that my boyfriend cheated on me, I packed my bags and moved to Sunshine Falls.
My uncle’s ready to retire, and he has always dreamed of me taking over his partnership at the animal clinic in town.
My surprise comes when he introduces me to my new partner, and it’s the cute guy I was talking to at the coffee shop.
It’s okay, though. I’m not looking for a relationship. My priorities are my career and starting over.
Ivan and I clash at every turn, and our transition is anything but smooth. Throw in the exotic animals that keep showing up, and I think we’re doomed.
The one thing we can agree on is to make my uncle proud.
When Ivan starts to open up to me, it’s difficult to ignore my feelings. Throw in turtle-shelled glasses, and I’m putty.
I’m tempted to break my rule, but I know the consequences that come with dating a co-worker, and I won’t go through that again.
The Nice Guy is a diverse closed-door romantic comedy full of swoony moments, laughs, and a meddling Cuban family. It’s Amor Series follows Cuban-American cousins as they find unexpected love. You’ll get sizzling chemistry without the spice.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3r0InpZ
DNF for now: We wait four years for a new book from Maise, and the book is woefully underwhelming. After adoring Marriage for One, I’ve been impatiently waiting for a new book from this talented author, and Charlie ended up boring me. It’s definitely a slow burn, so I’m going to give it another try once my expectations have lowered to a reasonable level. But this was disappointing for sure.
Charlie, Love and Clichés by Ella Maise
Six years ago at a random diner I met a stranger and he became the-one-who-got-away, or more correctly the-one-who-didn’t-show-up.
A small advice from me to you: if you haven’t dated, touched *or* kissed a guy in years and *years*…do not try to crawl away or hide from the-one-who-got-away. It’s not a good look.
William Carter, the stranger I’d met six years ago was the last person I’d imagine ever seeing at my dad’s firm where I work. While I panic and fight off the butterflies in my stomach and in general struggle to act normal, I realize he doesn’t even remember me. I’m not sure if I should feel relieved or heartbroken. Things get worse when I learn we’ll need to work in close quarters to each other, but at least I let him know that I don’t have a crush on him anymore right away. Just in case he gets any ideas.
While I’m in the process of writing lists and making serious changes in my life, because I decide I’m ready to be the heroine in my own story; having William just a breath away is not helping things. Especially when things shift between us and we start to make eye contact in meetings. Then he shows up in places I least expect him to…as in blind dates and sex clubs. He also gives me cheese because he knows how much I like it and there are secret notes he leaves in my office. If you were wondering, I still don’t have a crush on him though. Nope.
Even though I’d promised myself I’d never wait around for another guy and postpone my own life, I’m afraid William Carter who looks at me as if I’m his and was always supposed to be his might ruin my hopeful plans. And quite possibly me for any other guy since I’m craving his touch like I’ve never craved anything in my life before. But we both know we’re a losing game so we keep admitting that neither one of us has a crush on the other.
Not anymore. Not at all. Not even a little bit.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3NLZl4f
Lost interest/did some skimming: I ADORE the Devil series, but the dynamic in this is totally different and not really my style. So I did some skimming, and it was clearly not for me. Very toxic, love triangle situation, emotional cheating, tons of drama. Lots of readers loved it, but I’m choosing to skip it to preserve my love of the author’s work.
The Summer We Fell by Elizabeth O’Roark
An Angsty, Second-Chance Forbidden Romance
He was my boyfriend’s best friend—and the bane of my existence. I wanted to hate Luke Taylor. I did hate him. I just never hated him enough.
Now, a decade later, tragedy has brought us back to the place where it all happened—my best times, and my worst.
Our lives have changed, but that pull between us is just as strong as ever.
Only this time, it’s more dangerous too.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3ZYirb4
DNF: I don’t know, the hero is a cop, he’s significantly older than the college-ish aged heroine he has known for years, and he thinks she’s young and naive but still has the hots for her. Wasn’t super comfortable with that, so I ended up DNFing even though I bought the audiobook (which was well done). Seems very lust-focused to me.
Forbidden Hearts by Corinne Michaels
First rule of being a nanny? Don’t fall for the single dad, even if he is smoking hot.
But that’s exactly what happens when grumpy small-town sheriff Asher Whitlock reluctantly hires me to take care of his daughter for the summer. Neither of us is thrilled with the arrangement, but he’s desperate for help, and I need the money for grad school this fall.
All we need to do is keep our distance and remain professional . . . turns out, that’s easier said than done.
Instead of focusing on my future, all I see is the strong jawline, crystal-blue eyes, and rock-hard body right in front of me. We try to resist each other, but we end up crossing every line until I’m in his bed.
I tell myself it’s just this once.
Okay, twice.
All right, every night.
But it’s got to end–he’s fourteen years older than me, with a kid and a stressful job. Have I mentioned my dad is his boss? Then there’s the past I’m trying to forget. Secrets aren’t easy to keep and mine are getting too big to hide.
Walking away is never simple but when I do, I can’t look back.
Even if it means leaving behind the man I was never meant to love.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/42V6BjF
DNF: I’m thinking this author just isn’t for me, she loves the OW drama. It’s also a much faster burn than anticipated and the heroine is weaker than she appeared at the beginning. So it started off with some solid potential before losing me along the way. Great audio!
The Temporary Wife by Catharina Maura
From the author of The Wrong Bride and Forever After All comes an angsty and steamy marriage of convenience romance featuring a billionaire boss and his secretary.
When Luca Windsor’s secretary suddenly quits her job shortly after his family forces him into an unwanted engagement, he sets out to solve both problems.
… by secretly marrying his secretary, Valentina, instead.
The rules are simple:
- Don’t fall in love
- Keep their marriage a secret at work
- Share a bed every night
It was meant to be a straightforward and mutually beneficial deal, but with each day that passes, it becomes clearer to Luca that the one thing Valentina wants is the only thing he can never do:
Letting her go.
Publisher’s Note: Each book in the Windsors series features a different Windsor sibling, and as such, each book can be read as a standalone. The Temporary Wife contains a guaranteed happily-ever-after and no cheating.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3WH6vs5
DNF: I liked this debut author’s writing style, but some of the specifics about sober companions, addiction, and mental health were ALL wrong. So I’d check out another book from her, but can’t recommend this.
Bear with Me Now by Katie Shepard
Love makes life a little wilder in this romantic comedy by debut author Katie Shepard.
After a panic attack puts him in the hospital, charity executive Teagan Van Zijl is dragged by his sister to a wilderness therapy retreat in Montana. Lost in the woods while absconding from midafternoon meditation, Teagan is nearly eaten by a bear before his rescue by a furious angel in muddy hiking boots: the program’s handywoman, Darcy Albano, who was mostly worried for the bear.
Darcy thought she was going to work as a trail guide when she was hired onto the camp staff but ended up cleaning and hauling instead—merely the latest screwing-over she’s endured since her ex stole her car and her parents ruined her credit score. Teagan becomes the silver lining she didn’t expect, a man clearly going through something yet willing to commit to Darcy’s unique brand of wilderness education as the cure for what ails him.
After weeks in the mountains with Darcy, Teagan doesn’t want to return to New York without her. He hires Darcy as his sober companion—a position he doesn’t actually need filled and for which Darcy is completely unqualified—hoping she can help him figure out a way to move forward. But once they get to the city, all Teagan can think of is how to confess the truth without losing her. Together, they begin to imagine what their lives might look like if they could depend on each other for help—even in outrunning a bear.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3ZVAuPh
DNF: Lily Kate is one of the first indie authors I read back in the day, so I was excited to check out her first new book in years. Unfortunately, the genre has grown a lot in those years, and it simply wasn’t anything special.
Taco Bout Love by Lily Kate
My name is Lucas Donovan, and I’m a sucker for a great taco.
No, that’s not an innuendo, though I do like my women like I like my tacos: extra spicy. So when a brand new food truck rolls into our sleepy little town of Fantasie, Maine, I know I’m in trouble. I just don’t know how much trouble.
Things go downhill fast when I meet Chloe Brown, the sizzling hot and super sassy owner of Taco Bout Love who is as extra as guac. Then out of the blue, Chloe plops her huge purple eyesore of a truck in my designated parking spot. I’m sorely tempted to have her truck towed, and her right along with it.
Unfortunately, Chloe’s as fierce as a ghost pepper, and she’s not going down without a fight. Before I know it, the only thing I’m certain of is that this woman drives me crazy… in the best way possible. What’s more is that I’m beginning to think I just might miss her when she’s gone.
Suddenly, I can’t seem to keep my hands off Chloe Brown… or her tacos.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3GZWAYH
Lost interest: Pretty sure I’m going to skip all of Devney Perry’s second chance romances from now on, we don’t seem to see eye to eye on the trope.
Coach by Devney Perry
A single dad, sports romance from Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author, Devney Perry.
Football star. Single dad. And once, a long time ago, mine.
I’ve spent the better part of a decade forgetting Ford Ellis. If he had just stayed away from Montana, I might have erased the memory of his striking blue eyes and rugged smile forever. Avoiding him was easy when the only place I saw his face was on ESPN—and a remote control could fix that problem.
Except my boss just hired Ford as the new head coach for the Treasure State Wildcats. Not only will I be stuck watching him on the sidelines this season, but avoiding him will be impossible now that we’re working together.
Maybe I haven’t forgotten Ford. Maybe I still dream about what we might have been. Maybe he hasn’t forgotten me either.
Except those maybes won’t change the fact that we were never meant to be. Maybe he was mine once. But as of today, the only thing I’ll be calling Ford Ellis is Coach.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3JyltvY
DNF for now: I’ve started the audiobook twice and set it down at the same spot twice. I think there’s just too much of an info dump at the start? Too many characters to keep track of. It wasn’t bad by any means, so I’m going to try the second book in the series before jumping back into this one. Series starters can be tough, so maybe it was just that.
One Look by Lena Hendrix
I’m a full time single dad. A former NFL player turned coach, tasked with turning around a college team full of kids who either don’t take it seriously or are determined to get injured. I will absolutely not be falling for my new neighbor.
Lark Butler is pure chaos wrapped in gorgeous, infuriating sunshine. She showed up out of nowhere––getting paid to cry at a funeral, no less. Who does that? But somewhere between offering her condolences and crawling out of a literal grave site, we’ve found ourselves tangled in the drama of Outtatowner, Michigan–my coastal hometown with a decades-old feud and two aunties determined to end it.
I’m finally putting down roots so my daughter has a normal life and I need to forget about Lark. Forget the way it felt the night we kissed or what it’s like to finally take something just for me. But when those sparks ignited, it was more intense than either of us bargained for.
Trouble is, I can’t trust her, and she never stays. She’s burning my carefully laid plans to the ground and all it took was one look.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/43Zkw8E
Lost interest: Friends to lovers is hit or miss for me, so I checked some spoilers on the dynamic before diving in – and I’m glad it did! Lots of miscommunication and f-buddy vibes. Kinda toxic. Not for me.
Rain Delay by Allie Marie
Lucas Abbot is finally ready to put on the breaks.
After a lifetime of privilege, Lucas is ready to make something of himself–for himself, by himself, without handouts, or the legacy of his father’s name nipping at his heels. And if everything goes as planned, he’ll get to do it with his best friend, Rachel, by his side.
Rachel Rowe is ready to spread her wings and take flight.
After growing up all over the globe with her nomadic parents, Rachel thought that she was finally ready to settle down. Finally ready to put on the brakes. Finally ready to tell her best friend, Lucas, how she really feels.
When work moves them both to Chicago, Rachel sees the opportunity to lay her heart on the line. But the second Rachel and Lucas sign a six month lease, heartbreak collides with her brand new roommate, and she watches all of those plans crumble at her feet in the middle of their shared living room. In light of her heartbreak, Rachel forms a new plan: take off the parking brake, live on the road again, and crush any feelings she has for Lucas beneath the tires as she goes.
But while Rachel is dead set on putting her best friend in the past, Lucas is more determined than ever to pick up the fragments and piece them back together.
After years of avoiding their feelings, and one fateful night that has tape lines drawn between them, a break for rain will either drown them, or be exactly what they need to repair the damage before the clock runs out.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/42kRika
Lost interest/DNF: I’ve been meaning to try this buzzy author’s work, but this gave me pause. Turns out, it’s a second chance romance where both characters have been banging a bunch of other people while trying to deny their feelings for each other. Absolutely hate that. So not only did I DNF this, but I’m thinking this author won’t be a good fit for me at all.
Stealing Home by Grace Reilly
I should be focusing on my game–not on falling for my gorgeous, grumpy roommate… especially since she’s already left me once.
Sebastian
It’s my final season to prove myself before the MLB Draft. The last thing I need is a distraction–and especially not one as tantalizing as Mia di Angelo.
She’s the drop-dead gorgeous astrophysicist-in-training who ditched me the moment I wanted to take us from casual to committed. Yeah. Ouch. But when she needs somewhere to stay for the summer… well. I offer her my place.
Being roommates shouldn’t be so hard. Not distracting at all. Not the least bit challenging…
Mia
I have two goals this summer: get into a study abroad program, and get over golden baseball god Sebastian Miller-Callahan.
Doesn’t mean it’s easy to stop thinking about him, but he deserves better than a prickly, career-focused girl like me. Our futures can’t be more different. The last thing I need is to play roommates with the only man who can set my body ablaze.
And all the feelings I’ve tried to pretend I never had? They come rushing back far too strong for either of us to ignore.
Stealing Home is a spicy new adult sports romance with reverse grumpy-sunshine, forced proximity/roommates, dual POV, and a guaranteed HEA. It is the third in a series of linked, yet standalone, novels in the Beyond the Play series.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Nt8kpG
DNF: I had an ARC of the audiobook (which was great!), and I enjoyed it as I was reading, but as soon as I set it down for the day, I forgot all about it. And had no interest in diving back in – not bad, but nothing special.
French Holiday by Sarah Ready
One (crumbling) French castle. Two enemies-at-first-sight. The holiday of a lifetime.
Merry DeLuca has a problem—a big problem. Her sister just married her best friend and the only man she’s ever loved. Her life is rapidly spiraling down the drain and she doesn’t have an escape plan.
So when Merry is offered a three-month holiday living in a romantic castle in the French countryside she leaps at the chance. Merry knows her French holiday will fix everything—there will be mouthwatering pastries, delicious (meaningless) flirtations, and languid strolls through vineyards at sunset. Her holiday will be perfect.
At least, Merry believes that until she arrives and finds Noah Wright—the best man at her sister’s wedding and the worst man she’s ever known—staying in her castle.
Famous travel documentarian by day and arrogant devil by night, Noah refuses to leave the castle. Which means that Merry and Noah are stuck together in France, in a crumbling castle, in a holiday where nothing goes right. Not for Merry and not for Noah.
So they strike a truce—they’ll live as cohabitating friends for three-months, and then they’ll amicably part ways, never to see each other again.
But the thing about friendship? Sometimes secrets are uncovered. Mysteries revealed. Hearts laid bare. And friendship can start to feel a lot like caring. A lot like love. It can even make you wish that the holiday never has to end.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3yKkqE7
DNF: I’m two-for-two on this author’s books – both have been DNFs for me. In this case, it’s kind of a marriage in trouble romance, except they’ve basically been living like they’re divorced. Yeah, the heroine has banged a bunch of other people while estranged from her husband. And the hero I did not like at all. So it was a no-go for me.
Play to Win by Jodie Slaughter
Jodie Slaughter’s latest rom-com, Play to Win, is a sizzling romance where a winning lottery ticket is meant to be a new start but instead becomes a second chance at love.
Miriam Butler’s life is going nowhere in the slowest, most excruciating way possible. Stuck in the same barely-paying job she’s had since she was sixteen and spending every night sleeping in the spare twin bed in her mother’s house, her existence might be hilarious if it wasn’t so bleak. One trip to her favorite corner store upends everything when she finds herself the winner of a Mega Millions Lottery Jackpot. Unfortunately, not even life-altering roses come without their painful thorns. Hers just so happen to be in the form of an estranged husband who has the right to claim his share of her money.
It’s been eight years since Leo Vaughn has had a conversation with his wife. When she calls out of the blue, practically begging him to come back to Greenbelt, the last thing he expects her to tell him when he gets there is that she’s come into a whole heap of money. She offers him a life-changing proposition of his own. Take a lump sum, finally sign the divorce papers, and be done with her for good. Only, a forever without her is the last thing Leo wants. So he gives a proposition of his own. One that won’t cost her nearly as many millions, but will buy him the time to do the one thing he’s been hungry to do since he left — win her back.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3CM1lTT
DNF: After DNFing the first book in the series, I gave the author another shot… and DNFed this as well. The hero was married when he first hooked up with the heroine (told her he was divorced, but really he hadn’t broken up with the wife yet), and I couldn’t relate to either character.
Jana Goes Wild by Farah Heron
The highly acclaimed author of Accidentally Engaged delivers a delightful rom-com of one woman trying to shed her perfect image at a destination wedding with hilarious—and moving—results, perfect for fans of Abby Jimenez and Jasmine Guillory.
Jana Suleiman has never really fit in—everyone always sees her as too aloof, too cool, too perfect. The one time she stepped out of her comfort zone she ended up with a broken heart and a baby on the way. Aaaand lesson learned. Now she’s a bridesmaid for a destination wedding in Serengeti National Park, and almost everyone she knows will be there. Her five-year-old daughter. Her mom. Her friends. Even her potential new boss. And of course (because who doesn’t love surprises!) her gorgeous-but-not-to-be-trusted ex.
Fortunately, Anil Malek is a great dad, even if Jana hasn’t quite forgiven him for lying to her all those years ago. Determined to show he has no effect on her whatsoever, she and the bridesmaids concoct a go-wild list to get Jana through the week. Sing karaoke? Sure. Perform their high school dance routine in front of strangers? Okay. But the more she lets down her guard, the less protection she has against her attraction to Anil. And Jana soon realizes it’s one thing to walk on the wild side . . . and quite another to fall for her ex all over again.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3UW561e
Lost interest: I’ve been loving the series, but I knew from book one that chances were good that I would hate this particular friends to lovers/love triangle romance. The dynamic felt toxic to me, so I checked out some spoilers before diving in, and I’m just going to skip this one. Looking forward to whatever is next from the author though!
Their Freefall at Last by Julie Olivia
The hardest part is waiting for the fall.
I am currently in love with, have always been in love with, and will continue to be in love with, my best friend, Bennett Walker Shaw.
In five minutes, my best friend’s bride will greet him in a gorgeous white gown with forever on her lips. Except that bride won’t be me.
Moments like these force you to look at your life a little closer.
At twelve-years-old, he and I promised to always be there for each other. But in our childlike optimism we didn’t understand the frail, tattered string of time. How people change. How families fall apart.
How sometimes we fall apart too.
I could try to pinpoint where our mess started, but I’m not sure where I’d land in our patchwork timeline.
Maybe it’s best to go back to the beginning. Back to when the meaning of love was simply defined by a small town theme park and that beautiful, messy-haired boy.
Their Freefall At Last is a slow burn romance spanning two decades, featuring two childhood best friends and their many years of pining. Enjoy the comforts of a small town theme park, filled with lots of love and steamy tension.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3WoqAov
DNF: I was really looking forward to this, and I bought the audiobook (which was very well done), but the book is almost 500 pages long and they’d already banged and basically fallen in love 50 pages in. I don’t mind a long book, but it does not work for instalove. I’m also not a fan of instalove, lol. Pair that with their interesting personalities of the characters, and it was a quick DNF for me.
Hacker in Love by Lauren Rowe
Secrets. Everybody’s got ‘em, including me. Especially me.
The difference is mine will never be revealed, whereas I can easily get yours, assuming the price offered by your enemy is right and the scales of justice appeal to my personal standards of ethics. Easy peasy lemon squeezy. The thing that’s not so easy for a shy guy like me? Finding Ms. Right and locking her down.
Speaking of Ms. Right, the very night I was set up with Hannah Milliken by our mutual friend, I knew I’d one day kneel before her with a ring in hand. Hannah’s the kind of girl who’ll gleefully dance like a gorilla with me in the coolest nightclub or belt out a karaoke duet from Grease like her very life depends on it. She’s gorgeous, too. Funny and smart. And she even wears librarian glasses. See? Perfect.
I don’t doubt Hannah’s the one for me. Indubitably, she is. I only wonder how a dork like me could possibly land a goddess like her.
Unfortunately, when catastrophe strikes, all my questions are rendered moot. Now that Hannah knows the truth about me not actually working in cybersecurity—as well as the questionable things I’ve done to win her over—will I lose my dream girl forever, or is there still a chance for us to chase our happily ever after?
Hacker in Love is a steamy, funny, heart-pounding, standalone contemporary romance with a whole lot of feels, laughs, spice, and swoons by USA Today and internationally bestselling romance author Lauren Rowe.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3H4ChtV
DNF/skimmed: I liked the writing, but the relationship was too messy for me. Lots of OW drama. If you like Catharina Maura though, this might be up your alley.
Between Commitment and Betrayal by Shain Rose
My father’s business partner will do anything for the empire they built together…Even marry me.
Declan Hardy, All-American heartthrob and retired NFL billionaire, is my complete opposite.
He’s commanding where I’m cooperative.
Spontaneous while I am deliberate.
Loud when I stay quiet.
The only thing we have in common is that both our names are on my father’s will.
He’ll inherit the fitness and hospitality empire and I’ll keep the one thing I hold dear.
As long as I marry him—with conditions.
One year of a fake marriage.
One year of living together.
One year of pretending I belong in his luxury lifestyle.
But stipulations are never that simple.
Especially when I can’t tell if his kisses are fake or if I’m pretending when I kiss him back.
And as more conditions arise, it’s clear there’s a fine line between commitment and betrayal… and neither of us knows where that line falls.
Between Commitment and Betrayal is a billionaire, forced proximity, fake marriage of convenience and a father’s business partner novel. It is a complete standalone by Shain Rose.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3YFiAj9
DNF: This author is super popular right now, but something about her writing just doesn’t hold my interest. This features a trope that’s right up my alley, but I was bored. Nothing specifically bad about it, so I’ll give her one more shot.
Under the Stars by Laura Pavlov
My new assistant is all smiles and sunshine—and she’s about to set fire to my cold, grumpy heart.
I’ve moved to this god-forsaken small town to run the family business.
I need to hire a new PA and the pickings are slim.
Some say my irrational expectations are the reason I’ve gone through assistants quicker than most people refill their coffee.
Incompetence is my pet peeve.
If that makes me irrational, so be it.
Then Georgia Reynolds walks into my office.
Blonde hair.
Sapphire eyes.
And a smart mouth that irritates me as much as it turns me on.
On top of being a rockstar at her job, she is a ray of freaking sunshine on steroids.
I have no patience for it.
Nor for the way she flutters around the office like a modern-day Tinkerbell.
She has ridiculous taste in music.
Drives an unreasonable form of transportation.
And did I mention that I caught her dancing in my closet when I sent her on a simple errand?
My new assistant has somehow become my kryptonite.
But I am her boss, and I am not going to be a pathetic cliché.
It doesn’t matter that my cold, jaded heart has started beating again.
In my world, a beating heart makes you weak.
And I do not tolerate weaknesses.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3UVO2si
DNF: I borrowed this from the library and listened to a chunk of it one day, but I moved on to something else the next day and didn’t feel compelled to return to this before the loan was due. Not bad, but not that memorable either.
The Love Wager by Lynn Painter
Two people make a wager on who can find love first, not realizing what they should be betting on is each other, in this new romantic comedy by Lynn Painter, New York Times bestselling author of Mr. Wrong Number.
Hallie Piper is turning over a new leaf. After belly-crawling out of a hotel room (hello, rock bottom), she decides it’s time to become a full-on adult. She gets a new apartment, a new haircut, and a new wardrobe, but when she logs onto the dating app that she has determined will find her new love, she sees none other than Jack, the guy whose room she snuck out of.
After agreeing they are absolutely not interested in each other, Jack and Hallie realize they’re each other’s perfect wing-person in their searches for The One. They text each other about their dates, often scheduling them at the same restaurant so that if things don’t go well, the two of them can get tacos afterward.
Spoiler: they get a lot of tacos together.
Discouraged by the lack of prospects, Jack and Hallie make a wager to see who can find true love first, but when they agree to be fake dates for a weekend wedding, all bets are off. As they pretend to be a couple, lines become blurred and they both struggle to remember why the other was a bad idea to begin with.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3lN50M3
Lost interest: I love me some Meghan Quinn, but I didn’t have a good feeling about this one. Her Montlake romances have very different vibes than her indie ones. After checking some reviews, I lost interest.
Vacation Wars by Meghan Quinn
From USA Today and Amazon Charts bestselling author Meghan Quinn comes a fun, sexy story about the family dynamics that can stand in the way of rekindling a romance.
Prepared for a good time, Tessa is thrilled to spend the weeks before her sister’s wedding at their family’s favorite vacation spot: Santorini. Sandy beaches, stonewashed houses, attractive men—it’s heaven.
But Tessa’s idea of a girls’ trip comes to a screaming halt when her sister thinks it’s high time Tessa finds some love herself. Unfortunately, Tessa forgot about the deal she made back in high school: she has to find her soulmate before her sister’s wedding. Or else.
As she dodges suitors and her sister’s pranks, Tessa finds an ally in the oh-so-dreamy Myles, her childhood crush who just so happens to work at the resort. But Myles is dealing with some family conflict of his own. He’s elated at being reunited with Tessa, but his father’s refusal to acknowledge his interest in the family business and relegating him to only grunt work casts a dark cloud.
As Tessa and Myles help navigate their way through their families’ antics, they begin to realize that their past feelings may have a future—if only they can turn their island fantasies into something real.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3n5xwcA
DNF: I haven’t had a super successful read from Hunting in a couple of years and this series has completely missed the mark for me. With some OW drama and a second chance romance, this installment didn’t win me over either.
Make a Wish by Helena Hunting
With her signature charm and sense of humor, bestselling author Helena Hunting creates a novel about love, family, and second chances in Make a Wish.
Ever have a defining life moment you wish you could do over? Harley Spark has one. The time she almost kissed the widowed father of the toddler she nannied for. It was so bad they moved across the state and she never saw them again.
Fast forward seven years and she’s totally over it. At least she thinks she is. Until Gavin Rhodes and his adorable now nine-year-old daughter, Peyton, reappear at a princess-themed birthday party hosted by Spark House, Harley’s family’s event hotel. Despite trying to avoid the awkwardness of the situation, she can’t help but notice how unbearably sexy he looks in a tutu. Add to that a spontaneous hives breakout, and it’s clear she’s not even remotely over the mortification of her egregious error all those years ago.
Except Gavin seems oblivious to her inner turmoil. So much so that he suggests they get together for lunch. For Peyton’s sake, of course. It’s the perfect opportunity to heal old wounds. Or it could just reopen them. This is one of those times Harley wishes she could see the future…
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3FckLlI
DNF/skimmed to the finish: I really enjoyed the first two books in this series, which were both heavier slow burns. These two started banging within minutes of meeting, and it was just not the vibe I was looking for from this author. They also felt a bit selfish, so I never connected to the story.
Off the Map by Trish Doller
Trish Doller’s idyllic romance Off the Map proves sometimes a wrong turn can lead to the exact right destination.
On the road to love, you don’t need a GPS…
Carla Black’s life motto is “here for a good time, not for a long time.” She’s been traveling the world on her own in her vintage Jeep Wrangler for nearly a decade, stopping only long enough to replenish her adventure fund. She doesn’t do love and she doesn’t ever go home.
Eamon Sullivan is a modern-day cartographer who creates digital maps. His work helps people find their way, but he’s the one who’s lost his sense of direction. He’s unhappy at work, recently dumped, and his one big dream is stalled out—literally.
Fate throws them together when Carla arrives in Dublin for her best friend’s wedding and Eamon is tasked with picking her up from the airport. But what should be a simple drive across Ireland quickly becomes complicated with chemistry-filled detours, unexpected feelings, and a chance at love – if only they choose it.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3YMRNSc
DNF: I like this author, but royal romance has never been a favorite of mine. I don’t dislike it, but I don’t find it that compelling either. So it wasn’t a major surprise that this didn’t hold my interest. Just a little too sedate, and a little too instalovey.
Royal Gone Rogue by Emma St. Clair
“You can’t choose a wife based on a spreadsheet.”
“It’s a RUBRIC.”
“Even worse!”
With the king’s health in decline, the time is short for Crown Prince Phillip of Elsinore to choose a suitable wife.
Preferably NOT one of the many titled women who seem only interested in the crown.
Like the logical, responsible man he is, Phillip treats this task the way he does everything else– analytically, with measurable data points.
Leaving Elsinore in secret, Phillip travels to a tiny Italian village to meet the woman best matching his qualifications. The plan is to present Alessia with a proposal of marriage and return to the palace before anyone notices his absence.
What he didn’t plan for: FEELINGS.
His–almost immediate, gut-punching attraction like he’s never felt.
Hers–almost immediate dislike and distrust like he’s never experienced.
Phillip’s very practical plan has been replaced with a new one: to stay on and win Alessia’s affection at any cost.
Even if the cost is his crown…Royal Gone Rogue is the second in the Sweet Royal RomCom series with laugh-out-loud humor, heart-warming love stories, and sizzling chemistry that keeps the bedroom door closed.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3XpzQZd
Want to know more about the books that actually worked for me?
Best Romance Books I’ve Read in Kindle Unlimited (2023 So Far #2)
BEST OF 2022: Top Picks by Trope
Best Romance Books I Read in Kindle Unlimited (2022)
TOP 20 OF 2022: The Complete List
BEST OF 2022: My 10 Favorite Romance Series
Every 5-Star Romance Novel I Read in 2022
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