Voracious Romance Reader • Honest Reviewer
I liked the heart of this one, so I'm choosing to round up - even if it wasn't the perfect fit for me. With a brightly colored cover and a playful, punny name, I kinda expected this to be more of a rom com, and it's really not. There are definite small town vibes, with... Continue Reading →
Sometimes you start reading a book and get a great feeling about it almost immediately - there's something that pulls you in and lets you know that it's going to be a good one. That's how I felt about this. It was clear from the first few pages that the dynamic was WORKING for me,... Continue Reading →
If we’re being honest, I expected a lot more from this. Having read and loved several of Sorensen’s more recent books, I was excited to start the series that has been so influential to her work. And it was just kinda disappointing. There is so much internalization that the reader knows a LOT more about... Continue Reading →
I guess I'm glad that I read the second book in this series first, lol, because I probably wouldn't have continued on if I had started with this one. The two books are very, very different - this one is much more suspense-focused, so much so that it overtakes the romance. And the romance itself... Continue Reading →
Such a cute, feel good read! This will be a win for small town, single parent lovers who appreciate a laidback and easygoing love story with a touch of heartache. I could feel the instant ZAP of attraction between these two, and it immediately had my attention. It reminded me of my favorite of Locke's... Continue Reading →
There was bound to be a miss in this otherwise-fantastic series at some point, and... this is it, unfortunately. I could tell something was off from the first chapter, when these two were (off-page) banging within the first few minutes of me picking up the book. We miss the initial banter and spark of attraction... Continue Reading →
I'm torn between 4 and 5 stars, but the ending had me absolutely SWOONING, so I'm choosing to round up. There's a lot to love about this room-ance - a strangers to roommates to friends to lovers slow burn with fun, slightly off-kilter vibes and a hero whose feelings I wanted to figure out. The... Continue Reading →
What I love about Winter Renshaw is that I never know what I'm going to get; each book is wholly unique, and the journey is always unpredictable. That's definitely the case with this one as well, which certainly didn't progress in the way I expected. The premise was engaging, the story moved quickly, and the... Continue Reading →
Am I disappointed that this ended up being more women's fiction than romance, and that the true crime aspect was not a major element? Absolutely. However, I enjoyed the journey, and I happily binged it in one sitting. So I can't say that I didn't like it - this was a solid 3.5-star read for... Continue Reading →
As 2022 comes to a close, I’m celebrating my 20 favorite romance novels of the year, and the wonderfully unique Funny You Should Ask makes the list. As a self-proclaimed second chance romance hater, I think it's hysterical that a few wildly different second chance romances made my Top 20 list. When they work, they... Continue Reading →
As 2022 comes to a close, I’m celebrating my 20 favorite romance novels of the year, and no book put me through my paces emotionally like Untying the Knot. Meghan Quinn is no stranger to my Best of the Year lists, because she swings for the fences with every release, and creates magic every so... Continue Reading →
As 2022 comes to a close, I’m celebrating my 20 favorite romance novels of the year, and Thank You For Listening is one of the subtler picks. I was lucky enough to receive an early copy of the audiobook, and it blew me away - I think that I may have been one of the... Continue Reading →
As 2022 comes to a close, I’m celebrating my 20 favorite romance novels of the year. I don't assign these specific rankings, but... Consider Me is definitely up there! I loved this playboy tamed romance so much that I happily ate up a 20+ hour audiobook by a new-to-me author and wanted more at the... Continue Reading →
It's a mini review! I'm clearing out my review queue of all the books I can't seem to convince myself to finish, for one reason or another. That doesn't mean these are negative reviews, it simply means that something isn't compelling me to keep reading at the moment. Maybe I'll go back to them another... Continue Reading →
So bingeable, with a hero who is the sweetest man underneath his frosty exterior, this made for the perfect introduction to this small town series. Yes, I skipped right to the book with the tropes I was most interested in, lol, and I have no regrets. It's clear that the series is tied together enough... Continue Reading →
I had to contemplate my rating for a few days, which is not quite how I expected this to go. I'm a big, big fan of Liese's work and I was very excited for her first book with a major publisher. However, most of my issues lie with the narration - and that's not something... Continue Reading →
Featuring a plot right out of a Hallmark movie, this sweet second chance romance has all of the holiday vibes. It's laidback and easygoing with a slightly boring feel - it was more plot-driven and less romance-focused than I was hoping, but there's a lot to like about the story. It definitely has that Christmasy... Continue Reading →
Devastatingly brutal yet poignant and hopeful, this marriage in trouble romance put me through my paces emotionally - and I loved it! Switching between past and present, we see the highs and lows in this couple's relationship, with the chemistry and connection in their early days punctuating the loss of a love that was once... Continue Reading →
It's mini review week! I'm clearing out my review queue of all the books I can't seem to convince myself to finish, for one reason or another. That doesn't mean these are negative reviews, it simply means that something isn't compelling me to keep reading at the moment. Maybe I'll go back to them another... Continue Reading →
It's mini review week! I'm clearing out my review queue of all the books I can't seem to convince myself to finish, for one reason or another. That doesn't mean these are negative reviews, it simply means that something isn't compelling me to keep reading at the moment. Maybe I'll go back to them another... Continue Reading →
Quick and spicy, this wedding-themed romance is focused as much on the small town drama as it is on the love story. It's a slightly different vibe than Landish's usual, still heavy on the spice, but a little easier and more laidback than expected. Our couple has instant chemistry before the heroine realizes who she's... Continue Reading →
Spicy and sweet, this brother's best friend/single parent romance is cute but ultimately a little forgettable. I liked the concept of two single parents who are brought together by the death of the man who connected them. Suddenly business partners after years of barely knowing each other, these two are both grieving and not in... Continue Reading →
Not at all what I was expecting, but in a good way! The blurb made this sound like it was going to focus more on the matchmaking side of things, and it also minimizes the relationship that this former couple had in the past. I am not a fan of second chance romances, so I... Continue Reading →
This was quick and bingeable, but ultimately a little unfulfilling. Bromberg is a one-click author for me, someone who delivers 5-star reads time and time again. So there was a lot of good stuff going on - some great sexual tension, an engaging meet cute, and a romance that mixes light and sexy moments with... Continue Reading →
These co-writes have been a bit uneven for me, and the streak continues with this one. As a long-time fan of Loring's work, it's easy to see Crais' influence, and that has its pros and cons. Pros include getting the dude's perspective right, making this series feel like true sports romance, and (of course) the... Continue Reading →
It's always a little terrifying to read the sophomore effort from an author whose debut you loved, hoping that it will live up to the weight of expectation. And, honestly, this didn't at first. The beginning is MUCH weaker than the second half, and it takes awhile to find its footing - but it definitely... Continue Reading →
Loved it, loved it, LOVED it! You know things are going VERY well when the 20-hour runtime on an audiobook doesn't faze me, and I spend time doing math to determine whether it's physically possible for me to stay up late enough to finish before going to bed (sadly, no). I really wasn't sure what... Continue Reading →
My favorite kind of audiobooks - those performed in duet, so that you can distinguish between the characters! Audiobooks have come a long way in the last several years, shifting from books that are simply read aloud to true audio performances. I remember trying to get into audiobooks a few years ago, and I just... Continue Reading →
Sometimes it takes a second chance to get things right, and the result is even sweeter because of the struggle. I'm talking about the couple in this book (which I LOVED!), but I'm also referring to my own reading experience. Back when this first released, I tried jumping into the series without reading the first... Continue Reading →
It's easy to see why this friends to lovers romance is so popular - it is completely swoony and CHARMING, with a great found family feel and an intriguing cast of characters. I also adored the hero, who is so obviously head over heels for his girl from the moment he meets her. There are... Continue Reading →
Intelligent, lighthearted, and full of romance, this was exactly what I was hoping for... though I wouldn't have minded some steam, lol! It's my first from the author, so I wasn't sure if the vibe would be more women's fiction or romance, but it ended up being a great combination of the two. The romance... Continue Reading →
As a general rule, I HATE second chance romances... but I LOVED this. I was hesitant to pick this up because of the couple's complicated past, but that all faded into the background as I became immersed in this truly unique love story. Told in flashbacks, present day, and snippets of articles that fill in... Continue Reading →
Really, really good - I loved it! Thought-provoking and romantic, this straddles the line between women's fiction and romance, with a heroine-centric storyline that effortlessly weaves in a rich and dynamic love story. It also balances light and playful moments with heavier, sometimes somber, scenes for maximum impact. I'm so glad that I went in... Continue Reading →
Charming and poignant, this ghost story is a little bit romance and a little bit women's fiction. Our hero is a ghost, so that causes plenty of tension, naturally. But as someone who exclusively reads romance novels, I wasn't making an exception for this. There's a sweet and swoony love story wrapped up in the... Continue Reading →
With fan-worthy steam, a playful feel, and tons of sexual tension, this grumpy/sunshine romance absolutely flies by. It's an office romance with a side of fake relationship, pairing up two total opposites who have never really gotten to know each other. Once this boss and his assistant interact outside of the office, their entire dynamic... Continue Reading →
Instead of laughing like I usually do while reading a Pippa Grant rom com, I found this to be kinda tedious. It never felt "romantic" to me in any way, and the relationship felt incredibly surface level - especially for a book that's NOT short. This series starter is Grant's first traditionally published work, and... Continue Reading →
It’s lust over love for this couple, but that makes for a fast-paced, sexy read. While I think there were a few missed opportunities (especially in enhancing the emotional connection), I enjoyed this overall and had no trouble bingeing it in one sitting. The hero is a sweetheart of a guy who gives off bad... Continue Reading →
It's been awhile since I've enjoyed a college romance this much, but Marie did such a great job of making these characters relatable... even if the storyline is a little unusual! I've been loving Marie's lighthearted romances recently, so I decided to check out the one that always puzzled me: IOU. Yeah, the storyline is... Continue Reading →
For a debut? Pretty great. The cover caught my eye, but it was the significant buzz surrounding this Hollywood romance that had me excited to read it. Luckily, I had already heard that this has a heavier, messier storyline than the cover and blurb imply, so I was not caught off-guard by just how dark... Continue Reading →
I adored Managed so much that I was almost hesitant to continue the series after reading what remains one of my all-time favorite books, but it was FINALLY the right time for me to sit down with Fall. And it lived up to all of my expectations! Once again, Callihan does an excellent job of... Continue Reading →
While I connected to What If You & Me from the start (it was one of my favorite books of 2021), there was something missing for me with For You & No One Else, and the back half just made me feel completely disconnected from the characters. I liked both characters individually; they had great... Continue Reading →
We're already halfway through 2022, so I'm taking the time to reflect back on my 15 favorite books of the year so far. The final entry to this list is Thank You For Listening, the upcoming release from Julia Whelan. I was lucky enough to receive an early copy of the audiobook, and it blew... Continue Reading →
We're already halfway through 2022, so I'm taking the time to reflect back on my 15 favorite books of the year so far. The final book on this list is probably the most universally anticipated romance of the year - Book Lovers. It's actually my first time reading something from Henry, and I can see... Continue Reading →
We're already halfway through 2022, so I'm taking the time to reflect back on my 15 favorite books of the year so far. If you'd asked me six months ago, this probably wouldn't have been the Meghan Quinn book that I expected to make this list! She is an excellent writer who usually has a... Continue Reading →
I love it when a guy finds himself in over his head within minutes of meeting the right girl, and that is definitely the case here! I finally made room at the top of my TBR for this girthy office romance, and it was well worth the wait. It's intensely sexy, banter-filled, and full of... Continue Reading →
A sexy single dad who is a genuinely nice guy, but also kind of a possessive caveman? Yeah, that works for me! This hero steals the show with his combination of sweet and alpha/businessman and caveman, but I also loved the vibrant heroine who has unexpected sides of her own. The two make for a... Continue Reading →
Sitting squarely between 3 and 4 stars for me, the best part of this suspenseful romance is its unpredictable storyline. I've read amnesia romances before, but never has one played out quite like this one - and that definitely kept me on my toes. I liked the teases and the guessing, and it certainly gets... Continue Reading →
I finally took the plunge, and this absolutely lives up to the hype - I ADORED it! This one's for those readers who have the patience to follow little breadcrumbs scattered throughout the story, tiny moments of romance that slowly (SLOWLY) build into something truly beautiful. I loved that build in intimacy, the steps that... Continue Reading →
Super cute but also immensely frustrating, this slow-burning office romance is a quick and easy read. I LOVE that it features a HERO who starts the book plus-sized and unsure of himself. It was really refreshing to read about a hero who just assumes that the pretty girl at work wouldn't be into him, and... Continue Reading →
This lighthearted debut takes awhile to find its footing, but it started to shine once it did. I couldn’t resist that adorable cover, and it’s actually a great reflection of the vibe - this easygoing romance features a (mostly) confident, curvy heroine and a muscular hero who acts like an alpha but secretly has a... Continue Reading →
With crackling chemistry and a sexy doctor you'll want to kiss one minute and smack the next, this accidental pregnancy romance hooked me in IMMEDIATELY. I always love strangers to lovers romances, and this adds an element of enemies to lovers that was pure delight. These two don't know anything about each other, but the... Continue Reading →
I liked the general foundation of this cute rom com, but I HATED the heroine. With a passion. It's as though this 30-something woman is back in high school as soon as her teenage nemesis reappears; she's annoying, untrusting, and childish. And it goes on for MUCH longer than anticipated. So, while I loved the... Continue Reading →
Watching an ice queen's heart melt for the right man is as satisfying as it is unexpected. A love note to book lovers, this literary romance stars the villain of everyone else's story. She's the stereotypical "unfeeling" workaholic; a woman who is successful, beautiful, and comes across as ice cold. She's the woman that the... Continue Reading →
Why did I wait so long to read this? It was SO good, and such a feel good read! I've been a big fan of Pippa Grant's work for years, but I've also been reading every series completely out of order, so this just got lost on my TBR for a long time. It's the... Continue Reading →
They say opposites attract, but can they make it work? That's the question here! As always with Jimenez's love stories, there's a richness and layered feel that builds and develops throughout, slowly cranking up the angst until our couple's worlds seem so far apart. This is probably her least "fun" book so far; typically her... Continue Reading →
Such a sweet, feel good romance! Even my husband - a man who loves horror movies and sci fi - loved this light and playful rom com. I trapped him in a car for a road trip, and we listened to the audio edition together. This is definitely meant to be enjoyed in audio, with... Continue Reading →
Steamy fun, this low angst, high heat read is another solid rom com from Martin. This is the steamiest billionaire romance I've read yet from the author, wasting no time getting right into the playful, inappropriate phone interactions between this broody boss and his new wake-up-call girl. Yep, you read that right. Our heroine is... Continue Reading →
She’s the grump. He’s the sunshine. Well... at least he is once he starts chasing his girl, lol. I loved the absolutely hysterical, banter-filled dynamic between this couple and the nonstop comedy that follows them on their adventures. This hero is a reformed playboy who openly admits that he used to be a tool -... Continue Reading →
WOW! I wasn't sure that I was going to like this smooth-talking player at the start, but I was feeling the swoons in such a MAJOR way by the end. This book is a JOURNEY; a slow tearing down of walls and insecurities. MQ carefully navigates the complexities of a hero who honestly doesn't know... Continue Reading →
"Oh fu..." (and a little gasp) was my reaction to the first chapter, and I immediately knew that I was going to be in for a devourable read, the kind where you sit back and enjoy the show. And this is definitely that. I binged this in one sitting with zero regrets - the story... Continue Reading →
Have you ever read a book, and it just... completely starts off on the wrong foot? That initial stumble flavors your entire reading experience, and then suddenly all of these other little things start to bug you. That's how this went for me. There's a lot of good stuff going on in the story -... Continue Reading →
This reformed antihero just wants someone to love him for who he is, and I couldn't help but swoon over the vulnerability. The man needed a hug, and a little lightness in his life. I loved how perfectly these two complement each other - they're both broken, with complicated pasts that leave them running scared... Continue Reading →
Well. Shame on me for having this in my library for literal years without reading it - it was PHENOMENAL! My eyes were absolutely glued to every single page once I got a feel for the story. I don't know exactly what I was expecting the plot to be about, but this surprised me in... Continue Reading →
Jeeves Reads Romance 