Voracious Romance Reader • Honest Reviewer
There was an embarrassment of reading riches in May, so my biggest problem was choosing which books would make this list! This month, I really focused on setting aside books that weren't working for me and giving my full attention to those that did - whether they were new releases or retro reads. And that... Continue Reading →
I'm a big fan of the concept, it's the execution that I didn't love. Having a second chance romance set in a Survivor-like reality show created some great forced proximity, tension, and the requirement that this couple work out their differences if they want to succeed. I loved that it felt unique, and I was... Continue Reading →
Deliciously weird and super sexy, this single dad romance had me laughing within minutes and smiling the whole way through - exactly the kind of low angst, funny read that I love from Loring. If you're new to the series, then you'll be missing out on some hysterical family moments (and two other great rom... Continue Reading →
Not quite the grumpy/sunshine read I was looking for, this soft and sweet romance still makes a great series starter. I've been meaning to check out Travis' work, and this was the perfect introduction to her writing - it sets up the series nicely while still remaining a total standalone, and it showcased her unique... Continue Reading →
Unfortunately, this was not a successful reading experience for me, which is really disappointing because I’ve enjoyed Ready’s work in the past. There are a million romance novels inspired by Pride and Prejudice, and I've read some pretty great ones. Getting the hero's personality just right is one of the major requirements, and this hero... Continue Reading →
If you liked The Ex Talk but wanted more swoons AND more sex, well, then you're gonna love this sexual tension-filled treat! There's something about Nolan's writing that is always so super swoony, with low angst vibes and romance that you can root for. I was expecting this to have stronger enemies to lovers vibes,... Continue Reading →
I've already read and loved A Not So Meet Cute, and now a brand new edition of the book was just released with over 30 illustrated scenes! It's a scorching hot rom com with plenty of sexual tension, so I'm very curious to see how detailed those illustrations get, lol! I remember several of the... Continue Reading →
Super cute! After reading a particularly angsty book, I was in the mood for something lighter, easier, and refreshing - and this was just what the doctor ordered. It's a low angst, sexy rom com that takes the fake relationship trope and spins it into something else. I loved how perfectly this couple complements each... Continue Reading →
As a SUPER slow-burning angst fest, I’m having a very difficult time assigning a rating to this forbidden/taboo romance - but it's so well done that I've got to give it points for originality. So let's call this a 5-star with an asterisk read. Hartmann has crafted another complex, bittersweet romance that will rip your... 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 →
Exactly the light and sexy read that I was looking for! I read this writing duo's first book a few years ago, and I remember thinking that I'd have to check them out again once they got into a writing groove... and dropped the third person perspective. So I was delighted when I sampled this... Continue Reading →
I've got a lot of (mostly positive) thoughts about this one, so many thoughts that it detracted from my reading experience. However, this is still head and shoulders above most of the books I've read this year. Liese has such a distinctive voice, creating these authentic characters who have real struggles and conflicts. That's what... 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 →
I finally, FINALLY, moved this up to the top of my TBR, and it made my love for the rest of the series come rushing back to me - one of my all-time favorites. Often, when you've been anticipating reading a book for so long, you build up unrealistic expectations that it has no chance... Continue Reading →
The third person perspective doesn't do the story any favors here, because I actually really loved the foundation of the book, but I always felt like I was watching it happen from a distance. There are some GREAT elements to the story, including tons of history between these childhood rivals turned present day frenemies, a... 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 →
As a huge fan of Beauty and the Beast and someone who has enjoyed Guillory's writing in the past, this should've been right up my alley... and it just wasn't. Think of this as Guillory watered down and sweetened up for a younger audience - it's got the foundation of a good book, but the... Continue Reading →
There were some AWESOME new romances released in April! While the month was super uneven overall, the books that worked for me really worked, and I'm betting they'll leave a lasting impression. And my favorites were all SO different that it'll probably take a few months before I know which was my absolute top pick.... Continue Reading →
Broken heroes break my heart every single time - it's just so easy to fall for them. That's definitely the case in this small town, enemies to lovers romance. This is my first time reading something by Prince, and it certainly won't be the last. I dove right into the middle of this series of... Continue Reading →
I was HOOKED from the very first page, and I devoured the whole book at an alarming rate - I loved it! There are times when you can tell that an author is having FUN with a story, and this is one of those instances. This couple is drawn together like magnets, and their chemistry... Continue Reading →
Hot grandparents, cougars, and flings are all things I tend to avoid when reading romance, but I couldn’t resist a trip back to Summersweet, so… here we are! Did I find these characters relatable? Not in the slightest. This couple is the same age as my parents, so I might be a little mentally scarred... Continue Reading →
Too much playboy talk and not enough actual communication drag this otherwise light and easy fake relationship romance down. Also… I have no idea what the title has to do with the story, lol. I was expecting a roommate element at some point. I’m typically a big fan of Monroe’s low angst, trope-tastic rom coms,... 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 →
You know what? I almost forgot that this was a fake relationship romance, because this couple is basically already in love when the book begins. It's a light and sexy small town romance with chemistry that's apparent from the first scene, great family dynamics, and plenty of banter to keep things interesting. I loved the... Continue Reading →
Light and playful, this started strong before fizzling along the way. There just wasn't enough time spent with our couple together, with too much telling and not enough showing. I loved the easy, lighthearted vibe and I'm always up for a marriage of convenience where opposites attract, but there also needs to be time spent... Continue Reading →
Well. Ahem. So this was nothing like I expected, but more than I could've hoped for - I LOVED it! If you loved the torturous slow burns of The Spanish Love Deception and Marriage for One, or the nerd-centric love story of The Love Hypothesis, then you're gonna love the vibe of this one-of-a-kind romance.... 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 →
It’s not that I didn’t enjoy this, it’s just that it was WAY too short to do the topic justice. The overall tone is super light and low angst, with a quick, easy vibe that almost felt wholesome. That's in complete contrast to the topics at hand - famous rock star who is grieving the... 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 →
At the heart of this is a laugh out loud, sexy romantic comedy, but I wasn’t invested enough in the relationship to feel the love. Essentially, our couple finds themselves in a series of outlandish situations, but the story is more about those situations and the characters responding to them rather than growing together as... 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 →
Instalovers, this one is for you! The title makes complete sense, because this couple breaks the speed limit on how fast a relationship can progress. Our loving and protective hero is smitten at first sight, and he will stop at nothing to show his girl all of the love that she's been missing in her... 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 →
Maybe I’m getting too old for teenage drama, or maybe the bully to instalove transition gave me whiplash, but this just didn’t do anything for me. It’s the first time I’ve disliked a book by Nathan - the other five I've read from her have been great. We'll call this one a fluke! Our introduction... 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 →
The banter-filled, playful vibe had me hooked from the start, but my enjoyment took a nosedive somewhere along the way. It's a bright, cheerful, opposites attract romance that showcases how life doesn't always go according to plan. I loved that our sunshine heroine shows the grumpy hero that he's been missing out on the best... Continue Reading →
So bingeable - another easy, sexy read from Hayle that hits the right notes. Fake relationships/marriages of convenience between boss and assistant are classics for a reason, and I kinda liked that neither of these characters had been secretly pining for the other. While I adore that in a romance, this felt unique in that... Continue Reading →
The second time's the charm - for this couple, AND for me with this book. I'm new to the series, so I was expecting a sweet cinnamon roll hero (as the series title describes) and a rom com (as the cover implies), so I was... taken aback... by the level of hostility between these two.... Continue Reading →
So I took the night to collect my thoughts, and I still don't know how to rate this - there's a lot going on in the story, and a lot going on in my head. Let's start with this: I'm a first-timer! I've been meaning to check out Douglas' work for years now, and this... Continue Reading →
With such an outlandish meet cute, I kinda expected this to be funnier, quirkier, more carefree - but this hero's lack of trust and penchant for jealousy put a damper on it for me. I'm a fan of Gephart's work, and I always look forward to whatever crazy idea she's come up with for her... Continue Reading →
You know what? I liked it! It took a little longer than usual for this one to grow on me (and there were definitely things that bugged me along the way), but this felt really fresh and unique. We follow this non-couple as sparks fly between them - while there is plenty of chemistry, and... Continue Reading →
"This was supposed to be a release. A bandage for the ache. But now, as she holds my face, with our noses pressed together, I let her watch as she tears down the barrier between us, her body taking my demons and burying them inside." This earns its 5 stars for being so BINGEABLE and... Continue Reading →
Light and fluffy rom com fun, I was loving this debut until the author decided to have our hero start dating someone else halfway through the book. Nothing extinguishes my enjoyment faster. Despite that, there's a lot to love about the writing style - the meet cute was adorable, the banter was fun, the New... Continue Reading →
He's a hot billionaire hockey player AND super sweet? Too good to be true! I found myself really loving the hero at the heart of this Vegas wedding romance. While our heroine struggles with self-doubt and a lack of trust, this hero rises to the occasion and shows that he's worth fighting for. I'm still... Continue Reading →
Well this certainly takes the steam up a couple of notches! This starts out STEAMY and stays that way throughout, with palpable sexual chemistry sparking between these characters. For me, it was more of a sexual relationship than anything else, which left me feeling a little disconnected from their emotional relationship - but that makes... Continue Reading →
This is one of those books that I was SO SURE was going to be an easy 5-star rating for the first half... and then the second half unraveled a bit. I absolutely LOVED the forced proximity, playful teasing, frenemies banter, chemistry, and blizzard banging. This hero is all kinds of sweet and caring, and... Continue Reading →
Float Plan had me crying within 5 minutes, so I was fully expecting the next book in the series to emotionally wreck me - but it was like a big, warm hug. This romance/women's fiction crossover is still a heartfelt read, but it's much lighter and more uplifting. The short length allowed me to binge... Continue Reading →
There's a lot to love about this unique, swoony debut, and if it wasn't plagued by some major pacing issues, then it probably would've been an easy 5-star rating for me. First and foremost, I LOVED the hero. He's a cinnamon roll sweetheart who is too adorable and patient for his own good - literally.... Continue Reading →
Definitely more lust-focused than anything else, this office romance wastes no time in getting steamy and staying that way throughout. Whenever I dive into a book by Bay, I kind of already know what I'm going to get - British businessman who heats up the sheets before slowly simmering into love - and that's the... Continue Reading →
I didn't really like it, but you might. It's essentially what's spelled out in the blurb - best friend's little sister asks the pro hockey player to take her v-card, as a casual situation that starts to feel like more. It's a tried and true trope that sometimes hits and sometimes misses for me, depending... Continue Reading →
There was something missing for me, but this has all of the ingredients of a GREAT book - Grant's signature quirky humor, an unexpected pairing, a fake relationship scheme that quickly gets out of control, and a coldhearted billionaire who finally meets his match. I wanted to love it so hard, and I did enjoy... Continue Reading →
Yeah, I might've swooned over this book - and this beautifully broken hero - in a big way. I devoured it in one sitting, and I was hooked the whole way through. I really, really LOVED it. We met this couple in It Happened One Summer, the first stellar book in this interconnected series, and... Continue Reading →
Grumpy boss with feelings that run deeper than he wants to admit? Umm, yes please! I absolutely LOVED my first experience with this new-to-me author's work - the story gave me Spanish Love Deception/Love Hypothesis vibes, and that's honestly one of the highest compliments I can pay a book right now. This slow burning love... Continue Reading →
The most compelling part of this story is completely omitted from the blurb, and barely touched upon in the actual book - the fact that these two have been friends via email for SEVEN YEARS. They've connected while editing love stories, exchanging jokes, and playing online chess together. They've never met in person, and our... Continue Reading →
If you thought the first book in this series of interconnected standalones was STEAMY, well, this might've been even hotter. It's a scorching hot fling to more romance with a side of forbidden, age gap vibes. I didn't find either character even remotely relatable - they're rich, beautiful people with a very slow-to-burn emotional connection... Continue Reading →
Low angst and bingeable in the best of ways, this billionaire romance is the kind of quick and sexy read that I love from Bladon. While the blurb had me thinking this was going to be a tense, darker read, it's definitely not that. The vibe is a little mysterious and a whole lot lighthearted,... Continue Reading →
Releases June 21st There's a lot to love about a cinnamon roll sweetheart who falls hard and fast for his girl - this hero was GREAT! As a longtime fan of Score's work, I was excited to dive into this and see how her style changes for a more "traditional" romance audience. This still has... Continue Reading →
I… have no idea why this wasn’t three separate books. It really should’ve been three separate books. There are six different perspectives, three different love stories, and endless drama. Every time I would start getting into one love story, the chapter would end and I’d be dropped into another one. That actually was so frustrating... Continue Reading →
Jeeves Reads Romance 