Voracious Romance Reader • Honest Reviewer
This started strong and fizzled out along the way, but I enjoyed the vast majority of it. I always look forward to this author's light, sexy romances, and this was a solid one in a lot of ways. The banter and playfulness between Bianca and Roman was great, from their meet cute until the very... Continue Reading →
If I think about my rating for too long, I'll probably drop it to 3 stars, but this was just the kind of quick, sexy, suspenseful read that I expected it to be. While it's glaringly obvious that this was written by two different people, the story is tropey goodness with a royal spin. Our... Continue Reading →
This was really cute! There was something missing for me the whole way through, but I loved the meet cute and the adorable feel of this office romance. I love a good strangers to lovers connection, and that's what we've got here; these two meet in the most unexpected of ways, and it forces our... Continue Reading →
This went live a few days early! Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vNO87r Sugary sweet with plenty of spice, this opposites attract romance was a lot of fun. I love a grumpy/sunshine romance, and I also love unique meet cutes, so this caught my attention right away. The hero is my kind of grumpalicious workaholic, and I loved watching... Continue Reading →
I'd watch the movie, but I wouldn't have picked this book for myself. Based on the description, I thought this would be a light, playful rom com - which is just my style. It's actually chick lit with a touch of romance, with only a handful of interactions between our couple and just one or... Continue Reading →
I just want to start by saying that I genuinely enjoy this author's work, but she's grown a LOT as a writer in the six years since this was developed - and it shows. This book also really needs a content warning, because the storyline features something that's a dealbreaker to many, many romance readers.... Continue Reading →
Well, I have zero interest in continuing the trilogy, so that should really tell you everything that you need to know. I didn't like it. It hits the ground running from page one, and our heroine's perspective sometimes felt scattered, leaving me confused and disconnected. There's a mysterious feel to the whole book that should've... Continue Reading →
Any book that keeps me reading until the wee hours of the morning is going to get a 5-star rating from me... even if it gets off to a rocky start. I wasn’t enjoying this at first, and I actually set it aside for a couple of weeks while I recalibrated my expectations. It’s NOT... Continue Reading →
It's the pacing that brings this otherwise light and steamy book down. While the relationship is 100% instalove, the book is REALLY long, and there are plenty of parts that drag. These two get serious quickly, so much of the story feels like unnecessary filler. I loved the connection between them and the low angst... Continue Reading →
Truth? I passed on this book - HARD - the first, second, and possibly third time that I read the blurb. It's deceptively vague, and I had visions of every other problematic, friends with benefits, new adult "romance" that I've read in the last few years, and I was NOT interested. Then a book buddy... Continue Reading →
While I thoroughly enjoyed the light and breezy summer read that was Island Affair, Anchored Hearts did not strike a chord with me. Granted, I’m not a second chance romance fan unless they're executed properly, but this felt like it was full of the cringey things that I hate about the trope. I can list... Continue Reading →
Well, I hope no one expects me to do anything productive today, because this kept me up reading LATE into the night. Or I suppose "morning" would be more accurate, lol! This was incredibly compelling from the first page; the kind of book that held my attention from the start and NEVER let go. I've... Continue Reading →
Super cute and low angst, this was a welcome change from the last book in this series. I loved the uncomplicated storyline, and the banter between these two was great. I was initially loving the vibe between them, but the TWIST threw everything off-balance, and not really in a good way. It's difficult to critique... Continue Reading →
This was the dose of SWEETNESS that I needed in my life! It's cute, charming, and just a little bit sexy. I loved the slow build from strangers to friends to lovers, and somehow this author has again made a "clean" book simmer with sexual tension. This hero is almost too good to be true,... Continue Reading →
It was never love for me with this one, but I did like it. I love a bad boy hero with a marshmallow heart, and Kingston definitely gets there somewhere along the way. His vulnerability and persistence are some of the best parts of the book - along with all of the smokin' chemistry and... Continue Reading →
To be honest, I expected to like this a LOT more than I did. While the sassy and fun Boss in the Bedsheets grabbed my attention from the first page, the somber Belle and the Beard never pulled me in. It’s long, and it felt that way. The problem might’ve been that I didn’t particularly... Continue Reading →
Cute and forgettable, that's what I'd call this. It's a low angst, easy-going, small town romance with a touch of the forbidden, and there were plenty of moments that I enjoyed. I loved the adorable meet cute, and the humor made this a lighthearted, easy read. I also liked the opposites attract vibe, and the... Continue Reading →
Please note: this is book two in a steamy rock star duet. If you haven't read Falling Out of Hate With You yet, you can check out my review here Okay, well, that was kinda awesome! After reading the first half of this duet, I still wasn't completely sold on this couple, but I was... Continue Reading →
Another wholly unique, chemistry-filled, SWOONY love story from this author! This couple's meet cute was just a little bit magical, and that bantery goodness kept the magic alive throughout the book. Their relationship has a little of everything, from grumpy/sunshine to student/professor to optimist/realist. I loved the opposites attract vibe, and I absolutely adored this... Continue Reading →
Sigh. This just wasn't what I was hoping it was going to be based on the blurb. Brother's best friend? LOVE. Friends with benefits? HATE. Honestly, it felt like your typical, cookie cutter, "friends with benefits" romance where the couple is clearly already in love when they make those ill-fated plans. It's one of the... Continue Reading →
The first draft of this review included a lot of shouty CAPS, frustrated ramblings, and general non-sensical gripes about the book. Because this couple is endlessly frustrating. BUT... there's also a whole lot of awesome. I loved the first 40% very, very much. Like, HOLY CHEMISTRY, wow that's some serious sexual tension much. If you've... Continue Reading →
Never has a book been more aptly named, because it took awhile for me to fall out of hate with it. I'm not saying that it's not well written - it is - but there were definite impediments to my enjoyment in the beginning. For starters, the first 20% or so includes a LOT of... Continue Reading →
I just couldn't get into this. There's a lot of good stuff going on in the story, and it's got that classic sports romance vibe, but the whole situation with the other guy rubbed me the wrong way. Essentially, the guy that our heroine always thought she'd end up with is in the picture until...... Continue Reading →
It took a little while before I realized what was keeping me somewhat detached from this otherwise well written romance: it essentially skips the first third of the typical romance novel (aka some of the things I love the most). Things like the first sign of attraction, the development of crushes, the subtle build from... Continue Reading →
Uncomfortable. The power dynamics in this made me very uncomfortable. While this started off with a lot of potential - the writing is solid, the characters are interesting, and the hate to love office dynamic is one that I can't get enough of - it wasn't long before red flags started popping up. And then... Continue Reading →
Don't tease me with a "trapped in an elevator" scene unless you mean it! I'm kidding. Kind of. Anyways, this went very differently than I expected. I guess I was anticipating a lighter rom com, so the intense tone caught me off-guard (and there are potential triggers in the story). These two have some seriously... Continue Reading →
A truly FANTASTIC, outlandish, and romantic back half more than makes up for the slow start on this one. We'll talk about that slow start in a minute, but I've gotta talk about my love of Tyler and Muffy first. These two are the quintessential quirky couple, and their love story is SO FUNNY, offbeat,... Continue Reading →
CRAVE is right! These two had no problems in the chemistry department; they had some great sexual tension, and there's plenty of steam. I love a good guy hero with a touch of bad, and that's what we've got here. It's a light, sexy book with just enough yearning to say that it has a... Continue Reading →
T-O-X-I-C. Not gonna lie, this couple might be better off if they'd never met. This is the perfect example of why I vastly prefer duets to trilogies, because this couple is more broken now than when they started. And I like them less than I did before. If you're an angst-lover, that might be a... Continue Reading →
Perfection. There’s no sophomore slump here; this is delightful, distinct, and kinda delicious. I had literal happy tears spill from my eyes, and I was bawling like a baby by the end. It’s like sitting in your own personal happy place where everything is charming and romantic, full of tropey goodness, and more complex than... Continue Reading →
The third time's the charm! I was mentally prepared for this to devastate me, and that made the reading experience go much smoother. If you think I'm joking, then you clearly haven't read this author's first two books, lol! She is a phenomenal writer, but I found the tonal shift in her first two books... Continue Reading →
Mafia romance is one of those genres that needs to be executed well, or it unravels quickly. This didn't waste any time unraveling. The antihero is a domineering jerk who demands marriage from a stranger, doesn't agree to exclusivity, and doesn't take murder (of his wife) off the table... yet our weak heroine is still... Continue Reading →
I was in the middle of reading another book when this hit my Kindle, and I dropped it like it was on fire to read this - the blurb had me that curious. No regrets. This author's work is always unpredictable, with unique storylines that stand out from the pack. I was hooked from the... Continue Reading →
The first three books in this series were EASY 5-star ratings for me, but I couldn't get there with this one. It's still a great book - as if this author could write anything less - but I didn't love the heroine and the ending was a miss. Our hero though? FANTASTIC. Gunner is the... Continue Reading →
My biggest issue with this? Besides the fact that it's really more women's fiction than romance, it's without a doubt the heroine's story... and I didn't like her. She's a hot mess who is so absorbed in her own problems that she doesn't treat the people in her life well. She casually dates a genuinely... Continue Reading →
I liked this as a series starter, but not so much as a standalone romance. We meet a bunch of new characters - intriguing hockey players, friends, and co-workers - all of whom should make for interesting future reads. I just think that this particular love story got lost in the shuffle, and I ended... Continue Reading →
Can there be too much of a good thing? Yes. This was very funny, and it was very steamy... but I don’t think it was all that romantic. It's like everything I love about this writing duo's work was cranked up to one hundred, and the romance got lost in the shuffle a bit. There... Continue Reading →
What I love most about this author's work is that she can sure write a book that will hold your attention. They are absolutely never boring, and this is another complex, messy romance with the kind of story that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Was I always completely sold on it?... Continue Reading →
The only thing this light and funny rom com is missing is the... well, the romance, unfortunately. I've been loving this series and this accidental pregnancy story has a very similar vibe, but the pacing did it no favors. Our couple isn't even in the same room together for... let's say "awhile," and once they... Continue Reading →
Let's call this one the perfect palate cleanser, because it wasn't what I would call a "good" romance, but I devoured it in one sitting and was happy to do so. This reads quickly and stays exceedingly light throughout, with a feel good tone that will put a smile on your face. Was the romance... Continue Reading →
Oh. My. God. This book is just... wow. You're either going to really love it or really hate it; there is ZERO in between with this one. And while there are things in here that should've tanked this romance for me, there was no stopping my love of this book. It's just twist after dark... Continue Reading →
There's something about this author's light and sexy romances that just works for me, and this was another fun one. I won't say that it was one of my favorites - it wasn't - but the story is low angst and so easy to binge. For me, there was too much focus on the hero's... Continue Reading →
Well, I didn't dislike it, but I also wouldn't say that I liked it. If you've ever gotten to the end of a book and sort of gave a little shrug, I think that's where I'm at with this one. It's my first time reading something by this author and the saucy pickle puns drew... Continue Reading →
I'll let you in on a little secret: this (anti)hero isn't all bad, and that's what makes this forced marriage/mafia romance shine. It's the softer, subtler moments that turn this into a love story - though there's plenty of aggression and intensity as well. This couple goes on an emotional journey, and the author does... Continue Reading →
Lured in by a gorgeous cover and a trope I love, once again. I expected a lot more from this author, I'll tell you that. This was... not good. Not good at all. The book is only about 160 pages long, and this couple's past is WAY too complicated to unravel in that amount of... Continue Reading →
There's a lot to love about this Own Voices rock star romance, from the compelling, likable characters, to the slow burn, to the heartfelt moments. I loved the opposites attract feel, and how these two very different people came together under unexpected circumstances. It was a little too serious, a little too emotional, and the... Continue Reading →
This is an adorable, intelligent rom com... that is just RUINED by an unbearable heroine. There were so many times when I almost abandoned ship because of her snap judgments, constant negativity, hurtful actions, and myriad of insecurities, but there’s so much GOOD in the story that I wanted to see how it all played... Continue Reading →
That ending? And that cliffhanger? DEVASTATING. The kind of devastating that makes you want to start reading the followup immediately. I'm really, really - emphasis on the really - not a trilogy girl, but this story has me hooked and I can't wait to see where it goes next. While this is a full-length novel... Continue Reading →
A note regarding the controversy surrounding this author can be found after the blurb I couldn’t get the taste of bully out of my mouth while reading this. Oh, and the book wasn’t great either. I was legitimately excited to read this when I received an early copy via NetGalley back in September. I haven’t... Continue Reading →
Ah, yes, the dream guy continues to be mythical, it seems. This hero is only ready for commitment now because he’s pushing 40, spent nearly two decades being “devotedly single” (aka a bit of a player), and is now a single parent to a kid he never knew about. I don’t love the trope when... Continue Reading →
Raw, emotional, and steamy, this was another excellent addition to a series that has been STELLAR so far. We knew very little about Keith's story going in, and this gruff, protective hero was more broken than anticipated - but also so in need of some love in his life. He's wholly unprepared for the whirlwind... Continue Reading →
So, here's the thing. While this is light and funny overall, the practiced playboy and the cranky liar were always going to be a couple that's difficult to root for. And when you've been reading a book for hours and the playboy still hasn't dumped the girl he's seeing and the liar still hasn't stopped... Continue Reading →
Oh my god, this was ADORABLE. Definitely not what I expected from the title and tagline, I'll tell you that. This hero gave me all of the warm and fuzzy feelings by being genuinely kind and loving, and he absolutely stole my heart whenever he was in the same room with the heroine's daughter. There... Continue Reading →
Part of me really does want to rate this as 5 stars, because there are so many great moments in it. I loved the representation of our heroine, a woman whose tics have made her feel self conscious and less than, as well as the depiction of our hero, a sweet, vulnerable guy with insecurities... Continue Reading →
I'm sorry to say that I didn't love it, and that's disappointing because it started off so strong. Unfortunately, the hero - and a ton of miscommunication - ruined this one. I love the author's writing style, so there's a lot that worked for me, from the strong heroine, to the tenders moments, to the... Continue Reading →
I've never blinked away tears within 5 minutes of reading a book before, but... there's a first time for everything. This starts out HEAVY and gets lighter along the way, as our heroine grapples with her grief and learns to love life again. Opening with a suicide note that delivers quite the punch, this book... Continue Reading →
I'll be honest, I almost left this book unfinished. While it's got some gorgeous writing and an achingly emotional love story, the flashbacks didn't work for me - at all. It's almost 50/50 in terms of past/present, so it felt like every time this slow burn romance gained some momentum, the book would switch to... Continue Reading →
Light and funny with touches of emotion throughout, this is rock star romance done a little differently. Our hero might have a questionable relationship history, but he knows a good thing when he sees it. Linx is kind, determined, and loving, yet still gives off enough of a rock star vibe to make this feel... Continue Reading →
Unlike the quietly beautiful Love Lettering, this took a lot longer to grow on me. There's something sedate and easygoing about the writing style, so it's easy to put down and walk away from - which is not usually a glowing endorsement for a book. But once I delved deeper into the story and got... Continue Reading →
I always enjoy this author's low angst, banter-filled reads, but this one leaned into that a little bit too much, so the story ended up feeling shallow and kinda superficial. It's still a fun, playful read, but the heroine's personality gives this an over the top feel that makes the romance fade into the background.... Continue Reading →
I love how unique each of this author's books feel; they all have completely different vibes, so I never know what to expect going in. That means that certain releases resonate with me more than others, and this particular one wasn't a great fit - for me. It's still a solid small town romance with... Continue Reading →
My thoughts about this are all over the place, honestly. There’s a lot that I really loved about it, especially the ADORABLE hero and the depth of the story. This touches on some difficult subjects, and has a very unique feel. However, it also dragged a LOT in the middle, and the writing style just... Continue Reading →
Who would've thought that the Italian playboy would have the SWOONIEST love story? Not me, I'll tell you that. Though I've been loving this series so far, I was a little bit nervous about Enzo's book, because last we saw him, he was dating a twenty-year-old and still giving smoldering looks to every woman who... Continue Reading →
