Voracious Romance Reader • Honest Reviewer
I love it when a great book takes me by surprise, and I unexpectedly find myself immersed in a love story that has my FULL attention. With a new-to-me author and a nearly 400-page book, I went in with low expectations - and this wasted no time in exceeding them. It's such an engaging, smile-inducing... Continue Reading →
When the hero's ex influences the plot from start to finish, it certainly puts a damper on things. Beyond the complete and utter lack of communication between this newly married couple, it felt like every time I started to get into the story, the hero's ex would be mentioned again in some way that would... Continue Reading →
From the moment we met this couple on the page together, I knew this love story was going to be something special. The TENSION snaps and crackles immediately, and it's obvious that there is both a lot of love and HURT between them. This (anti)hero is perhaps the most "broken" man I've ever rooted for... Continue Reading →
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 →
I've got Meghan Quinn on my mind, so I thought I'd re-share my review for one of her older rom coms - the grumpy/sunshine, boss/assistant, wedding-related romance, Boss Man Bridegroom. I haven't been able to convince myself to dive into Quinn's newest, A Long Time Coming, yet(!), because friends to lovers drives me crazy 75%... 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 →
What a gorgeous love story! This is EASILY my favorite of Clayborn's romances (so far), and the bar was already pretty high. I loved the instant zap of connection I felt towards these characters, from those awkward first encounters to the subtle shifts in their relationship. I loved this grumpy hero - a man who... Continue Reading →
The banter and sexual tension in this he falls first/one-sided enemies to lovers romance made it such an engaging read; I loved watching these two bicker, and the attraction that sparked between them was palpable. It's also got a playful feel that makes the pages fly by, paired with an undercurrent of emotion that digs... 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 →
Sleeper, Charmer & Troublemaker I've been a longtime fan of funny lady Kayley Loring, and the Name in Lights series is the one that really cemented my love for her work! I rated all three books in this lighthearted rom com series as 5 stars, and I have a special love for Sleeper. They're all... 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 →
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The third time's the charm! While I have absolutely LOVED both of Hazelwood's previous novels, this one hooked me in INSTANTLY with the banter, electric chemistry, and the tense, forbidden aspect. It feels like her other work, but the vibe is also all its own - it progresses a little differently, the storyline is... Continue Reading →
For a debut? Pretty solid, and I can definitely see this writing duo growing into authors on my one-click list. While I thought that the heroine overreacted to every little thing and the writing felt drawn out at times, I sincerely enjoyed the core of this office rivals romance and the playful feel. It gave... 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 →
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 →
Everybody's been loving this one, but... I was disappointed. This series has become very popular, so I took my time waiting for the right tropes before checking out this new-to-me author. It should've been a perfect fit - there's tons of banter, sizzling chemistry, plenty of bickering, a firecracker of a heroine, and a hero... Continue Reading →
In case you missed it! I shared reviews for my 20 favorite books of 2022 over the holidays, and now I've got everything I loved about 2022 romance novels, all in one place! Looking back, I really did have a fantastic reading year – there were so many great books that ALMOST made my top... Continue Reading →
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ From the moment we met this couple on the page together, I knew this love story was going to be something special. The TENSION snaps and crackles immediately, and it's obvious that there is both a lot of love and HURT between them. This (anti)hero is perhaps the most "broken" man I've ever rooted... Continue Reading →
Putting a whole new spin on one of my favorite tropes, I loved that this fake relationship romance felt fresh and different. This couple moves in together and enters a fake relationship as complete strangers undergoing an experiment, which added a level of unpredictability and interest to the beloved trope. There's a great opposites attract... Continue Reading →
Such a great series! After reading and absolutely LOVING the second book in this series (one of my favorites of 2022), I decided to go back and start the series from the beginning. And I'm glad that I did! There's a lot to love about this office romance, from the strong and resilient heroine to... 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 →
It's rare that a book has as much PERSONALITY as this one, something that truly makes it sparkle and shine. That's definitely the best part about this absolutely bonkers rom com - the journey is a little offbeat, a whole lot spicy, and a ton of fun. There's a reason why everyone has been loving... Continue Reading →
As 2022 comes to a close, I’m celebrating my 20 favorite romance novels of the year, and Love on the Brain certainly makes this list! The Love Hypothesis was one of my favorite books of 2021, so Hazelwood had a lot to live up to with her sophomore effort - and this did not disappoint!... 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 Next of Kin was such an unexpected delight! On a night when nothing on my TBR was calling my name, I stumbled upon this newly-released debut. I'd never heard of the book, but the cover was adorable and... Continue Reading →
As 2022 comes to a close, I’m celebrating my 20 favorite romance novels of the year, and Terms and Conditions is another book that lived up to the TikTok hype. It's a marriage of convenience/office romance that ended up being right up my alley, and I loved how the hero was in so over his... Continue Reading →
As 2022 comes to a close, I’m celebrating my 20 favorite romance novels of the year, and Honestly, I'm Totally Faking It is one of those books that came out of nowhere for me. Typically, I'm either anticipating a release myself or I get a recommendation and put it on my TBR for "sometime." With... Continue Reading →
As 2022 comes to a close, I’m celebrating my 20 favorite romance novels of the year, and this debut easily makes the list! I'm such a second chance romance hater that it took about a dozen other readers recommending this to me before I finally dove in. And I'm so glad that I did! It's... Continue Reading →
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ What a gorgeous love story! This is EASILY my favorite of Clayborn's romances (so far), and the bar was already pretty high. I loved the instant zap of connection I felt towards these characters, from those awkward first encounters to the subtle shifts in their relationship. I loved this grumpy hero - a man... Continue Reading →
As 2022 comes to a close, I’m celebrating my 20 favorite romance novels of the year, and that list wouldn't be complete without Ten Trends to Seduce Your Bestfriend. It's one of the more unique and memorable books I've read this year, with a hero that I absolutely adored. It's also beefy and a little... Continue Reading →
As 2022 comes to a close, I’m celebrating my 20 favorite romance novels of the year, and the swoony Mixed Signals easily makes the list. I ended up bingeing the whole Lovelight series in less than a week, and that's because they are effortlessly charming. Better together, these books seem to improve with each installment,... 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 that list includes Meet Me Halfway, the slow-burning, single mom romance that put Lilian T. James' writing on my radar. I'd heard some good things about this book prior to reading, but it blew me away once I... Continue Reading →
As 2022 comes to a close, I’m celebrating my 20 favorite romance novels of the year, and that includes the banter-filled playboy tamed romance, Mile High. This is one of those books that I heard about months ago and let sit on my kindle for just the right day. It's nearly 500 pages long and... Continue Reading →
As 2022 comes to a close, I’m celebrating my 20 favorite romance novels of the year, and The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea definitely makes the list. The Devil series has been fantastic as a whole, but I sincerely enjoyed this angsty, forbidden romance - it might be my favorite of the Devils. It's... Continue Reading →
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ It was great to be back in Knockemout - this sequel did NOT disappoint! I think I liked it better than the first one, and that was very tough competition. There was just something immensely compelling about this wounded and vulnerable hero; he's a genuinely good guy who is in a dark place, and... Continue Reading →
As 2022 comes to a close, I’m celebrating my 20 favorite romance novels of the year, and one of my top picks is the playboy tamed romance, Hook, Line, and Sinker. I'll admit to being very hesitant to dive into this romance initially. Friends to lovers romances where the hero is a manhoe are not... 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 →
As 2022 comes to a close, I’m celebrating my 20 favorite romance novels of the year, and this debut surprised me in the best of ways - I loved it from start to finish. It's a great romance with a side of women's fiction, and the storyline felt fresh and authentic. Plus, roommates to lovers... Continue Reading →
As 2022 comes to a close, I’m celebrating my 20 favorite romance novels of the year, and that list wouldn't be complete without the finale to J.T. Geissinger's deliciously addictive mafia romance series. I have loved EVERY book in this series - and the spinoff series too - so it was no surprise that Brutal... Continue Reading →
As 2022 comes to a close, I’m celebrating my 20 favorite romance novels of the year, and that list includes Funny Feelings, a humorous and heartfelt friends to lovers romance by new-to-me author Tarah DeWitt. I knew very little about the plot when I decided to sample Funny Feelings, but it took only a few... Continue Reading →
As 2022 comes to a close, I’m celebrating my 20 favorite romance novels of the year, and Heartless is definitely one of them. When it comes to these lists, I try my best to honor 20 different authors, but I honestly could not choose between the first two books in Elsie Silver's Chestnut Springs series.... Continue Reading →
As 2022 comes to a close, I’m celebrating my 20 favorite romance novels of the year, and Flawless is certainly among them. When it comes to these lists, I try my best to honor 20 different authors, but I honestly could not choose between the first two books in Elsie Silver's Chestnut Springs series. I... 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 →
It's the time when I ponder my top reads of the year, and that makes me nostalgic about books that have made the list in the past. One such love story is the Wicked Ways duet, my first experience with K. Bromberg's writing. Her books made my list in 2019, 2020, AND 2021, so I... Continue Reading →
Quick and SUPER cute, this has everything you could ask for in a holiday novella. It packs a punch in a small package, diving right into a road trip between co-workers. There's a great grumpy/sunshine dynamic, and a hero whose thoughts are fun to puzzle out. It's just Christmasy enough to feel like a holiday... Continue Reading →
I am such a sucker for a playboy whose entire life changes once he meets the right girl, and that is exactly what this beefy book is all about - I absolutely loved it! It reminded me a lot of one of my other favorites, Consider Me, though this felt fresh and different in its... Continue Reading →
Such a great, feel good, holiday romance - I can see why everyone is raving about it this year! The vibe is lighthearted, Christmasy enough to give those holiday feelings, and adorably romantic. I loved the concept, and I could totally see this as a movie. One that I would watch without hesitation. The hero... 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 →
It's prime time for holiday romances, so it seemed like the perfect time to re-share my review for Pippa Grant's hysterical AND hot holiday romance, Humbugged. I read this back when it released, and the book is a great combination of holiday vibes, humor, and heat. It's got just enough swoon to feel super romantic,... Continue Reading →
This couple is FIRE together, and the first half is all sugar, spice, and everything not-so-nice. I loved their initial meeting, and the forbidden element felt fresh, new, and very intriguing. They didn't know about the connection until they'd already crossed all sorts of lines, so there was no forgetting the way they felt together.... Continue Reading →
I loved this SO MUCH. I've been hearing nothing but good things about this book for months, but - as a second chance romance hater - I just couldn't bring myself to dive in. Finally, I decided to give it a try... and I couldn't stop once I started reading. The crackling tension, playful banter,... 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 →
Featuring the SWOONIEST hero I've read in a long time (complete with sweet alpha vibes, a man bun, and a dad bod), this friends to lovers romance is filled with great moments. I absolutely adored the hero. I loved trying to puzzle out his feelings without his perspective, I loved the road trip aspect, and... Continue Reading →
My first Ana Huang, and it was a good one! I can see why this author has become so popular - this was soapy and spicy, with a compelling marriage of convenience/forced engagement romance that develops between two strangers who are not very enthusiastic about the arrangement. Their relationship is a slow burn, especially emotionally,... 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 →
I went through a few different stages with this book, from "but I'm not Gen X," to "oooh I love the sound of that complex backstory," to "well this is surprisingly easy breezy." Through it all, the main thing that stood out to me is that I really enjoyed the story and the writing style,... 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 →
Jeeves Reads Romance 