Voracious Romance Reader • Honest Reviewer
In case you missed it! There's been some... ah, lively discussion... of this cover (and others) on social media, but I'm focused on how excited I am to read the book! This is Liese's first with a major publisher, and I can't wait to see what the vibe is like. I've been a big fan... 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 →
This is basically its own trope in romance novels - the (typically grumpy or broody) hero harbors deeper feelings for the heroine than he'd care to admit, the playboy is stopped in his tracks by the right girl, or the regular guy is smitten from the start. Whatever the situation, there's something so immensely swoony... 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 →
I focus on new releases in romance the rest of the week, so Throwback Thursdays revisit book recommendations from years past. This week’s topic is fake relationship romance! I read a LOT of fake relationship romances (I can't seem to get enough of them), so I've got tons of recommendations featuring the trope. I posted... 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 →
Kindle Unlimited readers, this one's for you! We just finished the first quarter of 2022, so it seems like the perfect time to look back on the best books I've read in Kindle Unlimited so far this year. There is a GREAT selection of romance books in the program, and some of my favorite books... 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 →
There are certain tropes that are like catnip to me, and I'll ignore any red flags that pop up in the blurb. Am I a fan of second chance romances, especially ones with so much time since the breakup? Not at all. Do I absolutely love reality show romances and forced proximity? YES and YES.... Continue Reading →
Redemption seemed to be the theme of the month, and I'm not complaining! This is one of those months where I would've anticipated a completely different group of books making my Best of the Month list, so the surprise discoveries were that much sweeter. I've got two new-to-me authors, two newer-to-me authors, and two rising... Continue Reading →
There's a new romance on the way from Jennifer Hartmann, and I honestly have no idea what it's about... but I can't wait to dive in! Her unpredictable, unusual love stories are usually twisty and all kinds of forbidden, and I'm betting June First will be as well. The blurb is super vague, the premise... Continue Reading →
What a month! There were a TON of new releases in March, and for a few weeks it felt like more quantity than quality. After a strong start to the month, I felt myself getting pulled into a slump mid-month because I was reading so many new books, but not finding a lot of 5-star... 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 →
This has been an uneven series for me, but the most recent installment was EXCELLENT, so here's hoping that The Secret is too. Am I kinda nervous about this playboy-tamed romance? Oh yeah. But Max Monroe certainly has the skill to make me laugh, swoon, and fan myself while watching this manhoe fall. Also... this... 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 →
Compared to the craziness of March, April is looking like a positively quiet release month, but that can change in an instant, lol! That also has nothing to do with the quality of the books releasing in April, many of which are looking pretty great. It can be incredibly difficult to keep track of all... Continue Reading →
It was an exploratory reading week for me, and with that came mixed results! None of my one-click authors released new books this week, so I checked out the work of several new-to-me or newer-to-me authors. My favorite was the easy, sexy Say Yes to the Boss, which made me think it might be time... 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 →
I've been LOVING this series of almost-standalones so far, so you can bet that I'm very excited about this one! It's an office romance that promises the sexual tension and build in intimacy that we've seen in the other two books in the series, and I'm certainly intrigued by the dynamic. We'll see how it... 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 →
There's a new rom com from Meghan Quinn on the way soon, and I'm never gonna complain about that, lol! This one is an accidental pregnancy/best friend's sister romance that is sure to have forbidden vibes... even though they've clearly already crossed a few lines. It's also got a roommates element that's got me excited,... 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 →
There's a can't-miss anthology on the way, and the gorgeous cover was just revealed! Over 50 bestselling authors have come together to create a charity anthology with brand new stories from some of the biggest names in contemporary romance! There are a LOT of great authors on this list, as well as several I've been... 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 →
I've always been a big fan of fake relationship romance novels, so it's no surprise that I'm drawn to books that take the trope even further by bringing marriage into the mix. The stakes are higher when the couple is married, so they often find themselves working through issues that would've ended a simpler relationship.... Continue Reading →
It was a better reading week for me! Two bingeable books made my week, Shenanigans and Dr. Potter. The audio version of Shenanigans made the Vegas wedding-turned-marriage of convenience romance shine, and I loved the light, easy feel. The unpredictability of Dr. Potter had me glued to my seat, and it had me tearing through... 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 →
The only problem with having an embarrassment of ARC riches? Deciding what to read first! I've got lots of very exciting ARCs on my Kindle at the moment, with too many books and too little time. I've read a few of these, can't wait to dig into others, and am looking forward to checking out... 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 →
Rich jerks are a huge trope in romance novels - heroes who might be a little moody, broody, and grumpier than the average guy. When I told my husband that billionaire romances are a common trope, he blinked and looked at me like he must've heard me wrong (you mean millionaires, right? Millions aren't enough?),... Continue Reading →
I really struggled to find reading time this week - I was way too busy doomscrolling - but there were tons of great releases. One of my favorite books of the year so far, Hook, Line, and Sinker, came out this week. I posted my sneak peek review awhile back, and I've still got such... 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 →
There's a new rock star romance on the way from Kylie Scott, and it sounds right up my alley! A little small town influence, a grumpy neighbor, and a second shot at love. We've even got two covers - paperback and ebook - and the book will be here before you know it. Famous in... 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 →
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 →
I'd call February a disappointing release month overall, but there were still some great new books! This month, my favorites were immediately obvious to me, so I've separated these into two groups - Top Picks and Honorable Mentions. My two favorite new releases were EASILY Lease on Love and A Ticking Time Boss. Lease on... Continue Reading →
I can't believe February is almost over, it certainly got away from me a little bit, lol! I started out with a strong reading month, but haven't been able to focus for days given all of the doomscrolling I've been doing. Regardless, it was a fun month of reading experimentation for me. Most of my... 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 →
A brand new rom com is on the way from Pippa Grant, and it's the perfect jumping in point for new readers. I'm currently reading my ARC copy, and I can tell you that this references past characters and books from the author, while still being a standalone and the start of something new. It's... 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 →
Take a peek at all of the Kindle, paperback, and audiobooks that just released or are coming your way soon! While my release calendar showcases all of the books that I would read if I had unlimited time (wouldn’t that be nice), this new release post is broader and simpler. It works just like the... Continue Reading →
Adorable one minute and then bed-breaking steamy the next, this was a very solid read. Rose is a new-to-me author, but it didn't take long for me to realize that her writing is right up my alley. The hero was cinnamon roll sweet with alpha vibes in the bedroom, the chemistry was immediate, and the... Continue Reading →
I love it when I try a new-to-me author and the vibe clicks immediately; I can already tell that I’m going to enjoy future books from Taylor. The second chance element of this romance wasn’t a perfect fit for me personally, but I really liked the writing style and I had no trouble flying through... Continue Reading →
Jeeves Reads Romance 