Voracious Romance Reader • Honest Reviewer
This will be a weird review, because I enjoyed it so much that a 5-star rating was the obvious choice, but I can also identify several things that bugged me - and I understand why it's been such a polarizing read. The important thing: this was an EXCELLENT debut, and I'm excited to read more... Continue Reading →
From the Embers is enjoying a sudden surge in popularity, and I'm very happy about that... because it was one of my Top 20 of 2021 picks! In case you missed my review at the time, I'm sharing it again now. I still think back on the book very fondly, and hope many new readers... Continue Reading →
A blend of women's fiction and romance, this heroine-centric story features its own unique combination of ingredients. I wasn't sure what to expect from this new-to-me author, but I quickly discovered that her writing style and voice worked well for me. I loved the offbeat quality of the story, as well as the fresh and... Continue Reading →
Entertaining (but also a little ridiculous), this office rivals romance felt like it was strongly influenced by two of my favorite books - The Hating Game and The Spanish Love Deception. Which is good, because I loved those books... but there were also perhaps too many familiar components. That being said, this spins the office... Continue Reading →
No sophomore slump here! Love on the Brain is as deliciously swoony and addictive as The Love Hypothesis, with characters who are equally compelling. I devoured it in one sitting and LOVED it the whole way through. It's quirky and science-filled, with a relationship that's layered and nuanced. I loved trying to figure out our... Continue Reading →
Not my favorite of the series, but it did have a lot of good stuff going for it. There's a small town feel that ties the series together, with a fun cast of characters. I also love a swoony single dad with a precocious daughter, and pairing him with the woman who makes him feel... Continue Reading →
Conceptually, this is a win... but the execution isn't quite there. That interesting, fun cover caught my eye, and the upbeat blurb had me excited to read a rom com with a little bit of bite. And it started off well; our hero makes a terrible first impression, and it was clear that bickering with... Continue Reading →
Flawless is right - I absolutely LOVED this from start to finish. I'll admit that I'm a cover hoe and that's the primary reason I checked out this new-to-me author's work, so I had no idea what was in store for me when I started reading. But this gripped me from the first few pages,... 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. That list wouldn't be complete without Ten Trends to Seduce Your Bestfriend, one of the more unique and memorable books I've read this year. It's beefy and a little brilliant, with a... 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. 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... 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. While all three books in the Devil series have been great, my favorite just might be The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea. It's an angsty, forbidden romance with sexual tension that... 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. While Love on the Brain doesn't release until August, I've already posted my sneak peek review, and it certainly makes this list! The Love Hypothesis was one of my favorite books of... 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. That list includes the office rivals romance, Rival Radio. I adored the sexual tension that snapped and crackled between these characters, and Nolan really played up the opposites attract dynamic. It's sexy... Continue Reading →
With sexual tension that crackles and banter that shines, this office rivals romance is another great addition to what has been a stellar series of near-standalones. I loved the electric connection between these two office enemies; they've got the kind of chemistry that sparks off the page, and the volatile nature of their relationship made... Continue Reading →
I'd heard good things about this, but it far exceeded my expectations - I absolutely loved it! It felt so original, focusing on the strength and determination of the single mom heroine and the issues with making assumptions. There's a great neighbors to lovers romance, and seeing the subtle shifts in the dynamic was immensely... Continue Reading →
A solid series starter, this steamy office rivals romance flies by. I learned a little more about stockbroking than I wanted, lol, but it's got a light and sexy vibe that works for the story. What starts as strangers to instant enemies quickly transitions into instalove kind of vibes, and that worked because of the... Continue Reading →
It was like (not love) for me, but there's a lot of good stuff going on in this fling to more romance. After one steamy night together, this couple soon realizes they're in over their heads when they become boss/assistant. I loved the sexual tension, and there are some really sweet moments between this single... Continue Reading →
All kinds of adorable and just the low angst read I was in the mood for, this made for a great introduction to Olivia's work. The grumpalicious hero paired with a sunshiney heroine made for a fun dynamic, and the story deftly tackles heavier subjects while maintaining a light and easy feel. It's got small... Continue Reading →
No sophomore slump here! Love on the Brain is as deliciously swoony and addictive as The Love Hypothesis, with characters who are equally compelling. I devoured it in one sitting and LOVED it the whole way through. It's quirky and science-filled, with a relationship that's layered and nuanced. I loved trying to figure out our... 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 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 →
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 →
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 →
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 →
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 →
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 →
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 →
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 →
A stranded, forced proximity romance by Melanie Harlow? Sign me up! I'm loving the blurb for her upcoming sexy chef, accidental pregnancy romance. While the first book in this spinoff series, Ignite, was a rare miss for me, I generally love Harlow's steamy, tense romances. This one promises to be another engaging one, and I... Continue Reading →
Easiest 5-star rating I've given in awhile - I absolutely loved it! This was nothing like I was expecting and everything I wanted all at once; an unpredictable, bingeable ride that had me turning the pages all day long. I loved the chemistry between these two, and I love peeling back their layers bit by... Continue Reading →
This was super cute, but not compelling enough to hold my interest the whole way through. If you're looking for a low angst, sweet, closed door romance (a few sexy kisses that we know lead to more), then this might be right up your alley. There's nothing that I didn't like about the story, there... Continue Reading →
I've read and enjoyed nearly every book Lauren Layne has written, but this one might be my least favorite. There were SO MANY things that bugged me about the story, so every time the lighthearted banter started to pull me in, something would rub me the wrong way. We don't get the hero's perspective and... Continue Reading →
As someone who absolutely adored The Hating Game novel, I was both exceedingly excited to watch the movie and also dreading the experience. I think you know the feeling - when you're hoping something is going to be great, but fearing that it'll be an utter disappointment. So, I snuggled up on the couch with... Continue Reading →
This had all the ingredients of a great read, but it never came together in a way that was satisfying, and instead fell flat. I was immediately charmed by the blurb - the storyline is completely unique, a little crazy, and I'm always up for a misunderstood grump of a hero. Throw in an opposites... Continue Reading →
As 2021 comes to a close, I'm revisiting my 20 favorite romance novels of the year, and one of my absolute favorites is The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood! This debut is mega popular for a reason - it's intelligent, playful, and filled with slow burn goodness. I loved this mysterious, grump of a hero,... Continue Reading →
As 2021 comes to a close, I’m revisiting my 20 favorite romance novels of the year, and Heartbreak for Hire is one of the more underrated books on the list. Sonia Hartl is a new-to-me author (this is her adult debut), and I had absolutely no idea what to expect from this going in. As... Continue Reading →
This took awhile to hook me in, but it gets better and better as the story progresses. These two are absolute FIRE together, so the first half is scorching with some serious sexual tension and some great fan-worthy scenes. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of sex with "no feelings," and this stayed in that... Continue Reading →
Who doesn’t love a good trope? Everybody’s got a favorite, from tense enemies to lovers reads to playful fake relationship romances. I’ve always got certain expectations when I start reading a story that plays up a trope, and the books on this list all exceeded those expectations. I’ve selected the two books that I think... Continue Reading →
As 2021 comes to a close, I’m revisiting my 20 favorite romance novels of the year, and that includes the swooniest of love stories, Twice Shy by Sarah Hogle! It's been several months since I read this adorable enemies to lovers romance, so I relived the story all over again as I pulled some quotes... Continue Reading →
As 2021 comes to a close, I’m revisiting my 20 favorite romance novels of the year, and that includes Call Me Crazy by Melanie Harlow! While every book in the Bellamy Creek series was excellent, this marriage of convenience romance is easily my favorite. These childhood frenemies turned spouses have no idea what they're getting... Continue Reading →
As 2021 comes to a close, I'm revisiting my 20 favorite romance novels of the year, and From the Embers by Aly Martinez is one of the more unique books on the list! It's heavy and emotional, but the uplifting tone towards the end made the journey so worth it. Read on for my book review and plenty of quotes to give you a feel for the vibe!
As 2021 comes to a close, I'm revisiting my 20 favorite romance novels of the year, and that includes The Hating Game meets Marriage for One, enemies to lovers romance, The Spanish Love Deception, by Elena Armas. Read on for my book review and plenty of quotes to give you a feel for the vibe!
As 2021 comes to a close, I'm revisiting my 20 favorite romance novels of the year, and that includes Jodi Ellen Malpas' dark and steamy mafia romance, The Brit. Read on for my book review, details on the series, and plenty of quotes to give you a feel for the vibe!
"It hit like a bullet to the gut, but I smiled through the pain." Phenomenal. There were goosebumps on my arms, tears in my eyes, and a knot in my throat when I turned the final page - and my eyes had been glued to EVERY SINGLE page before that. And there are a lot... Continue Reading →
He gives me a disbelieving side-glance. “I told Siri to play a music station, Gabriella, not get on her knees.” You've Got Mail is one of my favorite rom coms and I adore Liese's writing, so I feel like... maybe this book was meant for me? I don't know, but it was certainly holiday goodness... Continue Reading →
What a sweet and sexy Christmas treat! Longer than a novella but not quite a novel, this low angst holiday romance had me smiling by the end. It has a little bit of a slow start, but once our Scrooge of a hero shows his sweeter side, it was a whole lot of fun. It's... Continue Reading →
It was always going to take a great book to make me love this playboy prince after his off-putting introduction in the series starter, and this just wasn't that. While I did like Breck more than anticipated, our couple doesn't actually spend a lot of time on the page together, so it felt like the... Continue Reading →
This had everything I could want in a short and sexy holiday novella - chemistry, playfulness, and some lighthearted Christmas fun. While the first in this trio of seasonal novellas left me wanting more, I enjoyed this one from start to finish. The romance is much more prominent, the characters are more compelling, and the... Continue Reading →
Go read the other A Very Bossy Christmas instead (find it here), this one is a hot mess. The hero is a steamrolling jerk whose thoughts and personality change from one moment to the next. I'll give you an example: "It’s probably good her personality instantly kills my raging hard on whenever she walks into... Continue Reading →
I’ll offer up the unpopular opinion on this one, because - while I liked it - I can easily identify some things that really bugged me. There's a lot to love about this, from the vulnerable hero to the banter to the sense of community. While this will technically read as a standalone, anyone who... Continue Reading →
Let’s just say that this book needed a little more time in the oven, but I liked it a lot. I always binge Dangelico's books in one sitting, and I had no trouble devouring this one. It held my attention the whole time, with a laidback vibe, likable characters, and a light, easy feel. I... Continue Reading →
Out of the 200 romance novels I've read this year, this might be my favorite one. Period. This is what I call a ROMANCE; an intimate read with a torturous slow burn that absolutely captivated me and a hero that every woman needs in her life. It’s incredibly romantic, with page after page of quote-worthy... Continue Reading →
This sweetheart of a hero deserved a better story, I'm afraid. I love a good holiday novella to get me in the festive spirit, and this quick, steamy story had the potential to do that. It's a sweet treat for fans of the series, a fast-paced peek at how everyone is doing around the holidays,... Continue Reading →
This was slow burn goodness, with a focus on the emotional connection and plenty of sexual tension. I loved the light, easy banter and the opposites attract vibe, though this new-to-me author does an excellent job of showing the parallels between these two seemingly different people. Our broken, playboy of a hero is selfish and... Continue Reading →
I loved this SO VERY MUCH. It's one of those books that left me smiling like a fool, with a full heart and a strong desire to start reading it all over again. The evolution of these characters from start to finish is intense, and I absolutely loved how everything came full circle by the... Continue Reading →
Small town charm with a side of steam - this was cute! I love a good enemies to lovers romance and a fish out of water story is always a fun time, so this was right up my alley. The story remains light, sexy, and playful throughout, which makes it fly by. It's got humor,... Continue Reading →
I keep going back and forth between three and four stars for this one, but there are definitely some things that I was unsatisfied with, so I'm leaning towards three. This had an uphill battle from the start, because I really, really hate the main trope - one night stand results in a baby, and... Continue Reading →
Have you seen that old Josh Duhamel movie, Life as We Know It? Then you've got an idea of the concept behind this emotional romance - two people who "hate" each other are bonded by their friends, and become co-parents when those friends pass away unexpectedly. I will openly admit that there are MANY similarities... Continue Reading →
This hero? One of the BEST I've read about in a long while. I absolutely ADORED this gruff, closed off, alpha fisherman with a heart of gold - he made this opposites attract romance engrossing from the very start, and the steamy scenes were downright combustible because of his intensity. Talk about a slow burn... Continue Reading →
Jeeves Reads Romance 