Well, color me disappointed. I have loved, loved, LOVED the Shacking Up series. The books have charmed me, entertained me, and made me double over with laughter. While Making Up is entertaining, when compared to the other books, it doesn’t quite measure up.
Purely in terms of story execution, Best Laid Plans is pretty average. It’s not particularly original and, honestly, it’s predictable. Arden and Gabe are sweet characters and I really liked their bond. However, their denial/blindness, lack of communication, and Arden’s incessant worrying over potentially losing her friend are exhausting. The romantic build-up is nice and slow, and I appreciated the delayed gratification. While the book is fine for a light read, it’s the narration that makes the story most enjoyable.
I freely admit that I’ve got a huge appetite for single parent romances, and Getting Played is the crème de la crème. Emma Chase is my go-to author for romantic comedy, so I’m not surprised that she delivers once again in a big way.
I like to imagine that Sarina Bowen has as much fun writing the Brooklyn series as I have reading it. Superfan is a mood-lifting delight and a great addition to my sports rom com library.
I have become such a fan of Christina Lauren’s work that I eagerly add each new book to my to-be-read list without even reading the synopsis. Fortunately, with The Unhoneymooners they have proven once again that I am in safe hands.
What an unexpected treat Jock Row was! I had some reservations based on the blurb, but Sara Ney knocked my socks off with this college rom-com.
A great “meet cute” is one of my favorite parts of a romance novel. If you’re not familiar with the term, a “meet cute” is the sweet or humorous way in which two main characters first meet. This book has a fun yet awkward meet cute, as well as a really charming story.
I love Penny Reid’s humor. I love her odd, brilliant heroines. I love the men who dig their quirkiness. I. Loved. This. Book. What a great start to the series! I knew virtually nothing about Motion: Laws of Physics 1 going in, and I highly recommend that approach.
Well, Faking It was a tasty treat—a wonderfully light palate cleanser, if you will, after reading some seriously angst-filled books.
Across the Horizon is such a witty treat that I kept forgetting it was written by Aly Martinez, AKA the Dame of Doom, Sovereign of Suspense, and Matriarch of Mystery and Misery.
Dirty Headlines showcases a softer side to L.J. Shen’s writing, and I liked it. A lot. I swear she’s one of the OG creators of truly despicable alphaholes. Shen’s enemies-to-lovers stories are typically dark, filled with a massive amount of tension and hatred between the lead characters, and yet deliciously addictive. Truthfully, she’s the only author who can make me fall for a character who is virtually unredeemable (Case in point: Vicious). Dirty Headlines manages to keep the alphahole, the feisty underdog heroine, the push and pull, but adds lots of fun.
It’s nice when you pick up a freebie, months later cruise through your Kobo and find a cute cover with a cute guy in a suit and think “this looks fun,” and then lo and behold, it is fun…