It’s a fair assessment to say this is a dark book. I don’t read a lot of these types of books so I was hesitant, but it’s not quite as dark as I feared. Baylee is victimized, but the most disturbing things occur in the first half of the book when Baylee is being held captive by her twisted abductor, Gabe.
A dark student-teacher romance is not something you come across often. In fact, I’m not sure I’ve ever read one. I don’t read a lot of dark romances, and student-teacher hookups involving minors make me hesitant. The synopsis for Dark Notes intrigued me, though, and the performing artist in me loved the fact that the book incorporates music. I decided to give it a go, and the payoff was well worth the risk.
Somebody find me a 12-step program because I am seriously addicted to this series. ARCs be damned. They’re going to have to wait. It only took me three days to read the first two books and I will start the final one, Trust, as soon as I finish writing this review.
Try is the first book I’ve read by Ella Fox and only my second M/M book. It pushed me a little bit out of my comfort zone, but it was impossible for me to put down.
That Thing Between Eli & Gwen is a really cute story, but it took me awhile to warm up to it. Eli and Gwen meet on their worst day ever. Gwen’s fiancé runs away with Eli’s bride on his wedding day. He’s left at the altar, she’s left without a ride home, and they’re both left to suffer the public humiliation.
This was a tough book for me to get through, and I can’t fault the quality of the writing because it’s excellent. Perhaps I should have paid closer attention to the blurb because it makes no secret of the fact that the main character, Sadie, enters into a love affair with her neighbor, Finn. In my mind though, there’s “justifiable” cheating in a fictional world where I’m rooting for the two cheaters to get together because the partner/spouse is so annoying, abusive, and obviously just plain wrong for the lead character. Things aren’t so cut and dry in Slip of the Tongue and the prolonged affair made me very uncomfortable.
Midnight Lily started out as a really strong 4.5 star read for me. I loved Holden’s struggle, the mystery surrounding Lily, and the way her love gave him the motivation to heal. Somewhere around the 70% mark though, the story seems to lose its way.
When Tillie Cole says A Thousand Boy Kisses is a tearjerker she certainly isn’t lying. I had to keep my box of tissues on hand throughout the majority of the book. Honestly, there was one point where I wasn’t sure I wanted to continue. I’m so glad I did, however, because despite my initial misgivings, the book is quite touching.
Brooke Blaine’s L.A. Liaison series is quickly becoming one of my favorites. I didn’t love this book quite as much as I enjoyed Licked, but it’s still a huge win. In Hooker, Ryleigh, Shayne, Quinn, and Paige are back and sassier than ever! This time around, it’s Shayne’s turn to find love.
The Baller has everything I look for in a sports romantic comedy: a ballsy heroine, a cocky athlete, banter up the wazoo, real integration of the sport, and a mature relationship. Placing a checkmark in all those columns makes it seem formulaic; however, the characters really help elevate this story.
Licked is the first book I’ve read by Brooke Blaine, and I’ve got to say I love her writing style. It’s very reminiscent of Alice Clayton in its sexy humor, but with a quirky, irreverent flair.
Whew! Well, this book is aptly named. Virtually every chapter in the first half contains sex scenes. We’re talking panty melting, grab your fan, look-up-erotica-in-the-dictionary-and-see-this-book’s-cover sex scenes.