Category: ARC

Daring and the Duke ARC Review

~ Tej ~ Leave a comment

Daring and the Duke by Sarah MacLean

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Genre: Historical Romance

Series: Bareknuckle Bastards #3

Heat Rating: 🔥🔥🔥

Release Date: June 30, 2020

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.

Do you have a favorite historical romance author? I’ve been reading Sarah MacLean for about a year now and I LOVE her romances! She’s such a great author and always writes such great angst. My first book by Sarah MacLean was Wicked and the Wallflower and I have loved her writing since then!

Throughout the Bareknuckle Bastards series we have slowly become acquainted with “The Mad Duke Marwick” as well as his relationship with Grace. We knew that Grace, Whit, Devil and Ewan spent some years together and that the three brothers battled it out over which one was to become Duke. Grace although rightfully the heir to the dukedom was never considered because of her gender.

Well now Grace and Ewan are finally face to face and Grace has had enough of Ewan and his antics. She’s made her own in Covent Garden and is considered a queen in her own right. Ewan can take his dukedom and leave for all she cares.

I love a second chance and Sarah MacLean definitely delivered in Daring and the Duke. I love the backstory of Grace and Ewan and how they grew up together. The Bareknuckle Bastards were inseparable and grew up together, so what happened? What made them split apart and why did Ewan hate Grace, Whit and Devil so much?

This story had the perfect combination of intrigue intertwined with the past and current love stories. I absolutely LOVED Ewan and I can’t believe I just wrote that because I had the opposite feelings in the previous books in the series. His love for Grace was just so damn sweet!

Grace was absolutely amazing! I loved her character as soon as I met her in Wicked and the Wallflower, but she was just so amazing in Daring and The Duke. I love her independence and her relationship with her girl gang. She is so strong even when it’s so hard to be strong and I absolutely love that about her.

This was a great conclusion to the series! And I hope this isn’t the last time we get to visit with The Bareknuckle Bastards

Not My Romeo ARC Review

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Not My Romeo by Ilsa Madden-Mills

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Genre: Contemporary Romance/Sports Romance

Series: The Game Changers #1

Heat Rating: 🔥🔥🔥

Release Date: August 18, 2020

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.

Do you like to read sports romances? I love a sports romances, so when I read the synopsis for Not My Romeo – I knew it was a book I had to pick up right away!

Elena doesn’t have the best of luck with men. They usually love her and leave her and she’s had enough. But when her best friend sets her up on a blind date – she agrees. Turns out her date is a hottie and they end up having a one night stand. But her one night stand isn’t who he said he was and turns out to be football quarterback Jack Hawke.

I absolutely LOVED Not My Romeo. I read it over the course of one day and could not put this book down. With Jack and Elena’s respective histories, you would think that these two wouldn’t be so willing to be together. But Elena and Jack had so much great chemistry and I loved the way they let their guard down with one another. Their little inside jokes and hanging out (watching K-dramas) were my favorite.

I really enjoyed the secondary characters in Not My Romeo as well and that is really hard to do. A lot of times secondary characters are added in, but don’t really help with the plot of the book. Definitely not the case with this book and I loved everyone from Elena’s mom to Timmy – the little boy who idolizes Jack.

Not My Romeo was my first book my Ilsa Madden-Mills, but will most definitely NOT be my last! I can not wait for the next book in the series (maybe Devon or Aiden?).

Take a Hint, Dani Brown ARC Review

~ Tej ~ 2 Comments

Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Series: The Brown Sisters #2

Release Date: June 23, 2020

Heat Rating: 🔥🔥🔥

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.

After reading Get a Life, Chloe Brown last year I knew that I had to read Take a Hint, Dani Brown!

Dani Brown doesn’t do emotional relationships. She’s been burned in the past and doesn’t want a repeat performance. Dani is also a practicing witch and asks the universe to send her the perfect no-string-attached partner.

Zafir Ansari and Dani work at the same place and Zaf has kind of had a crush on Dani for some time now. When Zaf ends up rescuing Dani from a stalled elevator (super cute scene), they go viral with the hashtag #DrRugbae!

I absolutely love a fake relationship trope and Dani and Zaf are faking it for the cameras constantly pointed at them – but how long will the faking last? The chemistry between Zaf and Dani was so great and I was rooting for them right from the beginning!

I love a strong heroine and Dani Brown was amazing! She was so sure of herself – from her sexuality (bi-sexual) to her work on intersectionality in feminist literature. And Zaf…swoon! Zaf was so perfect. Not only was he a rugby player, but he also teaches kids on how to work through their anxiety. He has dealt with loss and anxiety over the years and there’s no one better to teach young athletes on how to manage that. Zaf’s family was also from Pakistan and I loved the Hindi/Punjabi works sprinkled throughout the book. It definitely helped me to relate to his character. Oh … he also reads romance books!!!

As always, Talia’s writing was so beautiful. I have so many parts of the books highlighted that resonated with me. Whether it was the way Zaf felt about Dani or the way Dani was so passionate about her work and how was afraid of entering into a relationship.

Take a Hint, Dani Brown was the perfect follow up to Get a Life, Chloe Brown and I can’t wait for Eve’s book next!!!

The Boyfriend Project ARC Review

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The Boyfriend Project by Farrah Rochon

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Genre: Contemporary Romance/Office Romance

Heat Rating: 🔥🔥

Release Date: June 9, 2020

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.

Girls night out (GNO) is something I look forward to (when it’s safe to hang out again) with my girlfriends! We usually meet about once a month and I love hanging out with them. We discuss every topic under the sun and by the end of the night my mouth usually hurts from laughing so hard! Since being quarantined I definitely miss GNO. There’s something uniquely special and healing about talking with your female friends vs your significant other. I absolutely loved loved loved the relationship that the three women in The Boyfriend Project had with one another.

Samiah Brooks works at a tech company and is currently dating a guy she met on a dating website. While getting ready to go on their date, she realizes via Twitter that he is on another date with another woman! Samiah decides to head down to the restaurant and confront him. This is where Samiah meets London and Taylor. The two other women who were also dating the same man!

I loved this relationship meet cute between Taylor, Samiah and London. Their interactions and weekly dates were so much fun. I could definitely see myself meeting with my girlfriends just like this!

I also really enjoyed that all three friends were very independent and successful in their own professions. I absolutely love it when strong females are written in romances and Samiah, Taylor and London embody that.

While swearing off men for the time being along with her new girlfriends, Samiah happens to meet Daniel at work. He’s a new co-worker at Samiah’s tech company and they casually start seeing each other.

What lacked for me was the romance equation of The Boyfriend Project. The romance really took a back seat. Samiah’s relationship with her girlfriends and her ability to write a new app were a big part of The Boyfriend Project as well as the reason Daniel was at the company. I enjoyed the suspense surrounding Daniel’s profession, but the reveal and ending tied up a bit too neatly for me. I enjoyed the relationship between Samiah and her girlfriends, but I wish I was more invested in the romance.

I am definitely looking forward to London and Taylor’s books!

40-Love ARC Review

~ Tej ~ 2 Comments

Genre: Contemporary Romance/Sports Romance

Series: There’s Something About Marysburg #2

Release Date: June 18, 2020

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Heat Rating: 🔥🔥

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author.

40-Love was my first book by Olivia Dade and I enjoyed it so much! You know how sometimes there are characters that you just really relate to? Well I related to Tess Dunn so very much. Maybe it’s because I’m almost 40 and overweight, but I loved the way she was written 💕

Tess who is celebrating her 40th birthday in Florida happens to cross paths with 26 year old Lucas Karlson in the most perfect meet-cute. Lucas ends up helping Tess out in a precarious situation (she’s lost her bikini top) and in that brief amount of time you could feel the sparks flying between these two!

Lucas turns out to be a previous professional tennis player that teaches tennis to resort guests. Tess just happens to have a few sessions booked with him while on vacation. Their tennis matches were some of my favorite parts of the book! I loved how both Tess and Lucas got to know one another while playing tennis.

40-Love was such a charming book. This was my first book by Olivia Dade, but will most definitely not be my last. I loved the raw vulnerabilities in both Lucas and Tess. You don’t often see an overweight, 40 year old heroine in romance books and yet Olivia writes Tess so perfectly. I related so much to this wonderful character. At the same time I also related to Lucas Karlson. The 26 year old swede who seems so carefree and perfect on the outside, but is hurting on the inside.

I will be honest and say that I’m not usually a fan of age-gap romances and the insta-love that happens in some romances, but it really worked for me in 40-Love! Both Lucas and Tess communicate with one another and that was so refreshing. They have their own scars and wounds that need to be healed, but they each lay out their vulnerabilities so that they can understand one another.

40-Love is the perfect summer read and look at that gorgeous cover! To me that cover really captures Tess and Lucas so perfectly! I can’t wait to go back and read the rest of the series.

The Trouble With Hating You ARC Review

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The Trouble With Hating You by Sajni Patel

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: May 12, 2020

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Heat Rating: 🔥 (Closed Door)

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.

As soon as I saw there was a romance about Indian characters I couldn’t wait to read it!! There’s not very many romances featuring Indian characters (although that has been changing more and more) so I was super excited to read The Trouble With Hating You. I definitely relate to characters on a different level (being Indian myself) and love how Sajni Patel sprinkled in Indian words and phrases throughout the book 💕. Do you enjoy reading books about different cultures or books told by own-voices authors?

Liya Takkhar is a self made woman and she likes her independence. She is a successful engineer and has just moved up the ladder at work. What she doesn’t want is her parents meddling in her life. Being Indian though, that’s exactly what they do! So when Liya is ambushed with a surprise setup by her parents she does what she’s always wanted to do – bolt before meeting the elusive Jay Shah. Turns out Jay is the lawyer hired by Liya’s new company and there’s no escaping him!

I love reading own-voices author books and being Indian myself, I really enjoyed the way the culture was represented in The Trouble With Hating You. I could relate a lot to Liya’s character. But at times Liya was a bit hard to like – she was a bit too rough around the edges. The more Jay and Liya were able to connect throughout the book, the more I was able to understand Liya. I really loved Jay’s character! He was so sweet and patient with Liya. But the relationship between Liya and Jay did seem forced at times and the chemistry was a bit lacking for me.

Although the cover is super cute, this book had some pretty heavy themes including sexual assault. Being Indian, I can say that the way the culture was portrayed was fairly accurate. I loved the way Sajni Patel was able to discuss the ways our culture is trying to change and equal out the balance between men and women.

The Trouble With Hating You was a great slow-burn (closed door), office romance told by an own-voices author!

A Secret for a Secret ARC Review

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A Secret for a Secret by Helena Hunting

Genre: Contemporary Romance/Hockey Romance

Series: All In #3

Release Date: May 12, 2020

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Heat Rating: 🔥🔥🔥

I received a complimentary advance audiobook of this title from the publisher and e-book from the author.

After reading A Lie for a Lie and A Favor for a Favor I could not wait to read more about Kingston! I will admit that when I got my ALC of A Secret for a Secret – it could not have come at a better time. With the current state of the world, I needed a book that would a) make me laugh and also b) a book that I could not put down. Helena Hunting’s brand of humor is always so so good and it was no different in A Secret for a Secret. I listened to a majority of the book at work and I was internally laughing out loud so much!

After being introduced to Kingston in A Favor for a Favor, I couldn’t wait to read more about him! A milk loving, sweetheart from Tennesse – yes please!

Kingston ends up meeting a woman at a bar named Queenie. They meet at a particular low point in both of their lives. Kingston and Queenie end up getting drunk together, have a one night stand and don’t see each other for a number of years.

Fast forward a few years and Kingston is now a NHL hockey player in Seattle. Queenie has decided to take a job as an assistant for her dad, who is the coach of the NHL hockey team.

The first interaction between Queenie and Kingston was hilarious! I will admit that it took me a while to warm up to Queenie and Kingston together. But as usual I never should have doubted Helena Hunting’s writing style. There were certain parts of the book that had me seriously laughing out loud.

As usual the steamy scenes were so HOT! The chemistry between Queenie and Kingston was amazing and I loved how she was the chaos to his calm. Kingston is THE PERFECT boyfriend and I loved how sweet he always treated Queenie.

I have loved loved loved this series and can’t wait to see what HH has in store next!

Audiobook:

Story: 4
Narration: 4
Overall: 4

I truly enjoyed listening to the audiobook of A Secret for a Secret. The audiobook was narrated by Jason Clarke and Stella Bloom. Both Jason and Stella did an amazing job portraying Kingston and Queenie.

I could always tell if Kingston or Queenie was anxious or happy. And the various characters making appearances in the book (hi Violet!) were always portrayed perfectly. I am so happy I had a chance to listen to audiobook in addition to reading A Secret for a Secret.

I’ve bookmarked so many parts that had me laughing out loud or had me sighing over how cute Queenie and Kingston are together.

Definitely pick up your copy of A Secret for a Secret when it releases May 12, 2020!

Amazon US → https://amzn.to/33ks3io

CA → https://amzn.to/2RX9EWS

UK → https://amzn.to/38LVU7f

AU → https://amzn.to/38LOwsw

Amazon Worldwide → mybook.to/ASecret4aSecretKindle

Add it to Goodreads → http://bit.ly/ASecret4aSecretGR

Audible → https://www.audible.com/pd/A-Secret-for-a-Secret-Audiobook/1799773841

She Loves Me ARC Review

~ Tej ~ 1 Comment

She Loves Me by Melissa Foster

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Series: Harmony Pointe #3

Release Date: April 21, 2020

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Heat Rating: 🔥🔥

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tasty Book PR and the publisher.

If you are a fan of friends-to-lovers in a small town setting, then She Loves Me is the perfect book for you! Although She Loves Me is part of the Harmony Pointe series, I read it as a standalone and had no problem following along with the secondary characters.

Piper Dalton works construction and her best friend in town is Harley Dutch, a local bartender. Piper and Harley have been flirting with each other for years, but never took the next step.

Piper has been hurt in the past, and she’s not willing to risk her heart in a serious relationship. Harley has had feelings for Piper forever and only wants her to see how much he cares for. When Harley gets into an accident and hurts his ankle, Piper has to help care for him as well as his nieces.

I loved how Piper and Harley slowly came around to each other. Their interactions were funny, sweet and sexy all at the same time. These two individuals care so much about each other, but each have their own hang ups that they have to get past.

Harley is gruff manly man on the outside but a total teddy bear on the outside. I admired how he always wanted to take care of everyone around him. Piper is a bit more prickly, but once you find out her back story it makes more sense. But when Harley wants more than Piper can give him, will their love be enough?

I enjoyed this sweet small town friends to lovers romance.

Blurb:

What are two besties willing to risk for something more?

Something is off in Piper Dalton’s life, and she has a feeling it might just be her. All her siblings are blissfully settled with their forever loves. But while her sisters were dreaming of white weddings, Piper was left heartbroken and commitment phobic by her first love, her best friend’s younger brother. As a woman dominating the male-driven construction industry, Piper has no interest in turning in her hammer for an apron—even if hot and hilarious Harley thinks otherwise.

Burly bar owner Harley Dutch has a bum ankle and two preteen nieces to take care of, and having his best friend, tough-as-nails and sexy-as-sin Piper Dalton, come to his rescue is just the remedy he needs. Piper is her snarky self, and she kind of sucks at caregiving, but she’s owned his heart for years, she’s got a way with the girls, and Harley would sure like to have his way with her…

As things heat up between Piper and Harley, she warns him not to fall in love with her because she’ll only break his heart. Harley is the right man for that challenge—until he makes the biggest mistake of his life, and they begin to wonder if true love really can conquer all.

Buy Links:

➜KINDLE: https://smarturl.it/SLM_Kindle

➜PAPERBACK: https://smarturl.it/SLM_Pb

➜FREE IN KINDLE UNLIMITED 

Also available in audio book

➜AMAZON: https://smarturl.it/SLMa_Amazon

➜APPLE: https://smarturl.it/SLMa_Apple

➜AUDIBLE: https://smarturl.it/SLMa_Audible

**This book is published by Montlake (an Amazon imprint) and won’t be available on other ebook retailers, but you can download a FREE Kindle ereader app to read it (link below) or order the paperback.

➜ http://bit.ly/FreeKindleApp1

You Deserve Each Other ARC Review

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You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle

Genre: Contemporary Romance/Women’s Fiction

Release Date: April 7, 2020

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Heat Rating: 🔥

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.

Over the weekend while deciding what new book to pick up I decided to pick up an ARC that I had for quite some time but hadn’t gotten around to reading. That book happened to be You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle. I had seen a few reviews here and there, but still wasn’t quite sure what to expect from this book. And I was pleasantly surprised!

Naomi and Nicholas have been engaged for over a year now and are the perfect couple (on social media at least). They are currently living together and planning their wedding in a few months…but here’s the deal – they aren’t so in love with each other anymore and actually kind of hate each other.

As soon as I picked up You Deserve Each Other the writing had me hooked. It was immediately funny and also kind of – what is going on here? Here are two people who are engaged to one another, but clearly don’t like each other anymore. I seriously did wonder to myself – is this really a romance? Will these characters even get a HEA?

But then I started reading and I could not put this book down. The writing from Sarah Hogle was so poignant and heartfelt. I had tears streaming down my face or I was laughing out loud. I have so many passages highlighted because the words are simply so beautiful.

Although Naomi and Nicholas have their flaws, the growth in their relationship once they acknowledge these flaws was beautiful. I loved it that the relationship wasn’t simply one sided and neither Naomi or Nicholas were the villain. It was more than simply putting an end date to their relationship, but rather working through their problems and deciding if what they have is worth fighting for.

This is an absolutely wonderful debut by Sarah Hogle and I cannot wait to read her next book! If you’re looking for a book that has the perfect amount of humor, sadness, angst and sweetness then pick up this book! This is easily one of my favorite books from this year so far.

The Happy Ever After Playlist ARC Review

~ Tej ~ 2 Comments

The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: April 14, 2020

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Heat Rating: 🔥

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.

One of the reasons why I love the book community so much is because there are so many wonderful and caring people! I’ve met a lot of wonderful friends through Instagram (bookstagram) and one of them let a whole group of us borrow her copy of The Happy Ever After Playlist last year (thanks Kate!). I felt like opening up a Christmas present when it got to me! I was equally as excited to send it on to the next person because it’s such a joy to be able to read an early copy of a book that you are anticipating. These kinds of friendships and kind gestures are ones that I will never forget and one of the main reasons why I love the book community so much 💕💕

After reading The Friend Zone last year, I was left wondering what exactly happened to Sloane? In The Happy Ever After Playlist, we get to visit Sloane two years after the accident that left her fiance in a coma. She’s grieving the death of a life she thought she would be living and not quite sure how to move forward. That’s when a puppy named Tucker enters her life!

Tucker is hilarious and I love how he was able to get Sloane out of her shell a bit. She tries to contact Tucker’s owner – some guy named Jason – but she doesn’t hear back and decides that Tucker is her dog now. That’s when Jason and Sloane have their meet-cute. I loved the way Abby Jimenez is able to create this great chemistry between two characters who don’t even meet yet! You see, Jason is a singer and has been overseas for a few weeks. He thought he left his pup in capable hands, but his pup got lost and Sloane was the one who found him. Now Jason wants his dog back, but Sloane won’t agree. The witty banter had a grin on my face the whole time.

I absolutely loved how Sloane and Jason got to know one another. It was slow and sweet and Jason was so respectful of Sloane’s feelings. He knew to be tender with her heart. Sloane’s feelings were so transparent and I loved that. She was excited and hopeful, but wasn’t sure if she was moving too fast.

The relationship between Sloan and Kristen that I loved so much in TFZ, was also here in The Happy Ever After Playlist. These two are always there for each other no matter what. We should all be so lucky to have friends like that in our lives. I also loved Jason’s family and how much they support him. There were parts in this book that reminded me of how tight I am with my family and my husband’s family. When someone needs help, whether that’s around the house or on a property – we all show up and help the best way we can. That family dynamic was so very special in this book and it hit home for me in so many ways.

I won’t spoil the rest of the book for you, but just know that I loved it so very much. The feelings between these two people were so genuine and real. They are a team and are willing to take on anything and to always keep each other happy. The level of angst that Jimenez writes is so so so good. My heart strings were being pulled on so hard and I couldn’t help it when there were tears streaming down my face. If you get a chance to read The Friend Zone and can’t wait to read Sloane’s story – you won’t be disappointed! I can’t wait to re-read this beautifully written book. The Happy Ever After Playlist is set to release April 14, 2020.

p.s. each chapter has a song that corresponds to what is happening in that chapter. Listen to the music – I loved it so much and it added another dimension to this book.