Loathe to Love You ARC Review

Loathe to Love You by Ali Hazelwood

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Heat Level: 🔥🔥🔥

Release Date: January 3, 2023

Publisher: Berkley

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


SYNOPSIS

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis comes a collection of steamy, STEMinist novellas featuring a trio of engineers and their loves in loathing—with a special bonus chapter!

Under One Roof
An environmental engineer discovers that scientists should never cohabitate when she finds herself stuck with the roommate from hell—a detestable big-oil lawyer who won’t leave the thermostat alone.

Stuck with You
A civil engineer and her nemesis take their rivalry—and love—to the next level when they get stuck in a New York elevator.

Below Zero
A NASA aerospace engineer’s frozen heart melts as she lies injured and stranded at a remote Arctic research station and the only person willing to undertake the dangerous rescue mission is her longtime rival.


REVIEW

I loved this collection of steamy STEM forward novellas from Ali Hazelwood. My favorite part of Loathe to Love You was the friendship between Mara, Sadie and Hannah. I loved how they were always there for one another throughout each of the novellas. It made it so fun to follow along with their journeys.

Under One Roof: 5/5
This novella was definitely my favorite out of the three. I loved Liam and Mara so much!
Under One Roof had so many of my favorite tropes all wrapped up in one amazing book including
-forced proximity
-roommates
-enemies-to-lovers
-slow burn
-bonding over grief
-strong women in STEM

Stuck with You: 4.5/5
Stuck with You starts off with Sadie being stuck on an elevator during a power outage. Maybe not the best place to be, but it gets worse when Sadie finds out she’s stuck with the person she hates the most right now – Eric Novak. Erik and Sadie had one heated, perfect night together before Sadie finds out that he betrayed her in the worst way. Will being stuck in the elevator get them to work past their issues or make them worse?

Okay first of all, I absolutely love a book with flashback scenes and in Stuck with You the scenes alternated to being stuck in the elevator and Sadie and Erik’s first meeting. While I’m typically not a fan of insta-love, it worked for me in this case.

Below Zero: 4/5
Hannah first meets Ian when she’s still in school. Forced to write an informational interview on someone who shares the same career girls, she decides to write it on her friend Mara’s cousin Ian. Ian is a NASA engineer and Hannah’s career aspirations are to one day work as a NASA engineer. Their one short afternoon together turns in to so much more when they act on their attraction to one another. But Hannah doesn’t do relationships and tells Ian this. He is hurt, but understands and they part their separate ones.

That is until 4 years later when Hannah and Ian meet again at NASA when Hannah ends up working there. Soon they work together and are constantly in each others orbit. But when Hannah finds out that Ian may be keeping her from her ultimate goal her shields go up.

Only, when Hannah finds herself trapped in a snow storm on an expedition it’s Ian who comes to her rescue. Will she be able to put aside her differences to find out why he’s there when he challenged her project every step of the way?

Below Zero was a short and fun novella. At this point I expect Ali’s books to make me laugh, swoon and deliver on the 🔥 and Below Zero did exactly that. I do love a good time lapse and it was fun to see Hannah, Mara and Sadie first meet and get to know each other through the length of this novella.

Ian was the ultimate cinnamon roll hero and I loved how much he cared for Hannah. I needed to know what happened to put these two individuals who liked and respected each other at odds. I totally binged this novella.

I will say that out of the three novellas, this book maybe felt the most like a novella to me and I wanted to feel more of a connection to Ian and Hannah. Overall I did enjoy Below Zero and this series of novellas as a whole!

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ARC Review – Lucy on the Wild Side

Lucy on the Wild Side by Kerry Rea

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Heat Level: 🔥🔥

Release Date: September 13, 2022

Publisher: Berkley

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


SYNOPSIS

A charming and wildly funny new romantic comedy by Kerry Rea, author of The Wedding Ringer.

Lucy Rourke has two great loves in her life: the gorilla troop she cares for as a primatologist and the laundry list of reality TV shows she watches to escape the fact that her actual love life doesn’t exist. And like a reality contestant gunning for the final rose, Lucy’s laser-focused on one thing: getting promoted to head keeper. So when a wildlife docuseries hosted by hotshot TV personality Kai Bridges chooses her zoo as its summer filming location, she sees an opportunity to showcase her beloved gorillas to the world and land a starring role in her department.

When Kai and his film crew arrive, however, it’s obvious to Lucy that Kai cares more about sky-high ratings than the gorillas, and he considers her a camera-averse know-it-all whose wardrobe consists entirely of khaki. But she’s surprised to discover there’s more to him than his rugged good looks and cheesy catchphrases…and that maybe a promotion isn’t the only thing she wants. But when secrets from their pasts threaten to complicate everything, Lucy discovers that happiness and success aren’t the same thing—and that finding joy just might mean getting a little wild.


REVIEW

Lucy Rourke is a junior zoo keeper and loves her job taking care of her gorilla troop. If she could have it her way she’d change nothing about her job, except for getting that promotion she’s been aiming at. Soon she has an opportunity to show her boss that she is up for the promotion when TV hot shot Kai Bridges wants to film Lucy and her crew with the gorilla habitat.

Lucy and Kai start off on the wrong foot and it only gets worse from there. Lucy doesn’t have the best time public speaking and she abhors the camera. Kai and Lucy get on each others last nerves, until they realize they have a lot of similarities. Will they try to make a relationship work between them, knowing full well that Kai is set to leave at the end of filming?

After reading the synopsis of Lucy on the Wild Side I knew to expect an enemies-to-lovers rom-com, but I didn’t expect to also feel so much for these characters. I loved every secondary character in this book from Lucy’s grandmother to her half-sister. I was invested in this story and wanted these characters to end up happier than when we first met them.

Kai and Lucy had such great chemistry. And wowza (see what I did there 😉 did Kerry bring the heat in this book 🔥🔥. I loved this delicious slow burn. These two characters were so funny and likable and yet they each had so much trauma to get past. They were so patient, kind and understanding of each others feelings and that made me root for them even more!

I loved Kerry’s debut The Wedding Ringer when I read it last year and was really anticipating Lucy on the Wild Side and I have to say – if you haven’t read Kerry’s writing yet – please change that.

I had an opportunity to listen to the audiobook of Lucy on the Wild Side and overall enjoyed moving back and forth from the audio to the physical copy of the book. I will say that I didn’t enjoy the accent for Kai as much. Perhaps a South African accent is trickier to pull off? I’m not sure – but it was not my favorite audiobook.

If you’re looking for a rom-com filled with a lot of heart, I highly recommend adding Lucy on the Wild Side to your tbr!

CW: parental neglect, anxiety (public speaking), death of a beloved animal

Below Zero ALC Review

Below Zero by Ali Hazelwood

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Series: STEMinist Novellas #3

Heat Level: 🔥🔥

Release Date: April 5, 2022 (audiobook)/July 5, 2022 (book)

Publisher: Berkley

I received a complimentary audiobook from the publisher.


SYNOPSIS

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis comes a new steamy, STEMinist novella…

It will take the frosty terrain of the Arctic to show these rival scientists that their chemistry burns hot.

Mara, Sadie, and Hannah are friends first, scientists always. Though their fields of study might take them to different corners of the world, they can all agree on this universal truth: when it comes to love and science, opposites attract and rivals make you burn…

Hannah’s got a bad feeling about this. Not only has the NASA aerospace engineer found herself injured and stranded at a remote Arctic research station—but the one person willing to undertake the hazardous rescue mission is her longtime rival.

Ian has been many things to Hannah: the villain who tried to veto her expedition and ruin her career, the man who stars in her most deliciously lurid dreams…but he’s never played the hero. So why is he risking everything to be here? And why does his presence seem just as dangerous to her heart as the coming snowstorm?

To read Mara and Sadie’s stories look for the novellas Under One Roof and Stuck with You available now from Berkley


REVIEW

Hannah first meets Ian when she’s still in school. Forced to write an informational interview on someone who shares the same career girls, she decides to write it on her friend Mara’s cousin Ian. Ian is a NASA engineer and Hannah’s career aspirations are to one day work as a NASA engineer. Their one short afternoon together turns in to so much more when they act on their attraction to one another. But Hannah doesn’t do relationships and tells Ian this. He is hurt, but understands and they part their separate ones.

That is until 4 years later when Hannah and Ian meet again at NASA when Hannah ends up working there. Soon they work together and are constantly in each others orbit. But when Hannah finds out that Ian may be keeping her from her ultimate goal her shields go up.

Only, when Hannah finds herself trapped in a snow storm on an expedition it’s Ian who comes to her rescue. Will she be able to put aside her differences to find out why he’s there when he challenged her project every step of the way?

Below Zero was a short and fun novella. At this point I expect Ali’s books to make me laugh, swoon and deliver on the 🔥 and Below Zero did exactly that. I do love a good time lapse and it was fun to see Hannah, Mara and Sadie first meet and get to know each other through the length of this novella.

Ian was the ultimate cinnamon roll hero and I loved how much he cared for Hannah. I needed to know what happened to put these two individuals who liked and respected each other at odds. I totally binged the audiobook to Below Zero which was narrated by Savannah Peachwood. I have listened to audibooks narrated by Savannah Peachwood in the past and feel like she did a great job narrating Hannah and Ian in Below Zero. I could always tell what the characters were feeling and ended up listening to a majority of this audiobook in one sitting.

I will say that out of the three novellas, this book maybe felt the most like a novella to me and I wanted to feel more of a connection to Ian and Hannah. Overall I did enjoy Below Zero and this series of novellas as a whole!

Stuck with You ALC Review

Stuck with You by Ali Hazelwood

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Series: The STEMinist Novellas #2

Heat Level: 🔥🔥🔥

Release Date: March 8, 2022 (audiobook)/June 7, 2022 (book)

Publisher: Berkley

I received a complimentary audiobook from the publisher.


SYNOPSIS

Nothing like a little rivalry between scientists to take love to the next level.

Mara, Sadie, and Hannah are friends first, scientists always. Though their fields of study might take them to different corners of the world, they can all agree on this universal truth: when it comes to love and science, opposites attract and rivals make you burn…

Logically, Sadie knows that civil engineers are supposed to build bridges. However, as a woman of STEM she also understands that variables can change, and when you are stuck for hours in a tiny New York elevator with the man who broke your heart, you earn the right to burn that brawny, blond bridge to the ground. Erik can apologize all he wants, but to quote her rebel leader—she’d just as soon kiss a Wookiee.

Not even the most sophisticated of Sadie’s superstitious rituals could have predicted such a disastrous reunion. But while she refuses to acknowledge the siren call of Erik’s steely forearms or the way his voice softens when he offers her his sweater, Sadie can’t help but wonder if there might be more layers to her cold-hearted nemesis than meet the eye. Maybe, possibly, even burned bridges can still be crossed….

To read Mara and Hannah’s stories look for the novellas Under One Roof, available now, and Below Zero, coming soon from Berkley!


REVIEW

Stuck with You starts off with Sadie being stuck on an elevator during a power outage. Maybe not the best place to be, but it gets worse when Sadie finds out she’s stuck with the person she hates the most right now – Eric Novak. Erik and Sadie had one heated, perfect night together before Sadie finds out that he betrayed her in the worst way. Will being stuck in the elevator get them to work past their issues or make them worse?

Okay first of all, I absolutely love a book with flashback scenes and in Stuck with You the scenes alternated to being stuck in the elevator and Sadie and Erik’s first meeting. While I’m typically not a fan of insta-love, it worked for me in this case.

Ali’s writing is always fun, witty and has me laughing. She definitely brought the heat again in this novella 🔥.

Stuck with You was narrated by Meg Sylvan and I feel like she did a wonderful job narrating both Sadie and Erik! Erik is Dutch and has an accent and I could always tell when he was talking. This was my first audiobook narrated by Meg Sylvan, but I am definitely a fan.

Overall I really enjoyed Stuck with You. I will say that I enjoyed the first novella, Under One Roof in the series slightly more. Overall, would give Stuck with You 4.5 stars, but rounding up because I couldn’t stop listening to the audiobook and still thoroughly enjoyed the story.

ARC Review – Count Your Lucky Stars

Count Your Lucky Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Genre: Contemporary Romance/Sapphic Romance

Series: Written in the Stars #3

Heat Level: 🔥🔥

Release Date: February 1, 2022

Publisher: Avon

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


SYNOPSIS

Following Written in the Stars and Hang the Moon, national bestselling author Alexandria Bellefleur pens another steamy queer rom-com about former best friends who might be each other’s second chance at love…

Margot Cooper doesn’t do relationships. She tried and it blew up in her face, so she’ll stick with casual hookups, thank you very much. But now her entire crew has found “the one” and she’s beginning to feel like a fifth wheel. And then fate (the heartless bitch) intervenes. While touring a wedding venue with her engaged friends, Margot comes face-to-face with Olivia Grant—her childhood friend, her first love, her first… well, everything. It’s been ten years, but the moment they lock eyes, Margot’s cold, dead heart thumps in her chest.

Olivia must be hallucinating. In the decade since she last saw Margot, her life hasn’t gone exactly as planned. At almost thirty, she’s been married… and divorced. However, a wedding planner job in Seattle means a fresh start and a chance to follow her dreams. Never in a million years did she expect her important new client’s Best Woman would be the one that got away.

When a series of unfortunate events leaves Olivia without a place to stay, Margot offers up her spare room because she’s a Very Good Person. Obviously. It has nothing to do with the fact that Olivia is as beautiful as ever and the sparks between them still make Margot tingle. As they spend time in close quarters, Margot starts to question her no-strings stance. Olivia is everything she’s ever wanted, but Margot let her in once and it ended in disaster. Will history repeat itself or should she count her lucky stars that she gets a second chance with her first love?


REVIEW

Margot is happy and content with the way things are. But things are changing and changing rapidly in Margot’s happy circle of friends. Where once there was game nights and casual hangouts, now it’s turned into a couples thing and Margot is feeling like the fifth wheel.

Doesn’t help that THE blast from the past shows up as you guess it…her best friends wedding planner. Olivia is the one, the one that got away that Margot still thinks about. They were best friends and were always together. Until one sweet hook up turned them from friends to lovers briefly and then to merely acquaintances. Because of their one time hookup and the miscommunication after, they haven’t seen each other in over a decade. Olivia got married to her high school sweetheart, but she is divorced now and on her own. Margot and Olivia find each other working closer together than ever before – will be they able to mend their friendship and possibly turn it into something more?

I loved Olivia in the previous books of the Written in the Stars series. She is such a fun and outgoing person and I love her personality. I was so excited for her to get her own story in Count Your Lucky Stars. What happened to make these two best friends who were inseparable suddenly without their best friend. The journey of why these two lost touch was so bittersweet.

I really enjoyed the premise of this book. Second chance romance is such a favorite trope of mine and I love the angst and tension that it brings. However, I do feel like I wasn’t fully invested in these two characters as a couple. I wanted to feel more for why they were separated and sadly I didn’t get that in Count Your Lucky Stars. I understand that Margot as a character was going through a lot of changes with it feeling like losing her friends because they were all in relationships, but she seemed very insecure and that’s not the vibe I got from her in the first two books.

I had the opportunity to listen to an audiobook of Count Your Lucky Stars which was narrated by Lauren Sweet. I felt like Lauren did an absolute tremendous job narrating the voices for both Olivia and Margot. I was laughing out loud at a lot of the dialogue in the book and definitely made me enjoy the book!

Overall, I really enjoyed the Written in the Stars series! While I didn’t really click with the characters of Count Your Lucky Stars, so many friends really loved this book.

Under One Roof ALC Review

Under One Roof by Ali Hazelwood

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Series: The STEMinist Novellas #1

Heat Level: 🔥🔥🔥

Release Date: February 8, 2022 (audiobook)/May 3, 2022 (book)

Publisher: Berkley

I received a complimentary audiobook from the publisher.


SYNOPSIS

From the New York Times best-selling author of The Love Hypothesis comes a new steamy, STEMinist novella….

A scientist should never cohabitate with her annoyingly hot nemesis – it leads to combustion.

Mara, Sadie, and Hannah are friends first, scientists always. Though their fields of study might take them to different corners of the world, they can all agree on this universal truth: when it comes to love and science, opposites attract and rivals make you burn….

As an environmental engineer, Mara knows all about the delicate nature of ecosystems. They require balance. And leaving the thermostat alone. And not stealing someone else’s food. And other rules Liam, her detestable big-oil lawyer of a roommate, knows nothing about. Okay, sure, technically she’s the interloper. Liam was already entrenched in his aunt’s house like some glowering grumpy giant when Mara moved in, with his big muscles and kissable mouth just sitting there on the couch tempting respectable scientists to the dark side…but Helena was her mentor and Mara’s not about to move out and give up her inheritance without a fight.

The problem is, living with someone means getting to know them. And the more Mara finds out about Liam, the harder it is to loathe him…and the easier it is to love him.

To listen to Sadie and Hannah’s stories, look for the novellas Stuck with You and Below Zero, coming soon, available first on audio!


REVIEW

Under One Roof had so many of my favorite tropes all wrapped up in one amazing book including
-forced proximity
-roommates
-enemies-to-lovers
-slow burn
-bonding over grief
-strong women in STEM

Ever since I read The Love Hypothesis by Ali last year I have been a huge fan. Under One Roof had so many of the same characteristics that I love in Ali’s writing including lots of humor, longing and the 🔥🔥🔥. While Under One Roof was a novella, it never felt rushed or forced. I got a good sense of who Liam and Mara were and I was rooting for these two right from the beginning!

Audiobook:
Story: 5
Narration: 5
Overall: 5

I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook of Under One Roof. Once I started listening, I had a hard time stopping! The audiobook was narrated by Emma Wilder and I feel like she did a wonderful job with voicing Mara as well as Liam and all other secondary characters. I could always tell if Mara was happy/irritated/sad or mad. And I was laughing out loud on more than one occasion!

If you’re looking for a sweet and sexy romance featuring a woman in STEM I would highly recommend Under One Roof by Ali Hazelwood!

ARC Review Duke, Actually

Duke, Actually by Jenny Holiday

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Heat Level: 🔥🔥

Release Date: November 16, 2021

Publisher: Avon

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


SYNOPSIS

USA Today bestselling author Jenny Holiday follows A Princess for Christmas with another delightful contemporary Christmas romance between a playboy baron and a woman who has said goodbye to love.

Maximillian von Hansburg, Baron of Laudon and heir to the Duke of Aquilla, is trapped. Under pressure from his domineering father, he must marry a suitable bride before he inherits a title that feels like a prison sentence. In New York to meet a prospective wife, he ditches his responsibilities and appears on Dani Martinez’s doorstep. He’s been intrigued by the no-nonsense professor since he met her at the Eldovian royal wedding and is determined to befriend her.

Newly single Dani is done with love—she even has a list entitled “Things I Will Never Again Do for a Man”—which is why she hits it off with notorious rake Max. He’s trying to escape relationships, and she’s resolved to avoid them at all costs. All they want from each other is friendship and a distraction from their messy lives.

As their bond begins to deepen, so does their attraction, until they end up in bed together. Falling in love was never part of the plan—Max’s family doesn’t see Dani as a perfect match, even as his heart tells him she’s the one, and Dani isn’t sure she can make it in Max’s world. Can they find the courage to live they life they desire, even if it means risking everything?


REVIEW

After Dani’s husband leaves her for a younger woman, Dani finds herself newly single. She’s finally able to do the things that she wasn’t able to when she was married – including spending more time with her family. Dani doesn’t want to find herself in a relationship anytime soon and nothing can change that.

Maximillian von Hansburg is known as a ladies man. On the surface, Max is carefree and nothing fazes him. But Max is feeling the pressure from his parents. They want Max to find a suitable wife before he inherits the title of Duke. Max had a perfect thing going with his best friend Marie, but she ended up finding her one true love (in A Princess for Christmas) and now he’s back to square one.

When Max finds himself in New York and calls on Dani – a tender friendship forms. Max and Dani already know of each other as both of their best friends are going to marry each other. But Max insists on befriending Dani. Dani isn’t quite so sure about the Depraved Duke, but soon finds herself actually liking him. Can they keep their relationship strictly platonic? Or will sparks fly?

I read A Princess for Christmas last year and remember really enjoying Max’s character. But I wasn’t quite sure what to expect in Duke, Actually. Well, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I absolutely loved this book. I loved the slow progression of friends-to-lovers between Max and Dani. Duke, Actually had the slowest of slow burns, but I never felt like the relationship was going too slow.

Both Max and Dani were so sweet with one another and yet I found myself grinning or laughing at their antics. Their relationship felt so real and that made me love this couple even more because of that. They had their own insecurities and vulnerabilities, and yet they completely understood each other and were always there for each other – no matter what.

I had the opportunity to listen to the audiobook of Duke, Actually and really enjoyed it. The audiobook was narrated by Stacy Gonzalez and I felt like she did a great job. The narration took me a bit to get into, but once I started really getting into the story – I ended up really enjoying all of the voices Stacy narrated. I could always tell when a character was upset or happy. I was constantly grinning when Dani and Max were texting and felt all of the burden Max was shouldering when he was interacting with his parents. Overall, I feel like Stacy Gonzalez did a wonderful job narrating Duke, Actually and highly recommend the audiobook!

If you’re looking for a sweet, tender, friends-to-lovers romance with Christmas-y vibes, grab your copy of Duke, Actually!

CW: Parental neglect/abuse

**Although Duke, Actually can be read as a standalone, I think there’s a lot of backstory on Max and Dani from A Princess for Christmas and would recommend reading the books in order.

October Reads

October came and went in the blink of an eye, it feels! I started off the month strong, but didn’t end up reading a lot this month. Work, Halloween, activities with my kiddos during the day kept me pretty busy! I did a lot of re-reads this month because that’s what I felt most like reading. Favorites books included The Rebel King by Kennedy Ryan and a re-read of The Friend Zone by Kristen Callihan (moved my rating up from 4🌟 to 5🌟).

Rating: 5 out of 5.

The Rebel King by Kennedy Ryan

The Devil of Downtown by Joanna Shupe (re-read)

The Friend Zone by Kristen Callihan (re-read)

Rating: 4 out of 5.

The Hook Up by Kristen Callihan

Well Matched by Jen Deluca (ARC)

A Perfect Equation by Elizabeth Everett (ARC)

In a New York Minute by Kate Spencer (ARC)

ARC Review The Lady Gets Lucky

The Lady Gets Lucky by Joanna Shupe

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Genre: Historical Romance

Series: The Fifth Avenue Rebels #2

Heat Level: 🔥🔥🔥

Release Date: October 26, 2021

Publisher: Avon


SYNOPSIS

Following The Heiress Hunt, beloved author Joanna Shupe continues her new Fifth Avenue Rebels series with a scandalous romance about a good girl desperate to rebel and the rebel desperate to corrupt her.

A first-rate scoundrel.

A desperate wallflower.

Lessons in seduction.

The woman no one notices . . .

Shy heiress Alice Lusk is tired of being overlooked by every bachelor. Something has to change, else she’ll be forced to marry a man whose only desire is her fortune. She needs to become a siren, a woman who causes a man’s blood to run hot . . .and she’s just met the perfect rogue to help teach her.

He’s the life of every party . . .

Christopher “Kit” Ward plans to open a not-so-reputable supper club in New York City, and he’s willing to do whatever it takes to hire the best chef in the city to guarantee its success. Even if it requires giving carnal lessons to a serious-minded spinster who has an in with the chef.

Their bedroom instruction grows passionate, and Alice is a much better pupil than Kit had ever anticipated. When the Society gentlemen start to take notice, Kit has to try to win Alice in other ways . . . but is he too late to win her heart? 


REVIEW

Heiress Alice Lusk needs a teacher. Specifically someone to teach her the art of seduction. Her mother thinks that Alice will have no problem finding a suitor – especially with her large dowry. But Alice wants to marry for love. So she finds the one person who she thinks would be perfect in helping her become a vixen – Kit Ward.

Christopher “Kit” Ward is a known scoundrel. He likes to keep his relationships on the surface and is definitely not the settling down sort. So when Alice comes knocking at his door with a proposal to teach her how to seduce a man… he’s at a loss for words. But Alice and Kit just happen to be at the same place at the same time – a house party thrown by Kit’s friend Maddie. And Maddie has forbidden Kit to seduce any of the young women at the soiree.

But when Alice has a proposal for Kit – he has a hard time turning her down. She will help Kit with written recipes for the opening of his supper club and he will help her with her lessons. What could possibly go wrong?

Oh how I loved The Lady Gets Lucky. Kit and Alice had so much chemistry together and I loved every single scene where they were together. Their interactions always left a grin on my face. But with the sweet and funny was also the perfect amount of angst. I wanted these two to end up together right from the beginning of the book.

I will admit, I wasn’t a fan of The Heiress Hunt, but absolutely loved the second book in the The Fifth Avenue Rebels series. I can’t wait to find out who is getting their story next!

CW: parental verbal abuse, alcoholism, death of a friend by alcoholism

August Reads

August was a really good reading month! Somehow I managed to read 11 books – which is the most I have read in a month this year. I think it was a combination of reading really good books, audiobooks and my kids being back in school that allowed me to read so much. Standouts from this month included Hook, Line, and Sinker from Tessa Bailey (which doesn’t release until next spring), Electric Idol by Katee Robert, Lease on Love by Falon Ballard (another spring release) and The Lady Gets Lucky by Joanna Shupe which releases next month!

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Bailey (ARC)

The Lady Gets Lucky by Joanna Shupe (ARC)

Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas (reread via audiobook)

Scandal in Spring by Lisa Kleypas (reread via audiobook)

Electric Idol by Katee Robert (ARC)

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Witches Get Stitches by Juliette Cross (ARC)

Lease on Love by Falon Ballard (ARC)

A Lot Like Adios by Alexis Daria (ARC)

The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling (ARC)

Rating: 3 out of 5.

While We Were Dating by Jasmine Guillory (ARC)

Devil in Disguise by Lisa Kleypas (ARC)