Tag: Forever

Paradise Cove ARC Review

~ Tej ~ Leave a comment

Paradise Cove by Jenny Holiday

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Series: Matchmaker Bay #2

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Heat Rating: 🔥🔥🔥

Release Date: July 28, 2020

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

Jake is content in Moonflower Bay. He is surrounded by a wonderful community – and if they meddle sometimes he’s gotten used to it by now. A lot of the townsfolk don’t really consider him a big talker and he’s used to being solo. If you’ve read Mermaid Inn then you know that Jake’s past involves a lot of heartache, but is a bit of a mystery.

Doctor Nora Walsh needs a fresh start and Moonflower Bay seems like the perfect place. She has just ended a long term relationship and likes the vibe she gets from the quaint and charming small town. Nora and Jake’s paths soon cross and they develop a sweet friendship.

If you love a friends to lovers, slow burn then this is the perfect book for you! I loved how Nora and Jake’s friendship was always center to their relationship. They opened up to one another in ways that they hadn’t been able to do with other people in their life. They talked openly about grief, past relationships and life in general. And although grief was a big part of this book, so was healing. I felt so much for both Jake and Nora and their respective struggles with grief and how to overcome it. The way Jake and Nora always seemed to be there for one another was so sweet and I loved their relationship even more for that. But don’t let the sweet cover fool you! Once Nora and Jake move past the friendship stage they definitely know how to burn up the pages.

Moonflower Bay is so charming with it’s meddling old folks. I absolutely love the relationships that are formed in this small town community. The people here may come off as intrusive, but they sure do really care about one another.

If you’re looking for a sexy friends to lovers/slow burn romance then grab yourself a copy of Paradise Cove! I couldn’t put this book down once I started reading it and can’t wait to return to Moonflower Bay.

Kiss My Cupcake ARC Review

~ Tej ~ Leave a comment

Kiss My Cupcake by Helena Hunting

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Heat Rating: 🔥🔥

Release Date: August 11, 2020

I am a huge Helena Hunting fan and love her brand of humor! When I heard about the premise of Kiss My Cupcake I couldn’t wait to read it. I’m a sucker for enemies-to-lovers romances and Blaire and Ronan were so great together!

Blaire has been on the cupcake scene for a while. First she had her own cupcake truck and slowly made her way to a brick and mortar. Buttercream and Booze is her baby and she is determined to make it work. The Knight Cap – a bar with axe throwing is opening up right next door and Blaire is NOT a fan of the owner Ronan Knight. He’s rude and arrogant and is starting his renovations when Blaire is in the middle of opening up her shop. When a YouTuber wants to highlight unique bars in the PNW the battle between the two bars starts! Each is determined to make it #1 on the list!

I love Helena Hunting’s writing style and enjoyed the banter between Ronan and Blaire! I love a good enemies-to-lovers romance and Blaire and Ronan had such great chemistry. The way these two would razz each other was so much fun to read! Eventually what starts as a rivalry starts to heat up and I found myself swooning over these two.

Blaire’s family was a bit quirky and over the top and I didn’t necessarily enjoy them – but I think that was the point. I loved Ronan’s grandfather and the history behind The Knight Cap.

The food descriptions alone had me craving cupcakes from the moment I started to read Kiss My Cupcake. I only wish these two shops were actually real and local so I could visit!

If you’re looking for a funny, sweet and sexy enemies-to-lovers romance grab Kiss My Cupcake when it releases August 11, 2020.

I received a complimentary copy of this book.

The Boyfriend Project ARC Review

~ Tej ~ Leave a comment

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!

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!

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.

Cowboy Come Home ARC Review

~ Tej ~ 2 Comments

Cowboy Come Home by Carly Bloom

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Series: Once Upon a Time in Texas #2

Release Date: March 31, 2020

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Heat Rating: 🔥🔥

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

After recently reading Big Bad Cowboy (book #1 in the Once Upon a Time in Texas series) by Carly Bloom and seeing a glimpse of the relationship between Claire and her rancher cowboy Ford, I couldn’t wait to get to their story in Cowboy Come Home! I’m a total sucker for second chance romances so this book seemed like the perfect follow up to Big Bad Cowboy (which I loved).

Claire has always loved living on her family’s ranch, Rancho Canada Verde, but some recent natural disasters have made ranch living just a bit hard at the moment. Claire may have taken living on the ranch for granted a bit, but she needs help running the ranch for the time being and has to rely on the one person that she doesn’t really want to ask help for – Ford Jarvis.

Claire and Ford were together for a bit a few years ago, but Ford broke Claire’s heart when he decided to leave Big Verde after his time on the ranch was done. But he’s back now and Claire will have no other choice then to rely on Ford to help her run the ranch while her dad deals with a few issues of his own.

I really enjoyed this sweet second chance romance. Both Claire and Ford were wary of falling back into the relationship they had a few years ago. Claire wants a prince charming, and Ford isn’t willing to settle down any time soon…will they decide to keep their relationship professional or is their magnetic pull to one another too strong?

I also really loved the family dynamics with Claire and her mom and dad. But just as easy as it is for Claire and her family to show their affection with one another, it’s just as hard for Ford to have that same easiness with his family. His issues are complex, but maybe if he has a little hope he can finally let himself think about settling down in the wonderful community that is Big Verde.

I loved revisiting with the characters of Big Verde. The secondary characters are so well rounded. Not only did certain scenes have me laughing out loud, but they also made me feel the sense of community in Big Verde. I can’t help, but want to be a part of this amazing community!

I really enjoyed Cowboy Come Home and can’t wait to see what Carly Bloom has in store for Big Verde. Cowboy Come Home releases March 31, 2020.

Big Bad Cowboy by Carly Bloom

~ Tej ~ 2 Comments

Genre: Contemporary Romance/Cowboy Romance

Series: Once Upon a Time in Texas #1

Released October 30, 2018

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Heat Rating: 🔥🔥🔥

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

I will be honest, I haven’t had the best of luck with cowboy romances. A lot of times I feel like the author tries too hard, and it doesn’t always come across as authentic. When Forever (publisher) decided to have a readalong of Big Bad Cowboy on Instagram/Bookstagram I jumped at the chance! A set amount of chapters each day and discussion with other bookstagrammers reading the same book? I LOVE nothing more than discussing the current book I’m reading. Hint – I finished faster than the readalong, which is always a good sign 😉

This is the sexiest re-telling of Little Red Riding Hood that I have read and I LOVED it! In Big Bad Cowboy, Travis Blake has returned to Big Verde, Texas to take care of his nephew Henry. Travis had just gotten out of the army and was planning on moving to Austin when he got back, but now his plans have had to change.

Travis hasn’t had much experience running his family’s ranch and instead is relying on other forms of income taking on a few landscaping jobs to make ends meet. Maggie Mackey runs Petal Pushers a landscape and garden business in Big Verde and now she has competition in the form of one Travis Blake. Maggie doesn’t like him just on principle.

When Maggie and Travis end up having to work together on a project together sparks fly. I loved their initial hate towards one another and how that slowly evolved into friendship. The witty banter between Travis and Maggie was so great and the chemistry was undeniable. The Halloween party and the Little Red Riding Hood and Big Bad Wolf scenes were hot hot hot and I loved each and every one of them!

One of the best parts of this book was the relationship that Travis had with his nephew Henry. A lot of times I feel like when there is a romance with a single dad or father figure, I don’t always connect with the child in the scenario. But in this case, Henry was one of my favorite characters. His relationship with Travis was so real and I appreciate that so much in a romance novel. The parts with Travis and Henry always had me laughing or my heart catching.

I honestly loved every character in Big Bad Cowboy (JD, Claire and Bubba were always making me laugh) and can’t wait to read more books set in Big Verde! Thank you Carly Bloom for writing such a great book!

Mermaid Inn by Jenny Holiday ARC Review

~ Tej

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Series: Matchmaker Bay #1

Heat Level: 🔥🔥

Release Date: January 28, 2020

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

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

Almost a year ago I read my first Jenny Holiday book, Three Little Words and really fell in love with her writing style. I was so excited when I was able to read an ARC of the first book in the new Matchmaker Bay series, Mermaid Inn.

Jenny’s writing is always a lot of fun! I was laughing along with the characters, but also feeling the nostalgia that Eve had with Moonflower Bay and her various relationship with the people of the town.

Eve Abbott has returned to Moonflower Bay after being away for the past decade. Eve would visit every summer and stay with her great-aunt Lucille and fell in love with the charming town and a boy named Sawyer too. After having her heart broken by Sawyer when they were teenagers, Eve left and hasn’t been back. She now finds herself the owner of the Mermaid Inn and doesn’t quite know how she feels about the town and all of the people in it – specifically the Chief of police Sawyer.

I love a second chance romance and Eve and Sawyer had such great chemistry. The memories of the town and memories of Sawyer are interwoven so tightly in Eve’s mind that she is having a hard separating the two. I felt so deeply for both of these characters. They each had their own reasons for acting the way that they did, but missed it out on so much time together. 

It did take me a bit to really get into Mermaid Inn, but I feel that sometimes that happens when an author is setting up the characters and plot for a series. The secondary characters were well rounded and added so much to this wonderful story. I’m already looking forward to the next book in the series!