Alpha Night by Nalini Singh
Psy-Changeling Trinity #4
Paranormal Romance
June 9, 2020 by Berkley
ARC
Let me start this review by saying that I love this author and
I think I can put up with things in PNR that I would hate in any other genre, instalove and fated mates tropes for example. I’m pretty sure this couple worked for me because it was more of a mating at first sight, where love came later, than actual super fast insta-love. Selenka is the Alpha of the BlackEdge wolves and her wolf chooses Ethan as their mate pretty much the moment they first make contact. Ethan is a broken, emotionally damaged Arrow who was a special project of Ming LeBon’s as a child, but something changes in him when he realizes he’s been claimed by the dominant and fascinating woman.
One of the things I really enjoyed was the way Ethan embraced becoming Selenka’s mate right from the beginning. I’m pretty sure they weren’t even separated for at least the first half of the book. He accepted her claim and that was that. He was her’s. The other thing I really enjoyed was that Selenka was such a strong, caring woman and Alpha who embraced her dominance, and Ethan recognizes this immediately,.
While I still miss seeing older characters from the original series, I do enjoy these new characters set in this part of the world. The fact that Nalini Singh still manages to make this world feel fresh and new is always a wonder to me. I enjoyed this new addition and look forward to whatever she puts out next.
Final grade- B
The Marriage Game by Sara Desai
Contemporary Romance
June 9, 2020 by Berkley
ARC
I enjoyed this book so much! This being a debut author (although, I think she writes under another pen name) I really had no expectations goings in but was hoping that it would be as fun and full of humor as the blurb made it sound. Spoiler alert: it was!
This is an enemies-to-lovers, romantic comedy featuring a wonderfully quirky, down on her luck HR recruiter who ends up sharing office space above her family’s restaurant with a snarky, but charming corporate downsizer. Sparks fly (and the occasional office supply) between them, but neither will back down and move out to a different space.
Layla also discovers her father has set her up a dating profile on desilovematch.com and arranged for her to meet no less than 10 matches. Sam agrees to accompany her on these dates with the condition that if she finds a good candidate for marriage, she will give up her half of the office and move out.
This couple cracked me up. The banter was hilarious and I truly enjoyed watching them navigate Layla’s marriage choices. I really don’t know a whole lot about arranged marriages, but I do like that this author gave examples of both loving and toxic relationships. This really was a slow burn, slow to build romance and I was fully invested in their HEA.
I adored meeting all of Layla and Sam’s family and friends and learning about South Asian culture and cuisine. I kind of hope that we will see all of them again in a future story.
My only gripe is that I wish Sam had grovelled harder for Layla’s forgiveness at the end. He does something at about 75% in that left me totally disappointed in him and his choices and if I were Layla I would have made him work harder to get back in my good graces.
This is such a fun read! There are some heavy themes woven in, mainly domestic abuse, but all in all I would definitely label this as a romantic. comedy.
Final grade- B
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