When Javi Dumped Mari by Mia SosaContemporary RomanceJune 24, 2025, by G.P. Putnam’s Sons Review by Melanie A slow burn friends to lovers told through dual POVs and dual timelines, the story of Javi and Mari vaguely echoes the same beats as When Harry Met Sally, a movie I don’t particularly like but I did enjoy this book. Javi and Mari meet in college and though they seem polar opposites in a lot of ways, a friendship blossoms. Sure, there's an underlying layer of simmering sexual Continue Reading
Review: Along Came Amor by Alexis Daria
Along Came Amor by Alexis DariaContemporary RomanceMay 27, 2025, by Avon Review by Melanie Along Came Amor is the latest title from Alexis Daria and the third and final book in her Primas of Power series. Given that it’s been a minute since the last book in this series came out (almost 4 years to be exact), it took some doing for me to reacquaint myself with the series and the large cast of characters. This story features a sexy romance between recently divorced school teacher Ava Continue Reading
Review: Left of Forever by Tarah DeWitt
Left of Forever by Tarah DeWittContemporary Romance May 20, 2025, by St. Martin's Griffin Review by Melanie At some point, when I was reading this beautiful second chance romance, I started thinking about the reasons why I’m drawn to the romance genre so much. I’m almost exclusively a romance reader and the reason started to slowly dawn on me the deeper I got into the book. Romance is that rare genre built on the premise of hope. Think about it. You have two or more characters, human or Continue Reading
Review: Bold Moves by Emma Barry
Bold Moves by Emma BarryContemporary Romance April 22, 2025, by Montlake Review by Melanie There are second chance romances and then there’s Bold Moves, Emma Barry’s latest book, which takes the second chance romance trope and injects it with so much angst and heartache that at a certain point, I was concerned just how the two MCs would make their way back to each other. But fear not, dear readers, this is after all a romance novel and one of the best parts of our much beloved genre Continue Reading
Review: Passion Project by London Sperry
Passion Project by London SperryContemporary Romance April 8, 2025, by Penguin Books Review by Melanie Let me be very upfront before I get into the real bones of this book that this book may not be for everyone. It is, as some would term it, a Sad Girl Romance ™. (I don’t know who coined that phrase, it certainly wasn’t me). It is also a CAPITAL S Slow Burn romance - there is an open door sex scene but the first kiss doesn’t even occur until 70% in so again, if all that is not your Continue Reading
Review: The Love Simulation by Etta Easton
The Love Simulation by Etta EastonContemporary RomanceMarch 4, 2025, by Berkley Review by Melanie One of my favorite tropes in contemporary romance is forced proximity and The Love Simulation employs that trope with such an unique premise that really charmed me. Brianna, the FMC, is a middle school vice-principal. Dedicated to her students and to her job, her main goal is to upgrade the library at her school so that her students have access to more current books. Unfortunately Continue Reading
Review: Wedding Dashers by Heather McBreen
Wedding Dashers by Heather McBreenContemporary RomanceJanuary 28, 2025, by Berkley Review by Melanie There’s an ongoing conversation happening in Romancelandia these days about tropes and the over usage of them to write and sell a book. In reality, tropes can be quite gimmicky and an easy way to market a book. Put up a cute little Instagram ready graphic, surround it with a half dozen tropes contained within the book and there you have it, easy-peasy lemon squeezy! It’s quick and fun Continue Reading
Review: Bad Reputation by Emma Barry
Bad Reputation Contemporary RomanceOctober 1, 2024, by Montlake Review by Melanie One of the reasons I’ve taken to gorging on historical romances lately is that it’s giving me something I’ve been finding lacking in contemporaries. The pining, the longing, the actual romance, the tenderness and yes, the steam, it all seems to have dissipated to some degree in contemporaries with a few notable exceptions. One such exception is Emma Barry’s latest, Bad Reputation, which has all Continue Reading
Review: The Finest Print by Erin Langston
The Finest Print by Erin LangstonHistorical RomanceARCSeptember 24, 2024Self-Published Review by Melanie I am nothing if not consistent so it should really come as no surprise to anyone that I absolutely adored The Finest Print, the latest from Erin Langston. I wanted to devour it the second the ARC landed in my ereader but, and this might surprise those who know me well, instead, I savored it, parsing it out in small bite sized nibbles over the course of five days, luxuriating in the Continue Reading
Review: Just Some Stupid Love Story by Katelyn Doyle
Just Some Stupid Love StoryContemporary RomanceJune 4, 2024Flatiron Books Review by Melanie Whew, I have so many thoughts about this book, I barely know where to begin. I gave this book two stars on Goodreads and those two stars are by and large for the excellent narration that really elevated this book. That is not to say this author (known primary for her historical romances written under the name Scarlett Peckham) is not a talented writer, she very much is but despite her undeniable Continue Reading