Gouda Friends by Cathy YardleyContemporary Romance March 22, 2022, by Montlake ARC Review by Melanie This was one of the CUTEST contemporary romances I’ve read in a long time. Cathy Yardley is a new to me author but I will most definitely be checking out her backlist because based on this novel, her voice just really worked for me. This is the second book I’m reviewing for Smexy that has identical themes in that the book focuses quite a bit on FMCs personal journey as a Continue Reading
Review: Sadie on a Plate by Amanda Elliot
Sadie on a Plate by Amanda ElliotContemporary Romance/Romantic FictionMarch 15, 2022, by BerkleyARC Review by Melanie The first line of the blurb of Sadie on a Plate reads as follows: A chef’s journey to success leads to discovering the perfect recipe for love in this delicious romantic comedy. It’s a cutesy opener to introduce the theme of the book, a pun on the fact that it’s about a chef. Here’s the problem though. While the book did make me laugh in parts, thereby earning the Continue Reading
Scenic Sunday: Marrying Winterborne by Lisa Kleypas
If you’re a regular on Romance Twitter, you’re probably aware that there’s a certain Lisa Kleypas histrom that is constantly evoked by the most feral of its fans by four simple words. “Not five fucking minutes.” These four words are iconic and have made Rhys Winterborne, the character who utters them, equally iconic in the pantheon of Lisa Kleypas heroes. St. Vincent may have his charm and Derek Craven may have his beloved’s spectacles but Rhys Winterbourne’s entire personality can Continue Reading
Review: A Brush with Love by Mazey Eddings
A Brush with Love by Mazey EddingsContemporary Romance March 1, 2022, by St. Martin’s GriffinARC Review by Melanie When I first saw the premise of A Brush with Love being floated around social media, I will admit, I was more than a little curious. I’d read many a romance with law students and med students and art students and here, finally, was this untapped market where two people met and fell in love while…scraping plaque off someone’s teeth. Ok, well, when put like that, one does Continue Reading
Review: The Lady Tempts an Heir by Harper St. George
The Lady Tempts an Heir by Harper St. GeorgeThe Gilded Age Heiresses Book 3Historical RomanceFebruary 22, 2022, by BerkleyARC Review by Melanie The Lady Tempts an Heir, the third and, I’m happy to say, not the last book, in Harper St. George’s The Gilded Age Heiresses series is delightful and charming and sexy, with two incredibly engaging main characters who share loads of chemistry. If you’ve recently watched and enjoyed The Gilded Age on HBO, this entire series is worth Continue Reading
Review: Weather Girl by Rachel Lynn Solomon
Weather Girl by Rachel Lynn SolomonContemporary RomanceJanuary 11, 2022 by BerkleyARC Review by Melanie The first book I read in 2021 was a book by Rachel Lynn Solomon titled The Ex Talk. It was actually my very first review for Smexy (you can find the review here) and I loved it so much and was super excited to find a new to me author whose voice just worked for me. I’m excited to say that Weather Girl was maybe even better. There was so much to love about this book that it’s kind of Continue Reading
Melanie’s Favorites of 2021
When I started going through all my 5 star reads for 2021, I was pleasantly surprised that of the 141 books I've read as of this moment, I had well over 40 that were 5 star reads. Either I was just really fast and loose with the 5 stars this year or I had a really great reading year. I'm betting it's the latter. I've managed to narrow the list down further by focusing on 24 5 star titles that were all published in 2021. So, here are my absolute favorite reads of 2021! Contemporary: The Continue Reading
The Psy/Changeling Channel: Kiss of Snow
Melanie: I’m just going to be upfront - this deep-dive will probably be the longest one yet because once again, SO MUCH happens in this book but also, it’s Kiss of Snow (!!!) and neither Melinda nor I have made any secret of the fact that we absolutely adore this book. That’s not to say we’re ignorant about all of the many (MANY) consent issues found within but it’s a good thing we decided to read this book at the beginning of the month because we have a LOT to say. (Also, who’re we kidding, Continue Reading
Review: A Thorn in the Saddle by Rebekah Weatherspoon
A Thorn in the Saddle by Rebekah WeatherspoonContemporary Romance10/26/2021 by Dafina BooksARC Review by Melanie I have always imagined that cowboy romances are not for me. I’m not a huge nature person, have never been big into horses and as such, just assumed that cowboys, as a romance hero archetype, wasn’t really my jam. It wasn’t until Rebekah Weatherspoon released the first book in her Cowboys of California series back in 2020 that I began to question that maybe under the right Continue Reading
Review: Two Houses by Suleena Bibra
Two Houses by Suleena BibraContemporary Romance10/5/2021 by Carina PressARC Review by Melanie Two Houses, the charming debut novel by Suleena Bibra, is your classic enemies-to-lovers trope. Priya Gupta and Gavin Carlyle work at competing auction houses, each owned by their respective families. Having known each other for years, attending the same schools, and running in the same social circles, Priya has always hated Gavin, her long-time nemesis. But as the famous saying goes, there’s a Continue Reading