These books are vastly different and both were terrific. First up is A Thousand Boy Kisses by Tillie Cole. So, “love” may not be exactly the right word to describe my listening experience. I don’t normally gravitate to the super sad books. But Rune and Poppy’s story was addicting to me and I pushed through the tears. A Thousand Boy Kisses is a YA tearjerker that walks the line of being so saccharine that it’s almost cringey. The thousand kisses referenced in the title are a jar of Continue Reading
Review: Hunt the Stars by Jessie Mihalik
Hunt the Stars by Jessie MihalikStarlight's Shadow #1Science Fiction RomanceFebruary 1, 2022, by Harper VoyagerARC Review by Angela Y'all. Y'ALL. This author just gets better and better with each new release. I might have mentioned that my addiction of choice in these trying times is fantasy/science fiction romance and whoooboy, was I glad I picked Hunt the Stars up for review because it rocked my socks off. This is the first book in the new Starlight's Shadow series and features both Continue Reading
Review: Getting His Game Back by Gia De Cadenet
Smexy has new reviewers! I'd like to welcome Kate H.! Getting His Game Back by Gia De Cadenet Contemporary Romance January 25, 2022, by Random House - Ballantine, Dell ARC Review by Kate H. The main characters in Gia De Cadenet’s debut novel have a lot on their plates, and that’s even before they meet each other. Vanessa is a dynamic app developer and entrepreneur who is doing well in an industry unused to black women’s leadership. Khalil is the co-owner of a local barbershop Continue Reading
Review: The Roughest Draft by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka
The Roughest Draft by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-BrokaContemporary RomanceJanuary 25, 2022, by Berkely Reviewed by Kate It has taken me some time to write this review for The Roughest Draft. As I mulled it over in my head, I realized that it wasn’t really what I had expected going in, and while the unexpected aspects might be problematic for some romance readers, I absolutely loved this book. The Roughest Draft is about Kat and Nathan, who had a writing partnership and Continue Reading
Review: Something Fabulous by Alexis Hall
Something Fabulous by Alexis HallPublished on January 25, 2022 by MontlakeHistorical Romance Review by Kate Something Fabulous is a sheer delight of a romance novel. It’s a dramatic, gay, fluffy, joyous book that I enjoyed so much I have already re-read the first quarter before even starting this review. At the beginning of Something Fabulous, Valentine proposes to Belle, who adamantly does not want to marry him. She runs off in the middle of the night (as one does in a Regency Continue Reading
Jen’s Mini Audio Book Reviews: Books by Madeline Miller and Sarah Ready
Both of these books were winners! So very different, but excellent in their own ways. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller was on my TBR list for a long time. This book has great buzz and it absolutely lived up to the hype!! I will be recommending this to everyone I meet. I cried at the end. Right up to the last moment I thought it was going to end a certain way and it went in another direction. The writing is so beautiful and tugged at all of my emotions. The book is about one of Continue Reading
Review: Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly
Love & Other Disasters by Anita KellyContemporary RomanceJanuary 18, 2022, by Forever Review by Melinda I've raved about Anita Kelly's first two books and have been really anticipating her debut with Forever. And I loved everything about this book from beginning to end. Dahlia and London are competitors on a cooking show and one of the things I loved so much is that there is no antagonism between them at all. Just encouragement and laughter and love of the craft. I felt like the 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
Review: The Plight Before Christmas by Kate Stewart
The Plight Before Christmas by Kate StewartHoliday FictionDecember 17, 2021, by KLS Press, LLC Review by Jen Many of us are still packing away our Christmas decorations and wondering if those red throw pillows can stick around through Valentine’s Day. I have one last bit of Christmas joy you must read!! The Plight Before Christmas by Kate Stewart is a holiday romance, but I swear it’s perfect year round. Kate Stewart is one of my fave authors and she does it again with this Continue Reading
Jen’s Minis: Key Change by Heidi Hutchinson and The Things We Leave Unfinished by Rebecca Yarros
Key Change by Heidi HutchinsonContemporary RomanceOctober 12, 2021 by Smartypants RomanceARC Review by Jen Key Change by Heidi Hutchinson was a super cute audio book. It’s set in the Seduction in the City World, Penny Reid Universe. And, it is actually book three in the Common Thread series. I was a little apprehensive about this book because I’ve never read any book in those series. I’m such a big fan of a good audio book and went for it. Narrated by Samantha Continue Reading