No Funny Business by Amanda AkselContemporary RomancePublished by Berkley on July 12, 2022Reviewed by Kate No Funny Business is, in theory, a book I should love. Two stand-up comics go on a road trip across the country together? Delightful. Unfortunately, though the premise was great, it just didn’t work for me in practice. Olivia Vincent is a lawyer by day, stand-up comic by night. Raised by her single dad who died of lung cancer prior to the book’s beginning, she moved to New York Continue Reading
Review: You Were Made to Be Mine by Julie Anne Long
You Were Made to Be Mine by Julie Anne LongThe Palace of Rogues #5Historical RomanceJune 28, 2022 by AvonARC Review by Angela The Palace of Rogues by Julie Anne Long is currently one of my favorite ongoing historical romance series, so I was beyond excited to find out there would be another new release coming out this year. I feel like this book gives off that same cozy, found family feeling as the previous installments while at the same time having darker content and themes. When the Continue Reading
Review: By the Book by G.B. Gordon
By the Book by G.B. Gordon Contemporary Romance/Thriller/LGBTQ+Published June 14th by Carina Press Reviewed by Kate H. I love books that cross genres, but when genre expectations conflict, not all readers will be happy and I’m afraid that may be the case with this novel. By the Book is a m/m romance and a thriller – the tale of a novice accountant, Ben Coyne, and Nick Marshall, a playboy FBI agent coming up against his 40th birthday. Ben has discovered a Continue Reading
Review: The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes by Cat Sebastian
The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes by Cat SebastianHistorical RomancePublished June 7, 2022 by AvonReviewed by Kate I had some trouble getting through The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes. While I enjoyed it overall, the story struggled with pacing issues. The correspondence between Marian and Rob in the beginning of the book drew me in. However, when it moved on to the action, it started with a bang, but then kind of meandered all the way to the end. The story feels somewhat disjointed and Continue Reading
Review: Something Wilder by Christina Lauren
Something Wilder by Christina LaurenContemporary RomanceMay 17, 2022, by Gallery Books Review by Angela I'm still not absolutely sure how I feel about this book. On the one hand, it starts out with the classic Christina Lauren charm with interesting characters, strong friendships, and lively banter. On the other hand, it is quite a bit darker than this writing duo's other novels. Labeled as an "adventure romance", Something Wilder is big on the drama and mystery, but some of the Continue Reading
Review: Birds of California by Katie Cotugno
Birds of California by Katie CotugnoContemporary RomanceApril 26, 2022, by Harper Perennial Review by Kate H. I had to go back and re-read the blurb for Birds of California about halfway through because this is one of those cases where the marketing and the content don’t match. The promotional material refers to it as a “whip smart romantic comedy.” Whip smart, I will give it, but romantic comedy? No. Birds of California is a novel Continue Reading
Angela’s Minis- Beneath the Stairs Jennifer Fawcett and The Last Eligible Billionaire by Pippa Grant
Beneath the Stairs by Jennifer FawcettGothic Mystery/Suspense2/22/22 by AtriaARC I picked up Beneath the Stairs for two reasons: this is a new to me author and I'm always on the lookout for new authors in genres I enjoy and the summary sounded interesting. This book had everything to keep me engaged... a ramshackle house out in the woods, rumored ghosts of a murdered family, two women haunted by their visit inside the house as young girls, and chapters that skip from past to present-day 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
Review: If You Ask Me by Libby Hubscher
If You Ask Me by Libby HubscherContemporary Romance/WFMarch 8, 2022, by Berkley Review by Angela Before I even get into the review, it must be said that if you are picking up this book based on the cover you will be either be sorely disappointed or super surprised (possibly both) by the content. This is absolutely not a romantic comedy in any, way, shape, or form. I would even go so far to say that this isn't even really a contemporary romance, although there is a romantic element within 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