Grace is a young adult who is trying to find herself in this world after she’s been thru some of her own personal Hell. Ian is the hot, young neighbor that lives in the same building. Fate would have them living together after Grace had enough with her roommate. The intensity, ferocity, and force of this story will be sure to keep you up turning the pages. You won’t be able to put down this story because you’ll want to keep with the pace that the author wrote. Grace and Ian both have their own demons to work thru but doing that together may leave them broken. If you love love and if you love steamy romance, this is the book for you!
This is my first read by this author and I am unsure how to explain how I feel about it. It will have you turning pages and not wanting to ever put it down. The hangover you have at the end will leave you wanting to know more and more. Grace and Ian are both fighting battles and together they are bound to conquer the world.
This is the first book I have read from this author and she now has a new fan. I love contemporary romance but this story exceeded all my expectations. You can’t help but to fall in love with these characters. I was so addicted to this story it only took me a little over a day to devour it. I can’t wait to see what this author will write next.
Grace needs some peace and quiet because her roommate is very wild. She is looking for a new place to call home and she is offered a deal she can’t refuse. Grace runs into the very handsome Ian and he says that she can live with him rent free. She is so excited she doesn’t even care that she has to cook him dinner every night. Grace and Ian start to get to know one another and they can’t help it that they have a connection. Will Grace find the relationship she has been looking for or will she end up heartbroken once again?
I was thoroughly surprised by this book. It hit me. I’m my feelings and I don’t know how I will recover. This author should definitely be in the angst category. I am just saying I bawled my eyes out.
Grace is sick and tired of her roommates activities. She has a plan and goals for herself that she needs to accomplish. Ian is her neighbor who just happens to be looking for a new roomie. The only thing he requires is a home cooked meal every night. A healthy home cooked meal I should say. Sweet deal if I do say so myself. Especially with all the chemistry they have.
When it’s decided that she will move in with Ian he has secrets that make her curious about who he really is. But Ian also has suspicions of his own. They both have skeletons in the closet.
When the chemistry between them heats up one night those skeletons start to unravel and they both have to decide if the past can be welcomed in the future.
I was so shocked when the twists finally unraveled I cried my eyes out for Grace, for Ian. Everything they went through to get where they are hit you right in the gut. I will be honest that I started to piece together that they knew each other but I just wasn’t sure how. Grace is a strong character that you can’t help but cheer on. She has had a rough go of things that makes you want to wrap her up and never let her out. But at times I wanted to shake her and help her piece together how they are intertwined. Now Ian what a man. He just wants to be connected with Grace again.
This author has a way with words that sucks you into this book. It plays like a movie in your head and when it’s over you can’t help but feel like your life has no meaning. I am looking forward to many more books from this author.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Donna Parrotthttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngDonna Parrott2022-03-17 07:52:292022-03-17 07:52:29Checking Boxes by Magdoline Ward – Review by Donna Parrott
Grace and Ian took me places I was not ready to go! I cried and cried and of course I also swooned, laughed, and felt every emotion each step of the way with these two. This was truly a story of 2 people needing each other and coming together at the right time unexpectedly. The way the pieces came together blindsided me. The mystery surrounding them both and the relationship that developed unfolded beautifully. This author stole my heart with this book, and I am so happy I was along for Grace and Ian’s journey.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Laurenhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngLauren2022-03-16 07:48:262022-03-16 07:48:26Checking Boxes by Magdoline Ward- Review by Lauren West
Checking Boxes is a Contemporary Romance with just the right amount of suspense. I honestly wasn’t expecting what I just devoured. What I got was one heck of an emotional rollercoaster ride that had my emotions all over the place. This is a fairly new author to me and I will say this I’m a fan and can’t wait to see what other books they have written. This is definitely one of those books that you will not be able to put down. The style of writing drew me in from the beginning and kept ahold way past the end. The characters are simply amazing and everything flowed so nicely. This is Ian and Grace’s story. She finds herself in a situation where she needs to move as soon as possible. She answers a ad for a roommate from her neighbor Ian. The catch is for rent she only has to cook for him. Sounds great right? There is definitely chemistry between them. Ian has a secret one he’s trying to keep hidden. What will happen when the secret is out? What does the future look like for these two? I highly recommend reading this book to find out what happens next. I’m looking forward to reading more from this Author.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Dawn Daughenbaughhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngDawn Daughenbaugh2022-03-16 07:32:042022-03-16 07:32:04Checking Boxes by Magdoline Ward-Review by Dawn Daughenbaugh
Ian is soooooo intense ! All I wanted to do is throw myself at his feet and beg him to make me his 🤦♀️🔥
Acacia did a real number on Ian and I really just wanted to give her a knuckle sandwich for the damage she caused but I realised if I kept focusing on her I’d be loosing out on the real story , the one of Grace and Ian 🥰❣️
Grace lives with Sophie and whiles she’s a good sort she has a rather colourful social life and more often than not there are surprise visitors so when Grace sees Ian’s roommate proposal she jumps at the opportunity, she can now save for own apartment and she’ll have a quieter life and all she has to do is cook food !
I don’t think Grace knew what she was letting herself in for I mean hello Ian is more than a handful on so many different levels ! I’m sure he could get a nun to take off her habit 🤦♀️🔥
Both Ian and Grace have their own issues and baggage but they took me on an epic journey and I’m so grateful and they’re the type of characters that will stay with you and in your heart , they’re the reason we have book hangovers ❣️📕😉
The characters in this book are complex and intriguing. Every time I think I am starting to see where the book is going, I get surprised. I love when a book is not predictable. Grace needs another place to live and Ian is looking for a roommate. What could go wrong…or maybe right. Grace and Ian both have their own baggage to deal with. Can they see their way through at the things that could keep them apart? I absolutely loved this book. I lost sleep reading this book. I regret nothing.
This was a great 5 star read that pulled me right in. Once I started I didn’t want to put it down.
Grace needs to find a new place to live. Luckily her neighbor Ian is looking for a roommate. And what he is offering is perfect for her. As long as she cooks for him she can stay rent free and the bonus is he’s hot as heck. Who wouldn’t love this offer? The more time they spend around each other the more the chemistry builds between them.
My emotions were all over the place with this book. We find that they both have some secrets that they are holding pretty closely. What will happen when they finally come out? Overall I loved this book, the characters were great. The author does a great job with her writing and pulls you right into this story. I can’t wait to read more from this author. 1-click and get started today on this great read.
I am emotionally all over the place with this book. This is the first Magdoline Wars book that I have read and I find her very interesting. Grace is living in a situation that is not conducive to her so she takes Ian up on his offer. All she has to do is cook a meal every night and she has free rent, to go to be true something so! Ian has rules that seem out of the ordinary to Grace but what the heck. These two have some wicked chemistry and it slowly grows but will the skeletons in their closets tear them apart before they have it all. I have never been so on my seat as I was with this read. I had a huge book hangover after reading and I am still thinking about this read still. You want suspense, spice, intrigue, and mystery this is the read.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Veronica Leehttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngVeronica Lee2022-03-15 07:27:052022-03-15 07:27:05Checking Boxes by Magdoline Ward – Review by Veronica Lee
This was an emotional read. I found this story to be original and unexpected. Grace and Ian become roommates because of circumstances that have Grace needing to move out of her friend’s place quickly. Ian has a very big secret that he’s trying to keep from ever coming out. Grace has some issues in her past that she’s not sure she will ever be ready to talk about. The chemistry between these two is off the charts. This book had romance, pain, love, a shocking surprise that I didn’t see coming, great characters and so much more. This is the first book I have read by this author but it definitely won’t be the last. This author wrote a great story that I highly recommend.
This is the first book I’ve read by the author. Checking Boxes kept me intrigued from the beginning. I will definitely be on the look for more.
Grace is tired of having people over at the apartment she’s staying in. Deciding to move out she’s lucky her neighbor is looking for a roommate. Could it be too good to be true? The quote I chose for Grace is: all.”“You don’t need to worry about me. We’ll figure it out. But you can’t change things this fast, from total strangers, into comfy friends.”
Ian is keeping a secret from everyone and he knows no one will uncover it. He knows everything there is to know about Grace. Is it stalkerish? Yes, but he does it anyway. The quote I chose for Ian is: “I’ve learned it the hard way. You burn yourself out trying to ignite another soul. It’s not worth it, trust me.”
Highly recommended for Contemporary Romance lovers.
All that goes through my mind when I think about this book is that sound clip that says ‘Emotional Damage.’ But it is the kind you enjoy. Kinda. This is the first book I’ve read by Magdoline Ward and she played with all my emotions. There were times that I wanted to throw my kindle. Others where I squealed with excitement. The chemistry between Grace and Ian is a delight. I found myself not wanting to put the book down.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Amber Dayhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAmber Day2022-03-14 18:16:342022-03-14 19:28:49Checking Boxes by Magdoline Ward – Review by Amber Day
This was a pretty good, quick read. The romance and chemistry between Ian and Grace which made you root for them. They way they were able to resolve their pain from the past as their love grew was a good, connectable piece. I especially enjoyed viewing it from the perspective of both characters. I really enjoyed this debut book and look forward to reading more by this author.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Trish Annhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngTrish Ann2022-03-14 16:45:292022-03-14 19:41:39Checking Boxes by Magdoline Ward – Review by Trish Ann
This book was so good! Our FMC starts off in quite a predicament and her HEA is luckily there to help her out of it. Through getting to know each other, she notices he seems to already know some stuff about her. The twist at the end is both heartbreaking and makes you wonder why your significant other doesn’t love you like that (just kidding but still swoon). This truly was a sweet and wonderful story!
Checking Boxes was a story about Grace and Ian and how their pasts may or may not affect their future. I really enjoyed how the author took us back and forth between 2 time periods. It was a real page turner….I couldn’t put the book down. Sometimes when reading a romance book I can kind of guess how it will end…. well not with this story. I was pleasantly surprised in the turn the story took. Checking Boxes was the first title I’ve read from this author. After that story I need to see what else she’s written. I was on an emotional rollercoaster while reading it and I enjoyed every emotional ride the author took me on.
Grace and Ian. They are not a match I would have put together. Who said a room advertisement with you having to make dinner would become this. Been my first book by this author I didn’t know what to expect. There’s a chemistry spark between this pair from the start. However, there is more beneath the surface and skeletons in both closets to be revealed. Ian is more than he seems on the surface. Can they heal each other’s past wounds? You don’t want to miss this adventure.
This book is an emotional ride. With the dual POV I got to see what each person not only experienced, but what they thought about people and situations. Those tidbits just brought me that much closer to the characters of Grace and Ian. Neighbors, Grace and Ian soon become roommates as Grace becomes in need of a better environment to stay in. Ian offers her a room as long as she cooks for him every night at his expense. Sweet and frustrating moments both arise for these two as Ian struggles with a secret from his past that he is determined to keep buried. Grace isn’t sure how to take Ian and his monumental hot/ cold spells, which makes her reevaluate herself and her past as well. What does the future hold for these two? This is the first book I’ve read by this author, but it is definitely worth the read.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Donyahttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngDonya2022-03-14 13:51:142022-03-14 19:29:26Checking Boxes by Magdoline Ward – Review by Donya Pedigo
I really enjoyed this romance story. It is fast paced and the chemistry between the two main characters is pretty much felt from the beginning of the story and increases as you progress. One thing I really enjoy is the realistic stories about Ian and Grace. Both of them come into this situation / relationship with a background and wounds from previous relationships. Like most new relationships it’s hard to find the happy ground so there is a bit of drama and some issues around trust however the passion and chemistry between then is amazing. Grace needs to leave her current home so when she sees her neighbour Ian looking for a roommate she is interested. The ad says there’s no rent as long as Grace is prepared to cook him a meal every night. How hard can that be right. Neither of them expected the connection between them to grow as it does but with them being new to each other and roommates on top of that does their budding romance stand any chance at all?
This story is full of twists and turns and things you just don’t see coming which keeps the reader hooked
This was my first book by this author and I thoroughly enjoyed it. This book came with all the feels and was a nice slow burn relationship which is a nice change from all the insta love stories out there. I really got to grips with the characters and the storyline was excellent. I’m excited to pick up more books by this author.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Amanda Williamshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAmanda Williams2022-03-14 08:09:552022-03-14 08:09:55Checking Boxes by Magdoline Ward – Review by Amanda Williams
Emotionally wrung out! Thoroughly delighted and enchanted. Angry and yelling at characters. Nearly in tears (and I am not a crier). There is not a single emotion that this author didn’t put you through. It was a fantastic, amazing, exhilarating, exhausting ride!! I would do it again.
When Grace can’t take her roommate’s random behavior and random friends showing up at the apartment anymore, she takes an offer from the guy across the hall. If she is willing to cook dinner for him every night, she can live rent free. It is a strange deal. One that has Grace curious. When Grace decides to think about it, Ian, that is the neighbor, walks her to her apartment to get her phone. When Grace and Ian get to the apartment, there are random people coupled in the living room and Grace’s bedroom. Ian decides that she is coming to stay at his place right then.
Grace can’t deny she has chemistry with Ian. Grace feels him fighting their connection at every turn. One night, they kiss and things start popping off from there. The only problem is Ian doesn’t tell Grace the truth.
Let me tell you, these two get into some messes. When the secret and the truth come out, gasp!! Shock! I am not kidding. The author had me hooked into this story, these characters, this drama from nearly the first word. All I can say is BRAVO!!! Let me know when your next one is coming out. I want to be 1st in line. This book was so good, and left me so emotionally attached to the characters that I could not read another book for the rest of the night.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00M Policicchiohttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngM Policicchio2022-03-14 08:00:592022-03-14 08:00:59Checking Boxes by Magdoline Ward – Review by M Policicchio
This was my first book by this author so I had no real expectations going in and I can say I was pleasantly surprised. I really appreciated how well written it was, all of the detail made everything really clear and easy to picture everything playing out in my head.
The chemistry between the two characters was really believable and could almost be felt through the pages, the trauma that they have both endured had me feeling all kinds of emotions and really feeling invested in their story.
I look forward to reading more from this author in the future!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Kaitlynn Taylorhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngKaitlynn Taylor2022-03-14 07:46:442022-03-14 07:46:44Checking Boxes by Magdoline Ward – Review by Kaitlynn Taylor
This Romance story is the first book that I have read by this author and it won’t be the last. This story followed Ian and Grace. They met by chance and their story was a whirlwind. Secrets were kept and when they came out hearts may or may have been! I enjoyed following their story and I am looking forward to more by this author! Happy Reading!
As with any new to me author i go in with an open mind and jump right in. I really loved this story even if it took a bit for me to get immersed into it (i blame my rambunctious children for this).
This was a well told story that really had me wanting to know more and more and then just feeling all of it, every single word.
I am now going to be finding the rest of this authors work and reading everything.
I have not read this author before, but I will be going back to find and read other books by her! I easily got caught up in Ian and Grace’s story of meeting by chance. I felt all the emotions they were going through, and the lesson learned from this story is what secrets do to people. This was a great book. Pick it up today. Definitely recommend.
This book definitely checked all the boxes. The characters were great and you could really feel their connection through the pages. Grace is in desperate need of somewhere to stay when she answers an ad about a room which happens to be in the same building she currently lives in, Ian is offering the room rent free as long as he gets his dinner made for him at his own cost surely this must be too good to be true? He has a dark secret that he doesn’t want Grace to know. Will it cause a rift or bring them together?!
This is a four-star read that will check all of your boxes. I enjoyed this one, it was steamy and sweet in a great way, I enjoyed the whole story, it just needed a little more polish to it. The romance blossoming between Ian and Grace will sweep you up, and take you with them on their journey, the more we get to know Ian and what makes him tick, just makes you all warm and fuzzy in the end. This has the makings of being a great story, and I am excited to see what else this author will bring us.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Sara Oxtonhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngSara Oxton2022-03-12 15:19:322022-03-12 15:19:32Checking Boxes by Magdoline Ward – Review by Sara Oxton
Checking Boxes is a steamy contemporary romance and debut novel by Magdoline Ward. Ian and Grace had intense chemistry and their story pulled me in right from the beginning. The author didn’t hold back, and the story was unexpected in so many ways- it is a cleverly woven angsty story full of intensity, chemistry, secrets, passion, pain, trust issues, and surprising developments. I liked this so much that I went looking for more from this author, only to discover that this is her debut novel- so that made me even more impressed. I will be keeping an eye out for more releases from her in the future, because if this book is anything to go by, there are even greater things to come. Well worth the read… Happy Reading!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Angela Hayeshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAngela Hayes2022-03-12 10:42:092022-03-12 10:42:09Checking Boxes by Magdoline Ward – Review by Angela Hayes
This is the author’s debut book and let me tell y’all something. She! Did! Not! Disappoint! I was not able to put this book down. The story between Ian and Grace is something you don’t want to miss out on reading about. The author’s writing style is something that I’ve never seen before, but I really loved it. I 10/10 recommend this book to anyone who loves steamy romance books. I’m excited to see more of her works in the coming future.
This story follows Ian and Grace and is 329 pages in length. Holy cow!! When Grace needs to move, she responds to a room mate wanted ad. Rent free and all she had to do is cook for him on his dime. Too good to be true? Maybe – maybe not (insert shoulder shrug). He is hot, but she seriously does want to get involved right now. Yet the chemistry between them is too much to ignore. But what will come falling out of the closet when the door is opened?
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