Healing Hearts: Gene & Amanda’s Story, An Echo series novella by C.R. Alam
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This was a nice easy read that combined romance and mystery. It was a nice sneak peak at the full story to come!
Breaking Apart by Wanda J. Venters
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Breaking Apart was a good read but not what I expected.
The characters were well developed and even not having read the first book I could still follow the story. I guess it fell flat for me because I had a preconceived idea of what I was going to read.
Mood Swings and Hockey Flings by Marika Ray
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Mood Swings and Hockey Flings
3.5
I really enjoyed this from the standpoint of the characters are facing new life scenarios, they are older. It was refreshing not to have a prime twenty something but characters that appeal to another generation.
At times this book lost my attention briefly but there were also parts where I was all in and couldn’t put it down.
Kaitlyn with a K is good at what she does but second guesses herself and worries too much about what other people think. Don’t we all?!?!
Hot Shot or Ben or Banks depending on the day is a hockey star that seems to be up shits creek due to age but can he salvage his career with the help of the right agent?
Is it a coincidence that the lady he met in the airport is the women he needs ten years later?!?
Will You Pretend Marry Me by Christi Barth
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Will You Pretend Marry Me
2.5 Stars
I really wanted to like this book. I went in having high hopes and the book from start to finish fell flat.
Kaia/Abigail wants the best of both worlds but at times it is not clear where we are at and who we are dealing with. Things really seemed muddled.
Everett is the vice principal/science teacher/hidden EPA man. He goes along with schemes and tries to be the best version of himself, but does he?!?
At no point did I feel any of the emotions in this story nor did I think there was any passion between the characters.
Sugar & Spice by Phoebe Alexander
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Sugar and Spice (Spicetopia #1) introduces us to Cy and Jolie.
Cy is going to inherit the company one day and Jolie is a single mom trying make ends meet. Cy goes undercover and Jolie wears a costume at work, so do they really know each other?
I enjoyed this story and the characters but something about the storyline felt very forced. I wanted to read this as if it came so naturally. I was hoping for a hook that would hit that point and everything falls into place.
Make Me Burn by Alicia Street
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I read this without having read any others in the series and I enjoyed that I didn’t feel lost because I was picking it up mid series. Jinx and Logan have chemistry that can be felt coming off the pages hot and heavy. Is the romance worth it though? There history and there’s messy but can two people navigate through it?!? Part of the reason this was only 3 stars for me about 3.5 is because I feel as if the story has been played out, I was waiting for something to really make this stand apart from all the other billionaire romances. In no way do I think it wasn’t good I just was waiting for it to stand out.
Give Us Bad Boys and Billionaires by L.M. Mountford
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Give Us Bad Boys and Billionaires is a collection of short stories.
Calling them stories I think is a stretch, I like smut as much as the next person but these stories have no plot and rush to the spice.
In at least one of them I would have like to see character development or happy ever after.
The writing in regards to body parts also didn’t sit well with me! The way in which things were described was just off-putting.
A Girl, Stuck by Kelly Elizabeth Huston
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
A Girl, Stuck was an easy read that I enjoyed however I felt like something was missing! The characters were nice and I guess you could say everyone knows someone like them, but do we want to know the characters or do we want to live in an alternate universe while reading?!? I did enjoy trying to guess what would happen next only to find out I was wrong! It kept me turning the page.
Murder At Music Hall by A. J. Ullman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
As a first read by this author and the first book in a series Murder At Music Hall nailed it! The story was engaging and had a hook that I wasn’t expecting. The characters were well thought out and the plot played out nicely without being overly drawn out! I will definitely be back for more!!
Hay Goes Home by G Pa Rhymes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Hay Goes Home was a very cute children’s book! The pictures are very vibrant and fun to look at! They definitely capture the eye. My daughter who is seven very much enjoyed the book with me.
Savage Truth by Isla Vaughn
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
While this series is starting to grow on me more I feel so invested that I have no choice but to read the books.
The author does a good job with being able to relate to the characters but at times the books seem drawn out and forced. For me it hinders the flow of the books.
Group Hug by Ariella Talix
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Group Hug is not a bad read however my personal thoughts are that the spice over powered what could have been an actual storyline! Don’t get me wrong spice is great but when it overpowers everything including the story itself it can be toned down. Many parts felt forced and lack the unison a book should flow with.
I did really enjoy the multiple points of view. I also liked the potential that was there!
The Rocklyns Collection: Contemporary Romance Boxed Set by Alicia Street
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Dont let the length discourage you! These stories are totally worth it!
There are so many emotions within each story. We have happy, sad, steamy, and everything in between!
Deceptively Yours by Anise Storm
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Deceptively Yours and I just didn’t see eye to eye! There should definitely be trigger warnings involved. I had high hopes for this book and it fell flat.
The story seemed forced and at times the book didn’t flow. I think I kept looking for something that was missing and it made it hard to get into and really love the book.
I will not let this deter me from this author though and I will try other books by her.
Savage Lies by Isla Vaughn
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I have definitely read these books out of order but I love that I can still follow along! It is nice to put small pieces into place now. I have definitely had mixed feeling over the course of reading these books but the story is good. The characters are fun and well developed!
Resisting Nature by Brooke May
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Resisting Nature was my first read by Brooke May. While the story was cute the entire thing felt rushed! I really think the characters are good but I personally could have used some more character development. Overall it was a quick easy read
Good Enough — The Deadman’s Tribe Book 1: A Protector Romance / Romantic Suspense by Nicole Craig
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
The cover really pulled me in and I love a good suspense book so I had high hopes but the book fell a little flat for me.
I really wanted a hook to bring me and make it so I didn’t want to put the book down and I struggled to find that moment in the book.
While I understand the premise behind the book and I’m no prude by any means this story could have been so much better without the language. Reduced by 50% the book would have had the same feel but it just seemed like overkill.
Even though I gave this book three stars I would still give this author another chance if there was a book that caught my eye.
Cutter: Devils’ Spawn Daddies by Victoria Saccenti
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I had really high expectations for this book as I love the MC genre but I had trouble falling in love with this one. At times the characters were a little confusing and I never felt like I had my hook where I just lost myself completely. This was my first go with this author so I am willing to try more and see if the spark comes!
Savage Start by Isla Vaughn
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I am not so invested in this series that I have to read all of them but these little ones just don’t seem worth it! I really think this could just be a part of the main book. By time we got to the hook that wanted to make me keep reading the book was over.
To Catch An Elf: Pennsylvania Fighter Pilot by Debra Parmley
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
To Catch an Elf was interesting and in my opinion can fall into many catergories of reading! However at times it was hard to follow which meant for me I had trouble staying interested. The characters were nice over all but I didn’t find that one I fell in love with and resonated with!
Seraphina by Brooke May
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Automatic good point number 1, I was able to fully understand this story without having read the others!
While I will probably now go back and read just because I like series to be complete its a nice standalone if readers prefer that. The story was told well and the plot hooked my attention! The characters were nice but I just felt like something was needed and I couldn’t put my finger one it! Overall cute read.
Unclutter: A Survivor’s Story by Winnie D. Pagora
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
While I personally learned a lot from Unclutter: A Survivor’s Story, I truly had a hard time getting into it and finding my hook. The story was clear and the trauma us heavy. The trigger warnings are valid. For me it was just missing something that I cannot put my finger on.
Finding the End Zone by Tam DeRudder Jackson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Finding the End Zone was a cute read with amazing chemistry. The book was fun to read and I enjoyed looking up others by this author. I do feel like this book left me with a few more questions and than answers, but that’s how you read the next one? Right?!?
Woman Unbroken by Alexandra Fleder
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Women Unbroken brought me out of my current reading slump! WARNING The domestic violence is heavy. I enjoyed that the author was able to keep my interest the whole time and the main character was relatable. The story was written well.
Wicked Ends by Isla Vaughn
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I am invested in this series. You don’t come this far and give up right!? With that being said I do enjoy these books but at times the series feels a little forced. I do enjoy most of the books having the same characters so you receive updates on prior focuses! Overall good read WITH AN ENDING YOU DID NOT SEE COMING! The ending really redeemed the parts of the book that had me wishing I could just end my relationship with a series I am so invested in.
Quick Affirmations for Children: A to Z of Easy Motivations for Creating Better days – Positive Affirmations for Happy Children by Kim Ann
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I enjoyed reading this book with my daughter. We are big believers in positive affirmations in our house and my daughter loved that this book was at a level she could read.
Arriving Home by Chelsea Lauren
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Arriving Home was a book that after reading countless amazing reviews just fell flat for me. I think I had an expectation in my head that the characters just didn’t live up to! The author definitely wrote a cute holiday romance I just dont think I had all the details before diving in!
Secrets at the Cafe: A Novel of Suspense about Family and Friendship by Susan Specht Oram
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Secrets at the Cafe was a different take on a mystery read. The characters were cute and the story was good. I think the author did a nice job of keeping readers attention throughout and not making it too predictable so that I wanted to keep reading!
Hot Flashes and Hockey Slashes by Marika Ray
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Hot Flashes and Hockey Slashes was a fun read to shake up the mundane romance world! Don’t get me wrong I love reading all the stories but as romance readers can guess what is going to happen!! There is a great deal of humor through and I loved that it wasn’t your typical twenty something love story! My first by this author but won’t be my last!!
Lost and Found: A Logan McKenna Mystery Book 9 by Valerie Davisson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Lost and Found was a great read that had enough detail to keep me turning the pages! I enjoyed the setting and the story even without having read the books that come before it. I will definitely be adding the previous books to me TBR pile.
