3.5 ⭐️ There's parts I liked and parts I didn't like, but overall, I enjoyed the audiobook.
WHAT TO EXPECT: ✨ small town romance ✨ pregnancy (surrogacy)3.5 ⭐️ There's parts I liked and parts I didn't like, but overall, I enjoyed the audiobook.
WHAT TO EXPECT: ✨ small town romance ✨ pregnancy (surrogacy) ✨ wannabe single dad ✨ forced proximity ✨ grumpy x sunshine ✨ age gap ✨ show burn ✨ 3/5 ...more
3.75 ⭐️ I enjoyed the hell out of this audiobook - so rounding up
WHAT TO EXPECT: ✨ contemporary romance ✨ Scottish manor setting ✨ she's a willful Americ3.75 ⭐️ I enjoyed the hell out of this audiobook - so rounding up
WHAT TO EXPECT: ✨ contemporary romance ✨ Scottish manor setting ✨ she's a willful American trust fund brat who's been cut off ✨ he's a strong-headed, agoraphobic Scot masking his grief with sex and alcohol ✨ disastrous meet cute ✨ marriage of convenience ✨ "I hate you" (they're so mean to each other) ✨ grumpy x grumpy ✨ enemies to lovers ✨ force proximity ✨ age gap ✨ 4/5 spice ...more
4.75 ⭐️ The perfect book to make you swoon and break your heart
“I'd like to look back on my life and remember every single thing. But if I don't, I ho4.75 ⭐️ The perfect book to make you swoon and break your heart
“I'd like to look back on my life and remember every single thing. But if I don't, I hope I remember that it was a love story. And that the love story was about you.”
WHAT TO EXPECT: ✨ contemporary romance ✨ veterinarian x social media manager ✨ opposites attract ✨ meet-cute (gone wrong) ✨ instant connection ✨ they both fall fast and hard ✨ right person, wrong time ✨ long distance ✨ mutual pining ✨ fun, playful banter ✨ soulmates ✨ 1.5/5 spice ...more
WHAT TO EXPECT: ✨ rom-com ✨ key west setting ✨ forced proximity ✨ banter ✨ insta-lust ✨ slow(ish) burn ✨ strong 2 ⭐️ I’m guess I'm a hater of The Love Hater
WHAT TO EXPECT: ✨ rom-com ✨ key west setting ✨ forced proximity ✨ banter ✨ insta-lust ✨ slow(ish) burn ✨ strong female friendship ✨ HEA ✨ TW: Body image issues (present), eating disorder (past), being cheated on (past), death of parents (past), illness, near death experience
My Thoughts:
Audiobook rating: 5 ⭐️ The audiobook production and the narrator was great. Story rating: 1 ⭐️ There is nothing about this story I liked.
I didn’t like this book at all. Based on how I felt, it’s a 1-star read. But the writing itself is competent and the audiobook production/narrator were great, so I’m bumping it up to 2 stars.
***This review contains spoilers***
The biggest issue for me was that the entire story centers on Katie's body image struggles and past eating disorder, which was not advertised. I didn’t relate, and honestly, this just isn’t an “issue” I’m interested in reading about. But even if it’s not my thing, I still think a good story should pull you in. This one didn’t. I only finished it because I got the audiobook as an ARC from NetGalley.
Katie is just not likable. She’s old enough to have gone to therapy (like, a lot of therapy) for her body image issues and everything that went down with her ex. But nope. Instead, she relies on her cousin/best friend to guide her through every single problem like she’s a child. Their relationship is so codependent I legit got the ick.
Katie felt like a caricature of the insecure rom-com heroine: she hates her body, lets her ex walk all over her, lies to get a job, and constantly objectifies the love interest because he’s SO HOT - while also drowning in inner monologues about how flawed she is. And then, the second the love interest kisses her and tells her she’s beautiful, she suddenly decides maybe she shouldn’t be so hard on herself and raves about how this was such a healing experience. Okay . . . so you needed a hot guy to validate you in order to like yourself? Got it.
As for the love interest, Hutch, he’s a hot cinnamon roll but kind of a dud. Right before kissing Katie, he says, “You’re like a human hot fudge sundae or something.” ...more
4 ⭐️ This was a powerful story about learning to accept and speaking up for yourself.
WHAT TO EXPECT: ✨ contemporary romance ✨ she's a violinist who's bo4 ⭐️ This was a powerful story about learning to accept and speaking up for yourself.
WHAT TO EXPECT: ✨ contemporary romance ✨ she's a violinist who's boyfriend tells her he wants an open relationship ✨ he's a clothing brand owner who had cancer and is trying to get back out there ✨ Chinese American and Vietnamese American MCs ✨ FMC has a late autism diagnosis ✨ MMC is tatted and rides a motorcycle ✨ meeting on a dating app ✨ instant attraction ✨ one night stand that doesn't go according to plan ✨ yearning ✨ 3/5 ...more
WHAT TO EXPECT: ✨ contemporary romance ✨ mixed-race FMC from Vietnam who comes to America to meet a possible husband and f4.5 ⭐️ I loved this audiobook!
WHAT TO EXPECT: ✨ contemporary romance ✨ mixed-race FMC from Vietnam who comes to America to meet a possible husband and find her father ✨ autistic MMC who doesn't believe he can love but that doesn't stop his mom from trying to find him a bride ✨ arranged marriage (engagement) ✨ forced proximity ✨ strangers to lovers ✨ opposites attract ✨ 3/5 ...more
3 ⭐️ A mixture of cute and cheesy with a dash of cringe but it was still an easy audiobook to get through
WHAT TO EXPECT: ✨ contemporary rom-com ✨ coffee3 ⭐️ A mixture of cute and cheesy with a dash of cringe but it was still an easy audiobook to get through
WHAT TO EXPECT: ✨ contemporary rom-com ✨ coffee shop meet cute ✨ insta attraction ✨ boss x employee ✨ forbidden romance ✨ forced proximity ✨ he falls first ✨ .25/5 ...more
I didn't like either MC. She's too irresponsible and flighty (and maybe a bit dumb), and he's boring and grumpy but not in aDNF the audiobook at 33%.
I didn't like either MC. She's too irresponsible and flighty (and maybe a bit dumb), and he's boring and grumpy but not in a fun way. I didn't feel any chemistry between them.
Also, wasn't a huge fan of the voices the narrators chose for their characters. It made them even more unlikable....more
2.5 ⭐️ I'll give any romance book set in Scotland a chance
WHAT TO EXPECT: ✨ contemporary paranormal romance ✨ Scotland setting ✨ she’s visiting her estra2.5 ⭐️ I'll give any romance book set in Scotland a chance
WHAT TO EXPECT: ✨ contemporary paranormal romance ✨ Scotland setting ✨ she’s visiting her estranged family ✨ he’s the farmhand ✨ grumpy scot x sunshine American ✨ dislike to love ✨ 2.5/5 ...more
3.75⭐️ If you like obsessed and possessive men, you need to read/listen to this asap!
WHAT TO EXPECT: ✨ dark romance ✨ she’s a cam girl ✨ he’s in the mafi3.75⭐️ If you like obsessed and possessive men, you need to read/listen to this asap!
WHAT TO EXPECT: ✨ dark romance ✨ she’s a cam girl ✨ he’s in the mafia but wants to get out ✨ second chance ✨ morally grey, stalker, obsessed, possessive MMC ✨ sex club (sex positivity) ✨ 4/5 ...more
4 ⭐️ Because those red flags are starting to look green to me lol
WHAT TO EXPECT: ✨ dark rom-com ✨ stalker romance ✨ she’s a trauma nurse into masked me4 ⭐️ Because those red flags are starting to look green to me lol
WHAT TO EXPECT: ✨ dark rom-com ✨ stalker romance ✨ she’s a trauma nurse into masked men ✨ he’s a hacker who uploads masked thirst traps ✨ he falls first ✨ black cat x golden retriever ✨ 4/5 ...more
3.5 ⭐️ Listen to this book instead of reading because the audiobook is f*cking amazing!!
WHAT TO EXPECT: ✨ dark rom-com ✨ small town romance ✨ vigilante s3.5 ⭐️ Listen to this book instead of reading because the audiobook is f*cking amazing!!
WHAT TO EXPECT: ✨ dark rom-com ✨ small town romance ✨ vigilante serial killers ✨ doctor x circus performer ✨ forced proximity ✨ friends with benefits ✨ he falls first and hard ✨ 3.5/5 ...more
2.5 ⭐️ I can see why people like this story but it wasn’t for me.
“I wasn’t—I wasn’t expecting you.”
WHAT TO EXPECT: ✨ contemporary romance ✨ Baltimore se2.5 ⭐️ I can see why people like this story but it wasn’t for me.
“I wasn’t—I wasn’t expecting you.”
WHAT TO EXPECT: ✨ contemporary romance ✨ Baltimore setting ✨ auto mechanic x radio host ✨ romantic x cynic ✨ single mom ✨ insta lust ✨ friends to lovers ✨ 2/5 ...more
3 ⭐️ A sweet story that dives into navigating grief
"You are learning to love her exactly as she is. As someone who isn't here anymore ... That's who s3 ⭐️ A sweet story that dives into navigating grief
"You are learning to love her exactly as she is. As someone who isn't here anymore ... That's who she is now. And this journey through grief ... It's what we do for the great loves of our lives."
WHAT TO EXPECT: ✨ contemporary romance ✨ nyc setting ✨ she's the new nanny consumed by grief ✨ he's the uncle who wants a closer relationship with his sister and niece ✨ grumpy x sunshine who has lost her spark ✨ strangers to friends to lovers ✨ SLOW burn ✨ 1.5/5 ...more
WHAT TO EXPECT: ✨contemporary romance ✨ online meet cute ✨ “just for the summer” romance ✨ insta love ✨ he falls first and h3.5 ⭐️ I enjoyed this audiobook
WHAT TO EXPECT: ✨contemporary romance ✨ online meet cute ✨ “just for the summer” romance ✨ insta love ✨ he falls first and hard ✨ 1.5/5 ...more
WHAT TO EXPECT: ✨ contemporary romance ✨ small coastal town in North Carolina ✨ meet cute gone wrong ✨ former3 ⭐️ It was a sweet story but not my favorite
WHAT TO EXPECT: ✨ contemporary romance ✨ small coastal town in North Carolina ✨ meet cute gone wrong ✨ former boy band singer x songwriter ✨ grumpy x sunshine ✨ dislike to love ✨ forced proximity ✨ slow burn ✨ magical realism ✨ if there's spice I don't remember ✨ TW: parent with dementia, grief, loss of mother (past), absent father
My Thoughts:
Audiobook: 4.5 ⭐️ Story: 3 ⭐️
It had its moments but I was mostly just looking towards finishing the audiobook, so I could start something else. The meet-cute at the beginning was fun. I like the magical realism premise with how they are connected by an unfinished song. And the storyline about the FMC's mom having dementia was touching and I feel as if it was handled with care and done in a realistic way.
However, I didn’t really connect to the MCs nor did I feel the chemistry between them. I mean, there might have been a spark, but at the end of the day, the romance was kind of blah. Also, there were SO MANY other side plots that the story felt a bit convoluted - the ex drama, the parents selling the music hall, the sister-in-laws midlife crisis, the proposal, the hurricane, the pressure to finish the song, her mom's dementia, the mystery behind his mother, etc. I didn't really know what to focus on and it made me lose interest during the second half.
This wasn't a bad story by any means. I just didn't really enjoy it. Oh, and this is truly a love letter to music, so if you don't really care about music and pop culture, you might not enjoy this....more
WHAT TO EXPECT: ✨ college sports romance ✨ Stanford university ✨ she's a diver newly recovered from an injury ✨ he's an O2.5 ⭐️ I’m the opposite of WHET…
WHAT TO EXPECT: ✨ college sports romance ✨ Stanford university ✨ she's a diver newly recovered from an injury ✨ he's an Olympic swimmer from Sweden ✨ neither really let people in ✨ insta-lust ✨ friend's ex boyfriend ✨ "it's just sex" ✨ 4/5 ...more
3 ⭐️ A cute novella if you want to read something short and sweet for Christmas.
"How long do you want me to stay?" "Forever." "Forever is a long time." "3 ⭐️ A cute novella if you want to read something short and sweet for Christmas.
"How long do you want me to stay?" "Forever." "Forever is a long time." "And it still wouldn't be long enough with you, beautiful."
WHAT TO EXPECT: ✨ christmas novella ✨ small town romance ✨ high school sweethearts to strangers to lovers ✨ marriage pact ✨ insta-love ✨ HEA
My Thoughts:
I got this book for free during "Stuff Your Kindle Day", and since it was Christmas, I decided to give it a go.
Did I like it? It was fine. Nothing special.
Would I recommend it? Maybe if you want something short and cheesy to read during the holidays. The romance was insta-love and moved at an incredibly fast pace so don’t expect a deep story.
Here are some things about the story that made me cringe:
The FMC is a super successful graphic designer who owns one of the largest firms in the world, yet at 40 years old, she's single and wants a baby. But not just any baby. No. She wants a baby with her high school sweetheart who she made a marriage pact with. The premise itself is pretty cringy.