Cute, spicy, and full of cameos, which are one of the main reasons to read sequels.
Lo and Aiden used to be together, but Lo didn’t believe in long disCute, spicy, and full of cameos, which are one of the main reasons to read sequels.
Lo and Aiden used to be together, but Lo didn’t believe in long distance, so when Aiden moved to London to pursue his music career, they had a heated argument and broke up. Sigh. Don’t give up so easily, people!
They’d never moved on and it was great how organically they got back together. They’d missed each other so much that they didn’t waste time fighting or rehashing old arguments. Instead, they got busy remembering why they were so good together. Like VERY busy. ...more
A heartwarming and comforting retelling. Exactly what I was hoping for.
I would classify this book more as women’s fiction than romance. There4.5 stars
A heartwarming and comforting retelling. Exactly what I was hoping for.
I would classify this book more as women’s fiction than romance. There is a romance, but it’s not exactly the main focus. And probably not for die-hard “safety readers.”
Anne has a teaching job that she enjoys and a handsome boyfriend who also happens to be a successful pediatric oncologist — basically a modern-day Gilbert. Except that the boyfriend turns out to be a self-important prick who treats Anne like an accessory, and the job is not that dreamy either.
When Anne’s beloved father dies, she’s devastated, lost, and alone, so she returns to Mackinac, the small island she grew up on.
I really enjoyed that this book was slow-paced and focused on Anne finding her peace and her place in the world, rather than on her romance with Joe. The author’s take on the story felt very modern and resonated with me, even though no words could ever describe my love for the original series and for Gilbert, just to be clear.
The original worked very well for the ten-year-old me. Now that I’m old and jaded, I appreciate that the author made the hero less perfect. Joe is very realistic, and Anne is not his first love (thank goodness for that, he’s six years older and they’ve known each other forever). They’ve both been through a lot, and I loved the way they found each other.
I enjoyed all the AoGG references (it was awesome when she told her perfect-on-paper doctor boyfriend that he was Roy Gardner), but I also appreciated that this was clearly a modern story — pandemic and all.
Highly recommended for AoGG lovers. I will definitely read more from this author.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Thank you Penguin Random House and Edelweiss for the arc....more
I liked the neurodivergent representation and the general inclusiveness of this book, but the romance was a disaster.
Violet is a young doctor on her fI liked the neurodivergent representation and the general inclusiveness of this book, but the romance was a disaster.
Violet is a young doctor on her first night shift. She’s good at theory, but clumsy with procedures and awkward with people. Gus has four more years of experience, is confident, charming, and universally liked. (He’s also a pathetic people pleaser and a doormat, but we’ll get there.)
This book was written in a very particular way: it was emotionless, detached, and not exactly gripping. It’s not only that it was written in the third person—although that certainly intensified the experience—but it felt like a biology textbook on humans at times. It took me some time to get used to it, but once I got invested, I didn’t mind it much anymore.
I liked the neurodivergent representation. Violet’s struggles felt very realistic, and I appreciated the author’s positive and accepting approach. It was also very refreshing that immigrants in this book didn’t have “funny” accents and didn’t make “funny” mistakes. I got so used to belittling and patronizing non-native speakers in books that an old man speaking perfect English really warmed my heart.
Unfortunately, the romance was awful. Gus was still hung up on his ex, and when she came back, he got all confused and allowed her to stay at his place, like the spineless doormat he was. It would’ve been bad at any point in the book, but especially in the last 20% I would expect the hero to not have any doubts of that sort.
Since this book is marketed as a romance, I can’t, with good conscience, recommend it.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own....more
I’m exhausted. This book was like a long, boring, cringey soap opera.
It was supposed to be a one-night-stand-turned-romance, but the romance was just I’m exhausted. This book was like a long, boring, cringey soap opera.
It was supposed to be a one-night-stand-turned-romance, but the romance was just a clumsy subplot in this sorry tale about nothing.
Charlie and Suzie had all the ingredients to be lovable characters — Charlie, a guardian to his younger siblings; Suzie, a woman trying to bring balance back into her life after her longtime partner cheated on her.
And yet… they didn’t work. There was too much cringe, fabricated drama, and general blandness to get invested in this story.
I kinda hated the side characters too. At first, I thought the cousins’ dynamic was wholesome, but then it went downhill fast. There was way too much nosiness and a complete lack of boundaries for my taste.
The cousins not only pried all the juicy details from Suzie, but they also shared what they knew with other teachers at the school where Charlie and Suzie worked. That’s beyond inappropriate.
On the other hand, Suzie just wouldn’t shut up about what happened with Charlie, so the cousins probably didn’t have to work hard to get all the details. What’s with everyone oversharing their sex life? With people you literally JUST met?? With COLLEAGUES you just met?!?! The cringe! Where’s HR when we need them! ...more
Happy Pub Day, I hope you’ve seen an editor since we last met, dear book.
Please don’t talk data to me.
This book was SO bizarre. I went in hoping for aHappy Pub Day, I hope you’ve seen an editor since we last met, dear book.
Please don’t talk data to me.
This book was SO bizarre. I went in hoping for a cute, nerdy romance, and what I got was MCs acting like toddlers, the most awkward and forced attempts at diversity I’ve ever seen, and so much pretentious physics jargon that it was hard to comb through it and find the actual story.
Erin and Ethan spent most of the book being obnoxious and petty, until — all of a sudden — it turned out that it was all foreplay. (Really? If a boy deflates your bike tires, it means he likes you? It’s 2025!!!). It was cute for a moment when they started chatting anonymously, but then everything moved too fast and instead of romantic it felt rushed and confusing.
And the diversity — jeez. So many names! A true masterclass in name-dropping. No context, no backstories, no relevance, NOTHING. But they sound international, the DEI box can be ticked. One guy showed up 42 times and left no trace of a personality.
The physics lingo made this book almost unreadable. I skimmed most of it because it was irrelevant anyway, and since the author is not an astrophysicist, I’m not sure how much academic value any of it actually has. Even if it does — I honestly don’t care. If I wanted a physics textbook, I’d read a physics textbook.
All in all, I’d suggest having this book checked by a good editor before publication. There were a few cute moments, and the You’ve Got Mail trope combined with a woman in STEM is a solid concept, but the execution still needs a lot of work.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
1.5 stars rounding up because I feel bad for ranting about a debut.
——
*Pre review*
My love for books about nerds knows no bounds.
Thanks NetGalley and Atlantic Books for the arc....more
The first half was torture, but I soldiered on, and it was worth it, because I actually kinda liked the second half. (After Lucas had an unexpected — The first half was torture, but I soldiered on, and it was worth it, because I actually kinda liked the second half. (After Lucas had an unexpected — and rather miraculous — personality transplant.)
Avery is a pop star in trouble, Lucas is a grumpy cowboy. They’re an unlikely pair, but obviously — for some reason (probably because he’s “the most handsome man she’s ever seen”) — they get together.
I like grumpy-sunshine as much as the next girl, but under one condition: the grumpy hero cannot be mean to the heroine. Rude-people-to-lovers is my personal pet peeve, and Lucas was truly awful. The only thing he had going for him was his looks — and that’s not enough, sorry not sorry.
Lucas’s manners aside, it was a cute story that finally found its heart in the second half. I appreciated the own-voices representation and the author’s clear intent to challenge harmful Native stereotypes. I liked the small-town community and the found family vibe (except the grandma — she was problematic, but we’re not unpacking that today), and it made sense that a girl from Hollywood would fall for that.
The romance also picked up in the second half (when Lucas started acting less like a walking red flag and more like a book boyfriend), so all in all, I ended up not hating the book. Yaay!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
This book was cute and funny at times, but the cringe was hard to ignore.
There was a great premise of both MCs following advice on how to find a spousThis book was cute and funny at times, but the cringe was hard to ignore.
There was a great premise of both MCs following advice on how to find a spouse. The advice was from a ’50s magazine, and some of the tips were absolutely hilarious. That would’ve been enough to build a story around, especially since they were both single parents, so there was enough going on.
But alas.
There was a second part of the premise: Jameson running a “scientific experiment” to prove that romantic love doesn’t exist. To his eight-year-old son. With all due respect—wtf.
I liked the writing well enough, and following advice from the ’50s got them both into some pretty funny situations, so I enjoyed the book despite the “science.” I even briefly considered giving it four stars. But then came the grand gesture, so over the top it left a bad taste in my mouth. So three stars it is.
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Cute and funny, but too many cringe moments. The thing I hate almost as much as third-act breakups are over-the-top grand gestures. Yikes!”...more
I adored One Last Night, and I was very curious about this author’s debut. Well, the good news is: she’s improving - because this wasn’t as good.
Liv I adored One Last Night, and I was very curious about this author’s debut. Well, the good news is: she’s improving - because this wasn’t as good.
Liv has a very tight-knit group of friends: her brother Joe and his boyfriend Seth, plus their childhood friend Henry, who is also Joe’s business partner. They hang out all the time.
Their dynamic was great and their banter was absolutely hilarious. Everyone should have a support system like that. It was pretty obvious from the start that Henry had a soft spot for Liv, and the transition from friends to lovers went very smoothly - which I loved. No hesitation, no annoying push-and-pull—it was glorious.
Until it wasn’t.
Because the third-act breakup—or should I say, halfway breakup—happened. I’m not even sure when exactly, but the book dragged so much after that it felt like halfway. There was all sorts of drama—some real, some very much fabricated—plus immaturity and a slightly cringe grand gesture. Yikes.
I love this author’s writing, and it definitely saved the story for me. (And Henry. Henry was perfect. ...more
I’m looking at the rant reviews for this book and I think the main issue here is the marketing. I’d classify it more as women’s fiction than romance, I’m looking at the rant reviews for this book and I think the main issue here is the marketing. I’d classify it more as women’s fiction than romance, and I know that it could disappoint some readers.
If I hadn’t liked the book, that would have been one of my complaints too. But in this case I didn’t care because it was hilarious and I enjoyed it immensely.
This is the story of Bea—a thirty-something, Bridget Jones–type who hasn’t exactly figured life out and has been single forever. Her inner monologues were spot-on, witty, and a joy to read. She made me laugh so much that I didn’t care that the romance between her and Peter wasn’t in the spotlight.
I would highly recommend this book, but don’t expect butterflies. While the com element is definitely there, the rom is just a subplot. If you’re okay with that, have fun!...more
I had a few issues with this book at the beginning. I very much dislike the rude-people-to-lovers trope, but this one redeemed itself beautifully. BonI had a few issues with this book at the beginning. I very much dislike the rude-people-to-lovers trope, but this one redeemed itself beautifully. Bonus points for all the feels and no third-act breakup, so five stars overall.
Delia was a cold bitch and a man-hater. However, she had good reasons for it, so we’ll forgive her. She was initially rude to Enzo, but that was clearly a defense mechanism, so this too will be forgiven. Enzo was a bit of a grump as well, so it’s no surprise the beginning was rocky—but somehow, I fell in love with both of them early on.
There was a lot to love about this book. I especially appreciated the depiction of motherhood. Delia’s struggles felt very real, even though her kids were extraordinary.
I also loved that the relationship wasn’t rushed. It wasn’t spelled out, but I got the sense that Delia might be demisexual. Combined with her general distrust of men, it made sense that she needed time. The slower pace of the story worked perfectly—it gave Enzo time to earn her trust, get to know her daughters, and become part of their big, weird family.
Highly recommended for all single-mom trope lovers....more
I love both the single mom and surprise pregnancy tropes. Combining the two is a bold move, and I was initially hesitant, but this story was so sweet I love both the single mom and surprise pregnancy tropes. Combining the two is a bold move, and I was initially hesitant, but this story was so sweet that I’ll generously hold back all my jokes about two surprise pregnancies being a pattern rather than a surprise. Or a lifestyle. Or about the heroine needing a reminder about how babies are made. I won’t be joking about ANY of that. Just so we’re clear.
Cortney was the best billionaire ever written, because being a billionaire wasn’t his whole personality. In fact, he didn’t solve a single issue by throwing money at it. He was caring and committed from the start, and it was delightful.
Dylan was a weirdo who believed in the “universe’s plan” and the power of crystals. (I’m glad her stance on vaccines wasn’t specified.) I’m generally not a fan of that type, but she was so chill and lovable that it worked—especially with the surprise pregnancy trope.
The whole commune thing they had going on was pure fantasy—but who cares, reality sucks anyway....more
First I rolled my eyes that Lana didn’t recognize a world-famous dude and then I remembered that I only recently found out whoCURRENTLY FREE ON AMAZON
First I rolled my eyes that Lana didn’t recognize a world-famous dude and then I remembered that I only recently found out who Taylor Swift is, so nvm.
This was a cute celebrity vs. nerd romance, even though Christian was maybe a little too much of a billionaire for my taste. He had a bit of a Gilderoy Lockhart vibe with all his framed photos of himself on the walls, but we’ll let it slide because I still enjoyed the book.
I love Camilla’s writing so much I’ll even forgive the MCs for their Tesla obsession. It’s an old book, she couldn’t have known....more
I enjoyed the previous installments of this series and I was curious about this one. The ending was very satisfying, so I closed the book with a big s I enjoyed the previous installments of this series and I was curious about this one. The ending was very satisfying, so I closed the book with a big smile on my face - but…
Dylan tested my patience for the first 75% of the book. The fun part didn’t start until that point, when he and his unhinged girlfriend FINALLY broke up. Unfortunately she was the one to break up with him, but by then I didn’t care, I was just glad it was over.
It hadn’t been a serious relationship, and, to his credit, he did try to break up with her a few times. But still, he was seeing someone else while lusting after Hunter. Kinda looks like cheating ...more
I can’t help but feel that the title is, sadly, very apt—and that they got together simply because he took pity on her.
Lorelei has been in love with LI can’t help but feel that the title is, sadly, very apt—and that they got together simply because he took pity on her.
Lorelei has been in love with Luke since she was five. As a kid, she never hid it, even going to embarrassing lengths—like making a PowerPoint to convince him to wait for her (wtf...more
I’ve heard good things about this author, so I was very excited about this arc, especially since the premise caught my interest. Oh well.
We all know tI’ve heard good things about this author, so I was very excited about this arc, especially since the premise caught my interest. Oh well.
We all know that enemies-to-lovers and grumpy-sunshine are some of the best tropes. When done well. Unfortunately, a forced conflict, paired with a rude and condescending hero (not the same as grumpy, btw), is not that.
I disliked Isaac from the beginning, and he only got worse as the story progressed. River was a little better, but she lost me when she started falling for him and his attitude.
I didn’t understand why they hated each other, and I didn’t understand why they stopped. There was very little chemistry, and it was not backed up by anything; they had nothing in common and didn’t even really know each other when they decided they wanted each other forever.
The only good thing about this book was that it was short.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Thanks Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the arc....more
This author’s writing is great, so I really enjoyed reading this book—but there were some things that bothered me, and I’m not sure how to rate it.
SteThis author’s writing is great, so I really enjoyed reading this book—but there were some things that bothered me, and I’m not sure how to rate it.
Stella and Thomas met at a party in Vegas. Since it was Vegas, instead of drunkenly hooking up, they drunkenly got married. They decided to stay married for a year for PR reasons, and to appear together in public.
Thomas was absolutely perfect. He was all in from the beginning, and it was very sweet.
Stella was tricky. She was smart, confident, successful, and objectively a badass. She would have been very easy to love if it weren’t for the way she treated Thomas.
I understand that she had been hurt in the past and was wary of commitment, but her constant push and pull was exhausting. She kept jeopardizing their relationship with her ridiculous rules and barriers, and I just wanted to smack her over the head with my Kindle. Thomas deserved so much better!
That said, I definitely see potential, and I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
3,5 stars ——-
My first F1 romance, so excited to read about a man who’s not SO BIG.
Thanks NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for the arc. ...more
I love passion projects, and this one did not disappoint. A book about doctors written by a doctor? Sign me up!
Grace has just Happy Publication Day!
I love passion projects, and this one did not disappoint. A book about doctors written by a doctor? Sign me up!
Grace has just begun her residency. Nobody knows her, and yet, when rumors arise that someone got in the program by sleeping with a committee member, everyone assumes it was her.
I was righteously angry on her behalf, but also reassured because she had people around who always believed her. The found family was one of the most heartwarming aspects of this book. It also helped to balance out the cutthroat nature of the residency (I have a newfound respect for gynecologists, will call them vagicians from now on).
Grace was an adorable dork with a weird name (that’s why she went by Grace), hippy parents, and huge confidence issues. Julian had been raised by women who taught him to understand and respect them. He was a great book boyfriend, but he was also realistic and relatable. I loved that he was not a pushover and that he did not put Grace on a pedestal. The chemistry between them was scorching hot from the first scene, and all the hate-flirting was hilarious.
The only thing that didn’t work for me was, surprise, surprise, the third-act breakup, and after careful consideration, I’m docking a star for it.
Overall a great debut and I can’t wait to read more from this author.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
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I can’t wait to dive into this one, thanks to the author for the arc!...more