I am a huge fan of Ana Huang. I think she has such compulsively readable stories that never fail to suck me in from page one. I adore the Twisted seriI am a huge fan of Ana Huang. I think she has such compulsively readable stories that never fail to suck me in from page one. I adore the Twisted series and so while I was excited for her new series I was also nervous about how it would compare to the books I had already read and loved so much.
But I shouldn't have been nervous because this surpassed my expectations! This was FABULOUS. A billionaire romance isn't really my bag but I liked how this one played out that was both opulent and subtle at times.
I loved the arranged marriage (hard to pull off in contemporary), the possessive and protective hero, the family dynamics, and especially the chemistry and building romance.
I think this will appeal to readers who want a more adult feel than her previous series especially, with older characters comes more realistic and complicated emotions and Ana wrote them to perfection.
I adored it!
I received an ARC for review
Merged review:
I am a huge fan of Ana Huang. I think she has such compulsively readable stories that never fail to suck me in from page one. I adore the Twisted series and so while I was excited for her new series I was also nervous about how it would compare to the books I had already read and loved so much.
But I shouldn't have been nervous because this surpassed my expectations! This was FABULOUS. A billionaire romance isn't really my bag but I liked how this one played out that was both opulent and subtle at times.
I loved the arranged marriage (hard to pull off in contemporary), the possessive and protective hero, the family dynamics, and especially the chemistry and building romance.
I think this will appeal to readers who want a more adult feel than her previous series especially, with older characters comes more realistic and complicated emotions and Ana wrote them to perfection.
I adored it!
I received an ARC for review
Merged review:
I am a huge fan of Ana Huang. I think she has such compulsively readable stories that never fail to suck me in from page one. I adore the Twisted series and so while I was excited for her new series I was also nervous about how it would compare to the books I had already read and loved so much.
But I shouldn't have been nervous because this surpassed my expectations! This was FABULOUS. A billionaire romance isn't really my bag but I liked how this one played out that was both opulent and subtle at times.
I loved the arranged marriage (hard to pull off in contemporary), the possessive and protective hero, the family dynamics, and especially the chemistry and building romance.
I think this will appeal to readers who want a more adult feel than her previous series especially, with older characters comes more realistic and complicated emotions and Ana wrote them to perfection.
I adored it!
I received an ARC for review
Merged review:
I am a huge fan of Ana Huang. I think she has such compulsively readable stories that never fail to suck me in from page one. I adore the Twisted series and so while I was excited for her new series I was also nervous about how it would compare to the books I had already read and loved so much.
But I shouldn't have been nervous because this surpassed my expectations! This was FABULOUS. A billionaire romance isn't really my bag but I liked how this one played out that was both opulent and subtle at times.
I loved the arranged marriage (hard to pull off in contemporary), the possessive and protective hero, the family dynamics, and especially the chemistry and building romance.
I think this will appeal to readers who want a more adult feel than her previous series especially, with older characters comes more realistic and complicated emotions and Ana wrote them to perfection.
I adored it!
I received an ARC for review
Merged review:
I am a huge fan of Ana Huang. I think she has such compulsively readable stories that never fail to suck me in from page one. I adore the Twisted series and so while I was excited for her new series I was also nervous about how it would compare to the books I had already read and loved so much.
But I shouldn't have been nervous because this surpassed my expectations! This was FABULOUS. A billionaire romance isn't really my bag but I liked how this one played out that was both opulent and subtle at times.
I loved the arranged marriage (hard to pull off in contemporary), the possessive and protective hero, the family dynamics, and especially the chemistry and building romance.
I think this will appeal to readers who want a more adult feel than her previous series especially, with older characters comes more realistic and complicated emotions and Ana wrote them to perfection.
I adored it!
I received an ARC for review
Merged review:
I am a huge fan of Ana Huang. I think she has such compulsively readable stories that never fail to suck me in from page one. I adore the Twisted series and so while I was excited for her new series I was also nervous about how it would compare to the books I had already read and loved so much.
But I shouldn't have been nervous because this surpassed my expectations! This was FABULOUS. A billionaire romance isn't really my bag but I liked how this one played out that was both opulent and subtle at times.
I loved the arranged marriage (hard to pull off in contemporary), the possessive and protective hero, the family dynamics, and especially the chemistry and building romance.
I think this will appeal to readers who want a more adult feel than her previous series especially, with older characters comes more realistic and complicated emotions and Ana wrote them to perfection.
This is a book that is going to stay with me forever.
Sloane is a widow of 4 years, and she d6/5 stars.
One of the best romances I've read this year.
This is a book that is going to stay with me forever.
Sloane is a widow of 4 years, and she doesn't know if she'll ever fall in love again, but the loneliness is affecting her more than she thought it would as the years pass. Dom is her husband's best friend who has always seemed to HATE Sloane.
When the two end up working on the same project, building and designing a new hotel, Sloane is forced to realize that maybe that supposed hate she felt from Dominic was masking something deeper.
This book had me RIVETED from first to last page. It's a soul mates, second chance, epic, scorching romance and I adored it more than I can say.
The way this author writes chemistry and longing and true romance is unparalleled.
I'm now a huge fan and can not wait to read every word she writes.
CW: death of a spouse, grief, abusive parents, death of a parent, miscarriage
Will be in my next vlog
Merged review:
6/5 stars.
One of the best romances I've read this year.
This is a book that is going to stay with me forever.
Sloane is a widow of 4 years, and she doesn't know if she'll ever fall in love again, but the loneliness is affecting her more than she thought it would as the years pass. Dom is her husband's best friend who has always seemed to HATE Sloane.
When the two end up working on the same project, building and designing a new hotel, Sloane is forced to realize that maybe that supposed hate she felt from Dominic was masking something deeper.
This book had me RIVETED from first to last page. It's a soul mates, second chance, epic, scorching romance and I adored it more than I can say.
The way this author writes chemistry and longing and true romance is unparalleled.
I'm now a huge fan and can not wait to read every word she writes.
CW: death of a spouse, grief, abusive parents, death of a parent, miscarriage
Second try for this author, and I'm giving up. Nothing but smut and melodrama. I can't get over the immense feeling of immaturity of the FMDNF at 12%
Second try for this author, and I'm giving up. Nothing but smut and melodrama. I can't get over the immense feeling of immaturity of the FMC. Knee jerk character reactions that never feel like a realistic response. No character development, no romance, it's just non stop sex that is trying so hard to be taboo but literally had me rolling my eyes and laughing out loud. This type of writing is what I call the sledgehammer approach: leaving nothing up to your reader's interpretation and relying ONLY on throwing something random and "taboo" in to shock a reaction out of you. It doesnt require skill or finesse. It's amateur hour, plain and simple.
Edit: me writing this review well aware I'm about to be the butt of jokes about one star reviews complaining about too much sex. But let me be clear, in the romance community of 2023 where smut and spice are the only checkmarks required for "good romance" anyone wanting actual romance instead of only smut gets a bit of derision sent their way, but that does not mean we don't like reading romance. We just want romance along WITH the spice....more
Are we surprised that I gave this 5 stars? No. Not at all. It's no secret I'm a huge fan of Juliette's books. And I had very high hopes for Livvy and Are we surprised that I gave this 5 stars? No. Not at all. It's no secret I'm a huge fan of Juliette's books. And I had very high hopes for Livvy and Gareth's romance and I was not one bit disappointed!
This is the first romance with a Grim and I have been SO CURIOUS about these supernatural characters. Not only for what exactly they are and what they can do but also how they would work as a romantic hero.
It was giving me big emo, broody boy vibes but add in a dash of the sexiest alpha hero you've ever met! The power dynamics between this couple was fantastic!
This couple had SO MUCH CHEMISTRY! Something I think Juliette always does extremely well, and they also had some VERY hot steamy scenes. I think this is the steamiest book I've read by Juliette yet. But it isn't only chili peppers were Juliette is concerned because she definitely backed it up with a strong emotional connection between our couple.
Add in a heroine who usually chooses romantic partners she's able to dominate and the one man (Grim) who she would gladly crawl for.
It was amazing. I also really loved a truly diabolical villain and the theme of found family woven throughout.
A very well balanced paranormal romance with the plot keeping pace with the steam, and a return of some of our most beloved characters in the series.
I adored this book with my whole soul and HIGHLY recommend it!
I was provided an ARC copy for review.
Merged review:
Are we surprised that I gave this 5 stars? No. Not at all. It's no secret I'm a huge fan of Juliette's books. And I had very high hopes for Livvy and Gareth's romance and I was not one bit disappointed!
This is the first romance with a Grim and I have been SO CURIOUS about these supernatural characters. Not only for what exactly they are and what they can do but also how they would work as a romantic hero.
It was giving me big emo, broody boy vibes but add in a dash of the sexiest alpha hero you've ever met! The power dynamics between this couple was fantastic!
This couple had SO MUCH CHEMISTRY! Something I think Juliette always does extremely well, and they also had some VERY hot steamy scenes. I think this is the steamiest book I've read by Juliette yet. But it isn't only chili peppers were Juliette is concerned because she definitely backed it up with a strong emotional connection between our couple.
Add in a heroine who usually chooses romantic partners she's able to dominate and the one man (Grim) who she would gladly crawl for.
It was amazing. I also really loved a truly diabolical villain and the theme of found family woven throughout.
A very well balanced paranormal romance with the plot keeping pace with the steam, and a return of some of our most beloved characters in the series.
I adored this book with my whole soul and HIGHLY recommend it!
Most of this book falls into the category of "not for me" It is a rom com and it's cute and funny and stayed at 3 stars for me until the third act, whMost of this book falls into the category of "not for me" It is a rom com and it's cute and funny and stayed at 3 stars for me until the third act, which dropped it to a 2....more
Re-read 2023: maybe 4.5. Still a very solid YA fantasy and probably one of the best direct death and the Maiden retellings I've read.
First read 2022:Re-read 2023: maybe 4.5. Still a very solid YA fantasy and probably one of the best direct death and the Maiden retellings I've read.
First read 2022: 5 stars. I enjoyed this so much. A WONDERFUL Death and the Maiden retelling. Signa and Death's moments together were aching and swoony and by far my favorite part!
But this was also a very well rounded story. Excellent side characters, an engaging mystery which had fun plot reveals and of course a cliffhanger ending.
I haven't read a YA fantasy I've enjoyed this much in a very long time. Now I'll just anxiously wait for the next book....more
For most of the book this was 3 stars for me. Major pacing issues made the book drag. HOWEVER, the last few chapters, and specifically Dante's protectFor most of the book this was 3 stars for me. Major pacing issues made the book drag. HOWEVER, the last few chapters, and specifically Dante's protective hero moment pushed it to a 4.
40 year old man acting like a 12 year old boy and calling it romantic is....a vibe I want no part of. Give me my time back I wasted on this ridiculous40 year old man acting like a 12 year old boy and calling it romantic is....a vibe I want no part of. Give me my time back I wasted on this ridiculously long and unedited book.
Edit: turns out I'm not feeling generous about this book.
I feel like I'm being generous with 3 stars....more
6/5 Gut wrenchingly beautiful. Absolutely unforgettable. Both pain and joy so tangible I felt like I could touch it. One of the best romances I have e6/5 Gut wrenchingly beautiful. Absolutely unforgettable. Both pain and joy so tangible I felt like I could touch it. One of the best romances I have ever read.
And this is indisputably a romance. I'll go to bat for it every time.
18% of this book was the "couple" at 6 and 7 years old having the sort of internal dialogue a 32 year old would have. I could not suspend myDNF at 19%
18% of this book was the "couple" at 6 and 7 years old having the sort of internal dialogue a 32 year old would have. I could not suspend my disbelief enough for any type of romance based on a child just out of kindergarten.
A simple change to 3rd person pov or making the kids like....at least 12 would have fixed that problem....more
Crystal's Bookish Life
>
Books:
read-in-2022
(205)
