The series conclusion about 4 sweet women who find their own HEA. Fredi and Zayn's book is short, but doesn't skim on the story. This is the first couThe series conclusion about 4 sweet women who find their own HEA. Fredi and Zayn's book is short, but doesn't skim on the story. This is the first couple that knew each other before beginning their romance, which is my entertainment preference. Of course the cynic was a romantic at heart, though I think the author put extra work into showing Fredi's journey instead of allowing her to flip flop out of character. The series is a must for female buddy comedy and romance fans.
Merged review:
The series conclusion about 4 sweet women who find their own HEA. Fredi and Zayn's book is short, but doesn't skim on the story. This is the first couple that knew each other before beginning their romance, which is my entertainment preference. Of course the cynic was a romantic at heart, though I think the author put extra work into showing Fredi's journey instead of allowing her to flip flop out of character. The series is a must for female buddy comedy and romance fans....more
I'm sure I will eventually read the full anthology, but for the sake of the #CMCon20 Reading Challenge, this review only covers Xio Axelrod's story, WI'm sure I will eventually read the full anthology, but for the sake of the #CMCon20 Reading Challenge, this review only covers Xio Axelrod's story, When Frankie Meets Johnny.
I absolutely loved how this author crafted this story. The writing style is everything I like: a perfect balance between technically tight, yet conversational. The story moves. Frankie is such a complex and interesting character. I loved his spirit and his journey from the first page to the last. He was so closed up at the beginning, and watching him unfurl during the course of his friendship with Johnny was beautiful, made even more so because he had absolutely no expectation of anything beyond trying to be Johnny's friend. The HFN ending was quite abrupt, so I see this story as more of Frankie's personal progress than a romance between the two men, but if the author ever chooses to revisit them in the future, I will be first in line to read that story.
I will definitely be exploring Xio Axelrod's backlist.
Merged review:
I'm sure I will eventually read the full anthology, but for the sake of the #CMCon20 Reading Challenge, this review only covers Xio Axelrod's story, When Frankie Meets Johnny.
I absolutely loved how this author crafted this story. The writing style is everything I like: a perfect balance between technically tight, yet conversational. The story moves. Frankie is such a complex and interesting character. I loved his spirit and his journey from the first page to the last. He was so closed up at the beginning, and watching him unfurl during the course of his friendship with Johnny was beautiful, made even more so because he had absolutely no expectation of anything beyond trying to be Johnny's friend. The HFN ending was quite abrupt, so I see this story as more of Frankie's personal progress than a romance between the two men, but if the author ever chooses to revisit them in the future, I will be first in line to read that story.
I will definitely be exploring Xio Axelrod's backlist....more
I wasn't planning to squeeze in another book towards the CMCon20 Reading Challenge (ending today), but with the debut of this movie expected tonight, I wasn't planning to squeeze in another book towards the CMCon20 Reading Challenge (ending today), but with the debut of this movie expected tonight, I picked it up a couple of days ago on impulse. So glad I did. The romance is steady and strong, and allowed the plot to drive the story. It was nice to see another small town setting, which seems to be a theme with this author. I liked the couple's backstory and what brought them back together. And I loved seeing some of the details surrounding the cooking show. A well written, well paced story worth picking up. ...more
The girls are at it again for another friends weekend, this time in Nashville. I enjoyed the more down-home feel to the storyline, even with the countThe girls are at it again for another friends weekend, this time in Nashville. I enjoyed the more down-home feel to the storyline, even with the country star fairytale. I liked how the friends are written, and how much support they offer as each woman steps forward in their own book. And out of all the women, I think Ava has been my favorite. She likes her froufrou, but seems to be the most casual out of the four. Country star Chase is a little too perfect, but I kind of enjoyed that. Instead of the typical drama many of the 'average-meets-celebrity' stories give page time to, The Nashville Bet went in a more entertaining direction. Showing them having a good time. It was a fun book from beginning to end.
On a side note, I've been listening to the audiobooks and the narrator has been the same for all 3 in the series. I don't usually have a problem with that. However, the performance of the lead couple in all 3 books have been too similar. Accent, speech pattern, emotional reaction ... all interchangeable. The supporting cast is given different voices, but those voices have not been carried forward when the story shifts to a new lead. I don't know if its a limitation of the narrator, or if I'm just being overly picky. But it was enough to throw me out of the story sometimes. ...more
I enjoyed revisiting Winona, who we meet in the 3rd Yancy Lazarus book. It seems it picks up within a few months after Wendigo Rising, and Winona is fI enjoyed revisiting Winona, who we meet in the 3rd Yancy Lazarus book. It seems it picks up within a few months after Wendigo Rising, and Winona is feeling unsettled now that the immediate threat has passed. I wasn't sure what limits having a Sasquatch as a main character would be, but it turned out the authors had creative plans for that. The magic is more organic than in the the Yancy Laszarus books, and Winona is a much purer soul. I was completely charmed as a result. Same with her police detective co-star, Chris. Between the two, they kept the supernatural elements and the murder mystery fresh and entertaining, and the story was well paced.
The 2nd book isn't available in audio yet, but I liked it enough that I just may have to pick up the ebook so I don't have to wait for their next adventure....more
This novella was adorable in a lot of ways. The surprise Vegas wedding trope is fun, and the couple handled most of the expected plot points in intereThis novella was adorable in a lot of ways. The surprise Vegas wedding trope is fun, and the couple handled most of the expected plot points in interesting ways, without many of the "misunderstandings" that usually accompany this kind of storyline. The individual characters seemed like good people, and I'm glad they got their happy ending.
I was confused by how the roofie and stalker mentions were handled. I felt they were not needed in the story, or if the were, then there needed to be more to them so they didn't feel so sudden and jarring. I definitely have questions. Also, I feel like the transgender reference is out of date (the back and forth pronoun confusion) and may be offensive to some readers....more
This was adorable. I liked that it was upbeat and straight forward, not a lot of clutter to leave loose ends because of the shorter length. The romancThis was adorable. I liked that it was upbeat and straight forward, not a lot of clutter to leave loose ends because of the shorter length. The romance was subtle, which I liked, and the characters were entertaining. Overall, very worth the read. ...more
What a rollercoaster! Going by the blurb, everything mentioned is exactly what was in this book. However, I was surprised with the timeline, often jumWhat a rollercoaster! Going by the blurb, everything mentioned is exactly what was in this book. However, I was surprised with the timeline, often jumping months (and years) at a time. I don't know that I got a real sense of either character or their relationship. The focus was more on individual encounters to tell the story, with Jada filling in the blanks in between by breaking the 4th wall and having the character talk straight to the reader. And I'm fine with that most of the time. But because we didn't see much of the couple together between flashpoints, I feel we needed more to support their relationship.
Overall, if you are looking for a fast-paced, "fated" romance, then I think you might like this one ... though the rough edges may not be for everyone. ...more
Really enjoyed this group of kids. They are tough cookies. The premise of the book was clever, and I feel like the suspense was handled well. We have Really enjoyed this group of kids. They are tough cookies. The premise of the book was clever, and I feel like the suspense was handled well. We have 2 lead POVs, but unlike most dual POV books, the 2 POVs are not tied together in a romantic or close partnership. Of course, they are all part of the 'Meddlers' Countdown Club, but it's almost as if Jack and Rayna lead the 2 loose 'teams' within the group. They are drastically different. And that seems to be the magic behind making sure that everything was covered and all the personalities were used to their best advantage.
This is a YA suspense novel with only the barest hint of romance. Blink and you'll miss it. I think that was the right choice for the story. Every so often something would happen or someone would say or do something that would remind me I was reading a YA novel, but for the most part, I feel like this story hold it's own against any other suspense novel. ...more
This sequel was just as cute as the first one. It was a nice mix of friendship and romance. The conflict was something I personally don't understand, This sequel was just as cute as the first one. It was a nice mix of friendship and romance. The conflict was something I personally don't understand, because it isn't something I feel should be a "thing", but I've seen reports of this very thing make national news, so I applaud the author for introducing such a clever "real world" moment into the story. I think readers looking for romance and strong female friendships will enjoy this book....more
What a wild ride. I'm not sure I'm fully sure I understand what all happened. Just about the time I think I have it figured out, something happens to What a wild ride. I'm not sure I'm fully sure I understand what all happened. Just about the time I think I have it figured out, something happens to shift the landscape again. I enjoyed the obvious twists to a couple famous fairy tales, and I'm interested to see what the author does to develop Rose's story from snippets of time into a full on quest. It seems she laid the groundwork for an awesome series. ...more
I saw from the Author's Note in the pages after the story, this prequel was a late addition after the first book (and maybe the others in the series) I saw from the Author's Note in the pages after the story, this prequel was a late addition after the first book (and maybe the others in the series) was already written. So while I really enjoyed the bare bones of this story, much of the worldbuilding details were missing. We see some key moments in the main character's life, so hopefully these events play a bigger part in the books to come, even if it's just to show how character growth and how she became a Marshal. I can only assume that we'll get more explanation in the first full-length book. I've read other books by this author, and I like her writing, so I do plan to continue the series. The premise sounds really interesting, I already like all the characters, and the battle we saw in this book was kind of awesome. ...more
This is really a tale of two books in one. The first half was nearly all romance, with the main characters falling for each other right away, and thenThis is really a tale of two books in one. The first half was nearly all romance, with the main characters falling for each other right away, and then reinforcing their relationship over several weeks. I think YA romance readers are going to love this. For me, the book shined more in the second half, when Tas and Michael took a more active roll in figuring out what was going on. Nell's immediate reaction to a new student seemed over the top until more of the town's history was revealed, and then I couldn't get enough. The plot details are not ideas I've seen much of, so I'm very interested in seeing what comes next. I saw a spoiler for a later book, since much of this author's work is connected, so I know everything is not nearly what it seems and that there are likely many twists and turns to come. I look forward to reading more. ...more
The action/adventure is top notch in this series. Hunter's imagination and turn of phrase makes Yancy Lazarus a character worth knowing. I loved the fThe action/adventure is top notch in this series. Hunter's imagination and turn of phrase makes Yancy Lazarus a character worth knowing. I loved the folklore in this book. The first book was a great introduction to Yancy, and book 2 started laying the foundation for a much larger story, though I didn't realize it at the time. Book 3 is a continuation and has expanded the world even further, quite literally. And I like that Yancy's circle of friends is growing too. He was quite the loner at the beginning. I don't know what is planned for this series overall, but I'm really loving the ride. ...more
Nice introduction to the series. This novella was enough fun to stand alone, though the end hinted at more to come. The writing style was easy-breezy,Nice introduction to the series. This novella was enough fun to stand alone, though the end hinted at more to come. The writing style was easy-breezy, meaning that I didn't stumble on word choices, sentence structures, or plot points. I started the book one moment, and then finished in what seemed like a blink of an eye. Anyone who knows me can testify that that isn't usually how I read. I over analyze everything. But this story just flowed. I don't know much about Olympian mythology, so I'm sure there were inside jokes or foreshadowing that I didn't get. But I look forward to reading more in the world. ...more
Did not expect the projection of this book at all. I love that! I liked Grier's determination to stay as normal as possible, though I think she will nDid not expect the projection of this book at all. I love that! I liked Grier's determination to stay as normal as possible, though I think she will not always have that luxury. Something will force her hand sooner, rather than later. Love triangles are not my thing, so I'm hoping that doesn't carry through too many of the books. I'm liking Grier's magical education. I'm still not 100% sure of how it all works, but neither is Grier. And, for now, I like having it unfolded at her pace instead of the reader knowing too much upfront. The core storyline of this book, the mysterious disappearances of supernatural creatures, is what shook me. All the clues were there. I got more and more suspicious as the story went along. But I didn't know if the author would really "go there" or not. Not only did she go there, but everything that happened afterwards blew my mind. I can't wait to see what happens next. ...more
Yancy is a character and a half. I love how the author has balanced the feel of a 1930's film noir detective with a modern man's flare. The ease in whYancy is a character and a half. I love how the author has balanced the feel of a 1930's film noir detective with a modern man's flare. The ease in which Yancy slides from one scene to another is a great testament to the author. There is so much going on, so much imagination built into the story, it's sometimes hard to keep up. But he somehow keeps it all straight so that there is nothing left hanging at the end. Really enjoying this series. ...more
This book confused me. The story idea was interesting, but the pacing was too fast. Too much detail was missing. I expected more MMA elements and shifThis book confused me. The story idea was interesting, but the pacing was too fast. Too much detail was missing. I expected more MMA elements and shifter mythology based on the title. And although this wasn't a romance book, Jack's romantic relationship with Lyla was upsetting, especially at the end....more
I really enjoyed this whole series. It started out with a relatively light prequel, and has grown in seriousness as the series progressed, but has somI really enjoyed this whole series. It started out with a relatively light prequel, and has grown in seriousness as the series progressed, but has somehow kept the humor. I appreciated some of the role reversal things happening. I liked watching Gavin evolve without losing himself. Sarah's situation forced her into doing things out of necessity that she didn't want to do, yet she never lost herself. I'm glad they were both able to step outside of the "traditional" path that was holding them both back. Great conclusion to an entertaining series. ...more
Poor Gavin, foiled again. I liked how much more down to earth this book was. There was still a bit of the high society norms, but the familiar cast isPoor Gavin, foiled again. I liked how much more down to earth this book was. There was still a bit of the high society norms, but the familiar cast is starting to loosen up and the new characters are helping them do it. There was still the same clever twist of phrase that allowed for some fun and humor during the time period. And the storyline went in ways I did not expect, allowing me to just go along for the ride instead of trying to anticipate. Jack and Charlene really were the better match anyway, same as Elin and Ben before them. Now .... Gavin is the last single brother and I think he's finally met his match. I look forward to seeing how all that plays out. ...more
