Review: The Aussie Next Door

The Aussie Next Door by Stefanie London
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars
I struggle a little bit with the first half of the book. I felt like the story was dragging and I couldn't quite connect with the characters and the story. But the second half really changed things for me. When they get together and their fears from their pasts start playing a role in their relationship... that was a great plot. It's not over the top conflict or drama but a real and thorough exploration of how fears about ones' condition or past or background failed relationships play a role in trying to make it better in the next one and ended up making it worst. It was a really great story from that point on and I enjoyed the happy resolution.

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Review: The Truth About Cowboys

The Truth About Cowboys by Lisa Renee Jones
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I quite liked this one, but it didn't blow my socks off.
Jessica is a little fidgety and quick to jump into complete insta love for the place and the grandmother and Jason comes off like a total douche some times. They work it off and it's a good premise, but it was hard for me to buy their attraction at the beginning. As the book progresses, there are some really nice moments in which they talk and connect and really make the romance believable, but the rest seems to happen too soon.
It's not a bad book but I wasn't completely sold on it.

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Review: Handle with Care

Handle with Care by Marie Harte
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I truly enjoyed this one! It picks up a couple of weeks later after the events of the previous book in the series. It can be read as a standalone, as the author provides enough information to fill in the blanks, but it's a much more enjoyable experience when you know the full background on the characters.
Taking a break from his long-hour and stressing work as an accountant on a high.end firm, Evan is determined to play a bigger part on the Vet movers company.
One of his first gigs put him on the path of Kenzie and her little brother Daniel. Evan and Kenzie are instantly attracted to each other, but they both have to navigate scars from the past, family dynamics and a few other things.
I enjoyed the new additions on this book with Kenzie's over the top friends that really complemented the Vets on the Go! characters. I liked that the story was more focused on Kenzie, her brother, her friends and Evan, with only a few appearances of the others. I gave a nice twist and originality to the series. I also enjoyed Evan navigating the relationship with Smith and working hard to make that happen.
Kenzie and Evan are actually two nice people that are trying and failing and trying again and I enjoyed that while a little over the top, Kenzie's struggle felt real. I liked that the story focused on how taking care of her little brother has her positioning her relationships in a different way and it's a beautfiul things.
A great read!

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Review: Flirting with Fire

Flirting with Fire by Kate Meader
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Loved this one!

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Review: Temptation

Temptation by Inara Scott
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was looking forward to this book. I thoroughly liked the first one and I adored this one. It manages to be fun, angsty, sexy and heartfelt at the same time.
Zoe Riva is a great lawyer with a sad past that is constantly struggling to be seen as an equal in her field. Her story resonates a lot because it's not about the big things women might encounter in their work spaces, like harassment or plain discrimination, but about the little subtle things that are there and not even the best partners realize: deals and conversations being made while playing sports, giving an advice against pursuing a client that they wouldn't give to a male colleague, etc. I enjoyed that the author digs a little deeper in the daily things, the ones that go unnoticed and show some of the struggles women go through even with the men that have the best intentions.
Connor Ashton's company is a client of Zoe's law firm and therefore she's off-limits, no matter how attracted he's been to her for years. Besides, he has a lot of trust issues, tends to forget commitments and is overall an introvert.
But when Zoe has an accident and Connor is there to help, sparks fly. And after that, it's really hard to go back to the way things were.
I loved this book. I loved both Connor and Zoe individually and as a couple trying to navigate the situation they were in and the attraction they felt. I loved that they both made mistakes but that they were open and honest to each other most of the time. I liked that it wasn't an over the top conflict but actually two people trying to overcome their past issues and scars. I really enjoyed that the resolution wasn't that they fixed each other, but that what they felt for one another was the motivation to grow and evolve.
I can't wait for Nate's story as he's been my favorite, but Connor and Zoe do have a special place in my heart :)

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Review: The Duchess in His Bed

The Duchess in His Bed by Lorraine Heath
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

3.5 stars!
This book is the fourth in the series, but it can be read as a standalone. I walked into this one without having read the other 3 and I could follow the story with no problems.
Selena is a recently widowed duchess that needs to secure an heir in order to maintain her status and provide for her three little sisters. Her path takes her to Aiden, the owner of a gaming hell and bastard son of nobility. Aiden is immediately attracted to Selena but he struggles with what she's asking of him. The story develops as Aiden and Selena fall in love with each other and try to figure out what they can or cannot have in the society they live in.
It's a well written story that goes a little deeper into the ties of nobility and bastards and the life of both and I appreciated both main characters a lot. Selena is strong and selfless, putting her own needs aside for her family and Aiden is honorable, determined to be the best version of himself regardless his upbringing.
The background story of Selena's deceased duke and his love brought me to tears.
An overall good experience reading this one!

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Review: Getting Played

Getting Played by Emma Chase
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A fun and lighthearted romance. Unexpected pregnancies are not my thing, but I think the author did a great work in having the characters deal at it with maturity. I also enjoyed the lack of unncessary drama between the main leads.

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Review: The Bewildered Bride

The Bewildered Bride by Vanessa Riley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a wonderful and riveting tale of second chances. The author has a wonderful narrative style and the dual first-person POV might take a little to get used to, but it's done wonderfully and it gives great insights in both characters.
Adam and Ruth's story is full of hardship, sorrow and suffering. Being apart for four years, and thinking the other one is dead, they had to do what was needed to survive. When fate brings them back together, they are two different people and coming to terms to that as their love unfold is beautiful.
I adored Ruth's character and hidden strength and the challenges she faced in life for her race and her disability and how she conquers her fears in the end. And Adam's powerful persona and how much he fights to deserve her love again.
I definitely recommend this story but I'll add content warning for references of sexual abuse/rape..

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Review: Relationship Material

Relationship Material by Jenya Keefe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a really great book. It takes a hard topic and navigates how someone overcomes (or tries to overcome) the trauma and builds a new life, while still dealing with the aftermath.
Evan is a wonderful, full.-fledged, complex character and I was drawn to him like moth to flame. Or much like Malcolm is drawn to him. The author doesn't shy away from the hardships of his life and we get to see how he struggles with himself and his sense of worthiness and how he finally allows himself to love and be loved. The author does a wondeful job showing us his journey and also showing us Malcolm journey of being a patient partner but not a push-over. There are many heated moments and also some wondeful shy glances and cute moments.
It is a great book that balances it all and I'm grateful to have read it.
My one and only thing to point out is that this is not a light-hearted book. It deals with several hard topics: abuse, trauma, eating disorders, chronic anxiety and there are several descriptions of some of these things in the book. Some of them are more detailed and some are not, but they are at the front and center of the story. They add to it and the author does a wonderful job treating it with the respect they deserve... but I was blindsided by it. And I think these topics to warrant a content warning of some sort so people can make a conscious decision and walk into this book with the correct frame of mind to enjoy the story and not being blindsided by something that might be triggering for them.

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