Review: The Ones Who Got Away

The Ones Who Got Away by Roni Loren
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book undid me and did me again in the best way possible. I have hesitated to start this series but this was such a powerful read. CW for shootings, trauma and panic attacks, but I also felt the author treated the topic with such respect and compassion, being able to both tell a love story and show the aftermath of such a tragedy.
*I was given an ARC by the publisher*

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Review: Forever My Duke

Forever My Duke by Olivia Drake
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars
And interesting take on the commoner and the nobility. I really enjoyed both main characters of this book: Natalie is such a strong presence, set in her ideals and determined to do the right thing. And Hadrian is such a strong and noble hero. I enjoyed that the conflict wasn't over the top for their love story and that it really broached not just the subject of a commoner and a peer but the difference in ideals between someone raised in a republic and someone raised in a monarchy. It was an interesting take and I found their love story both enjoyable and believable. *I was given an ARC by the publisher*

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Review: The Prince of Broadway

The Prince of Broadway by Joanna Shupe
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars!
A strong book. Joanna Shupe is a talented storyteller and this book proves it once again. A good story with enough conflict to keep it going but that is doesn't make it over the top. There are several things I enjoyed about the book and it's characters. I like that the heroine enjoys sex and doesn't feel like she has to hide that part of herself but what I really enjoyed the most was the honestly between them. He tells her from the start that he's attracted to her and that he plans to ruin her father. That was such a refreshing twist as it would have been such a letdown to have all those secrets between them. I found that original and interesting because it also intrigued me to see where the conflict was going to come from. So, overall, a great book that I heartily recommend.

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Review: My Darling Duke

My Darling Duke by Stacy Reid
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4 stars! A solid book. It's hard to think what new can be done in the trope of the scarred duke and the desperate destitute wallflower and yet this book was able to bring all the good qualities of this beloved trope and add a few original pieces to it. I loved that his physical constraints were a focal point of the book and that there were no magical solutions... that while love helps a lot, it doesn't solve everything and they have to continue making compromises and commitments to each other. Alexander's pain isn't just physical, it's also this deep sense of loneliness that I felt truly represented someone that is mourning the life he won't have and feels alone in a society that doesn't really show empathy for other's pain.
I really enjoyed this book and I would recommend it to others.

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Review: Headliners

Headliners by Lucy Parker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wow... I really loved this book from beginning to end. I like the forced proximity scenario for Sabrina and Nick and that from day 1 they try to be as professional as possible. I also enjoyed that we get treated first hand on Nick's regret and the repercussions of his actions and choices. Lucy Parker is a *great* author and her books always pull me in to the point that I can't stop reading. I enjoyed the plot and how they move from animosity to partnership to attraction to love. It's a natural progression and it's incredibly well-handled in the book... it feels natural and organic and you can believe that these two are finally falling in love as they were meant to be.
What I also love the most? The lack of unnecessary drama as a source of conflict in the romance. Once Nick and Sabrina are they... they are IN. They don't hesitate, they don't backtrack and they deal with things as adults. Even when they have moments of conflict, they communicate with one another in a mature way. It's such a great example of what a mature and healthy relationship is/should be that I cannot thank Lucy enough for continuing writing these examples in her books. I love the moment in which Sabrina hesitates for one second and then deciding that she trusts Nick and I love that she comes clean to him and acknowledges that. I love that he, in return, explains that it hurt him and frustrated him for about 10 minutes before he realized that it was natural and that he was happy that they are moving forward. It's not a "oh, everything is perfect from now on" but the little moments of conflict are dealt with communication and maturity. That is such a catnip for me!
The only criticism I have for this book and the reason why it's not a 5 star for me is that I felt that the dual PoV was unbalanced. There's a very important part in the middle in which we only read from Sabrina's pov and is such an integral part of how their relationship is progressing that I felt I was being cheated out of following Nick's feelings as well. It hinder my experience a little as I prefer that when you do a dual pov it should not 50/50 but as balanced as possible that we get to be in the journey with both characters at the same time and not just one with the other as a supporting role.
But a wonderul wonderful book and I loved that Griff made an appearance because he's my favorite.
Is Charlie next?

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Review: Would Like to Meet

Would Like to Meet by Rachel Winters
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I'm torn about this book. It's not a bad book per se, but it could have been so much better. Here are the things that I really enjoyed about this book:
- I liked the narrative style/idea of introducing the chapters as if they were scenes in a script from a romantic comedy... I truly loved those little descriptions at the beginning that really reminded you of visual moments in rom-coms
- the idea of someone going through meet cutes going terribly wrong and write about them
- Annette and Ben... but mostly Anette

What could have been better:
- At some point it became clear where the story with NOB was going and it was hard for me to stomach it. I dreaded it and I really consider stop reading it. It's tirening reading about women being ripped off their hard work... we see it so much in real life that I don't want to read it in books
- The ambiance, the friends, the adventures, the so called triangle, while fun, were too similar to Bridget Jones and it really put me off the book a little bit. I think the author could have used different settings/friends stories and made it a little fresh
- the romance didn't take front and center of the stage and if this book is going to be promoted as a romance, then I need more of what we got. We basically get little to no interaction with Ben, who is the romantic lead (in theory). she spends more time with NoB, her boss and her friends than she does with Ben and to me, that was a put off.

Overall, a good first novel but it could have been a lot better

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Review: Her Christmas Rogue

Her Christmas Rogue by Christi Caldwell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I quite enjoyed this one. Christi is one of my favorite authors for historical romances and she never fails to put a smile on my face with her stories. This novella has all the elements of a wonderful season romance: a reformed rogue that has fallen irrevocably in love with his best friend's sister and doesn't think he's enough for her, a young woman determined to be the master of her happiness and her destiny and an older brother that didn't quite get the hint. I adored both characters and their love story and how they fought for each other in the end. The ending scene is just delightful.
Definitely a worthy read that will put a smile on your face this holiday season

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