Review: The Beast of Beswick

The Beast of Beswick by Amalie Howard
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I quite enjoyed this one. While the trope of scarred war hero and the wallflower with a scandal up her sleeve is a familiar one, I liked the spin the author gives it. I felt for the hero... really and truly felt for him. I liked how the author dwelved in his scars both physical and emotional and the consequences they have on his self esteem and his relations with others. While not professed as such, you can see the PTSD components of war injuries included into the descriptions of the hero and it resonated through. The romance between them and how they fall in love rang true for me: there's an undeniable attraction followed by some kinship and then there's a lot of back and forth, which for me, in the context of how Thane is regarding his past and scars, seems realistic. He messes up so much and it's quite frustrating to read, but he also didn't have any type of psychological assistance to deal with his trauma, other than the wonderful servants that clearly loved him dearly and stand by him.
I really enjoyed this book for dealing with how someone with such trauma can fall in love.
A rec for sure

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Review: A Cowboy Like You

A Cowboy Like You by Donna Grant
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars
This was a new to me author and I enjoyed the book overall. I enjoyed both main characters and their backgrounds and traits. It was nice the heroine being confident regardless of the current situation she was living.
The book deals with dark topics like domestic abuse and violence. While not terribly explicit, it can be triggering for people that have gone through similar situations.
I really liked the book but I do feel that the romance plot took a secondary seat to the suspense/police plot and I would have liked to see that reversed, because while well throughout, sometimes the romantic development between the characters seems a bit rushed.

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Review: My Fake Rake

My Fake Rake by Eva Leigh
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars!
I have tried this author before and I couldn't connect with that book, but I'm so glad I gave this one a chance. It's a really beautiful story. The trope of fake-courting has been done before and it's usually a fan favorite so sometimes it might be hard to find something "new" to add to it. The author manages to give the trope a new life by working a few angles in a different way. There's a very cemented friendship between the characters based on their scientific pursuits and trust based upon them. I quite enjoyed the fact that it was Sebastian undergoing the makeover and that he also worked so hard to be thoughtful of what Grace wanted and not to overstep. I also enjoyed the reverse role of the heroine realizing that she hadn't been fair towards Sebastian.
While the ending is a little over the top, this was a wonderful read and I look forward to knowing the stories of the rest of Sebastian's friends.
*I was given an ARC in Edelweiss under no obligation.*

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Review: Get a Life, Chloe Brown

Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was my first book by Talia Hibbert and it was a wonderful experience. I loved Chloe so much, her spirit, her struggles, her own sense of worth and awareness. The author manages to deal with the issue of chronic pain in a way that is both subtle and powerful. It's a big part of Chloe's life and it's something that has effects and impacts in her life but it's not all of what she is and what she should be seen as. That balanced view is wonderfully executed throughout the book.
Red is just a beautful cinnamon roll covered in ink and leather. I really enjoyed that he was the artistic, sensitive soul and that he carried the abusive relationship past. That switch on his insecurities and hers was quite refreshing. Such an enjoyable book from beginning to end

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Review: Not the Girl You Marry

Not the Girl You Marry by Andie J. Christopher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a delightful read! Andie is a new to me author and she really stood out.
There were several things I enjoyed about this book: the author's narrative is wonderful, with a good combination of description and action that moves the plot forward seamlessly. Her dialogues are witty and she has a great gift for banter. This was an "easy read" for me, which, as a non-native speaker, is a compliment as it means that the words flew easily and I was able to follow the story instead of struggling with the book. So great work there!
Then there was the main character which is wonderful on their own and as a power couple. I was drawn to both Jack and Hannah and how their backgrounds and past shaped who they were and what were their fears out of life. It was very interesting to see a male character dealing with abandonment issues and being the one that used to give up his career for his partners. A very interesting tweak. Hannah's background on her struggles as biracial and the feeling of not measuring up was heartbreaking but it also painted a realistic picture of our world today.
The plot could have been cheesy and a little over the top, but the author manages to actually balance the comical pieces of it with some deep soul searching on both of them.
A great book and a part of me wonders if Jack's friends will ever get a clue.
* I was given an ARC on Edelweiss under no obligation*

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Review: Hard Chrome

Hard Chrome by Vanessa North
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was an interesting read. I truly enjoyed the main characters and the supporting ones and I loved how the author weaved in the diverse characters as a part of everyday life. It felt organic and realistic. I really like Duke and Tanner individually and as a couple and I enjoyed seeing how two people really work past their first impressions into a true understanding of one another. Some parts of the book felt a little rushed to me and it was hard to keep up with the side characters as much as I wanted to, but this was an overall a good, solid read.

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Review: The Bromance Book Club

The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a fantastic read! I found the idea very original and it's beautifully executed. It's interesting to go through a second chance romance (of sorts) with characters that fumble through the conflicts, don't always say the right things and they work hard to be with each other. This was a fun book with some teary moments that features a distinct hero. I was drawn to Gavin, the not self confident athlete very much. His insecurities and sheer determination to do better was a wonderful character development. Thea is also a wonderful layered heroine with her own contradictions and moments. I really enjoyed the message of the book that there is no magical solution, that it's about communication and setting up boundaries. The addition of the romance novels was a fun resource to go deep into relationship issues.
One of the best books I've read this year and I can't wait to read the next one!

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