Month: January 2023

Spoiler Free Review: Two Wrongs Make A Right by Chloe Liese

Title: Two Wrongs Make A Right

Author: Chloe Liese

Pub. Date: November 22nd 2022

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Format: eARC

Publisher: Berkley Books

Pages: 326

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☆☆ARC provided by Publisher in exchange for an honest review☆☆

*•.¸♡ “𝙸 𝚗𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝙸 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚜𝚘 𝚞𝚗𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚖𝚎. 𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚋𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚜𝚘 𝚍𝚒𝚏𝚏𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚖𝚎 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕 𝚛𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚊𝚝 𝚑𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝚠𝚛𝚘𝚗𝚐.” ♡¸.•*

 I love a good opposites attract romance but up until now I haven’t read anything that really gets the magnetic pull and irresistibility you feel when you meet your polar opposite. Bea is an artist who creates sensual cards for a stationary shop, she’s Pansexual, a twin, prone to accidents, a junk food lover, and an astrology loving Cancer. Jamie is a pediatrician, cat lover, health conscious, and non-astrology loving Capricorn. They’ve had a few run-ins that didn’t end so well but their meddling friends seem to think they’re perfect for each other. Bea and Jamie zone in on their schemes to make them date & are peeved by the intrusion. They hatch a plan to fake-date that includes a big break-up in hopes that it will dissuade their friends from ever playing cupid again. The thing is, they do connect in all the ways that matter. Bea is on the spectrum and Jamie has severe anxiety, they pick up on each other’s wants and needs very quickly. There’s a magnetic attraction and a desire to protect each other and create a safe space where they can speak their thoughts. Their dates are fun and different, from Chess matches to Sip & Paints they begin to fall hard. Soon it’s made very clear to them both that they’re not just pretending to like one another, they’re actually enjoying their dates.

I’ve heard the name Chloe Liese mentioned on every bookish platform I’m in and it’s always been high praise for delivering romance with neurodivergent rep. Having loved Helen Hoang’s Kiss Quotient series, I was on the hunt for more romance books with this representation. I kid you not my fellow book lovers, it was 1am and I had startled everyone in my home with my laughter within the first chapter of reading this book. The laugh out loud scenes were sudden and unexpected and as a fellow Capricorn I’d say it was the dry humor Jamie dished out lol. Jamie and Bea could square off any day and I’d grab a front row seat! the snark was on point. These characters are well fleshed out, it honestly felt like we’re getting to know them as they’re digging deep. There were times I wondered to myself why things were handled a certain way but understood the reasons as Bea and Jamie started to let each other in.

I LOVE Jamie, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t find flaws that contradicted the picture I had of him for the majority of the story. Without spoiling anything, I started to not love some of Jamie’s reactions or lack there-of to how a major side character was being treated, this is why I docked it half a star. Why only half a star? well because it could be argued that Jamie didn’t know the extent of how terrible a certain character was acting. Jamie is honestly the sweetest most thoughtful male MC I’ve read, he tunes into Bea’s love language very quickly. Bea on the other hand I instantly fell in love with! she’s quirky and artistic but also fiercely protective of her healing journey. Our girl went through some things and she is not about being rushed into anything, I loved seeing this on the page! Bea keeps the cutest little hedgehog in her room that I dare you not to make heart eyes over. We’re here for non-traditional pets haha! there are also a handful of side characters that really bring the friend circle to life. I’m anticipating Juliet’s story arc, she is Bea’s twin but also came across as three-dimensional and had me invested in her side-line story. In the meantime, I think I’ll join the Chloe Liese lovers & pick up the Bergman Brothers series 😉

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Spoiler Free Review: Silver Under Nightfall by Rin Chupeco

Title: Silver Under Nightfall

Author: Rin Chupeco

Pub. Date: September 13 2022

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Format: eARC

Publisher: Gallery/Saga Press

Pages: 512

GOODREADS | BARNES & NOBLE | LIBROFM | AMAZON

☆☆ARC provided by Publisher in exchange for an honest review☆☆╮

➶➶➶➶➶ 𝕊𝕥𝕒𝕪 𝕒𝕝𝕚𝕧𝕖, 𝕣𝕦𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕠𝕡𝕡𝕠𝕟𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙, 𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕞 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕪 𝕨𝕖𝕣𝕖 𝕕𝕖𝕒𝕕, 𝕜𝕖𝕖𝕡 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕞 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕨𝕒𝕪. 𝔹𝕦𝕥 𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖, 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕔𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕤𝕦𝕗𝕗𝕖𝕣 𝕒 𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕤𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕔𝕦𝕥𝕤 𝕗𝕣𝕠𝕞 𝕒 𝕕𝕠𝕨𝕒𝕘𝕖𝕣 𝕞𝕒𝕥𝕣𝕠𝕟 𝕒𝕣𝕞𝕖𝕕 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕟𝕠𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕓𝕦𝕥 𝕒 𝕡𝕒𝕡𝕖𝕣 𝕗𝕒𝕟 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕚𝕞𝕡𝕖𝕔𝕔𝕒𝕓𝕝𝕖 𝕘𝕖𝕟𝕖𝕒𝕝𝕠𝕘𝕪, 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕪 𝕨𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕔𝕒𝕝𝕝 𝕚𝕥 𝕒 𝕓𝕝𝕠𝕠𝕕𝕓𝕒𝕥𝕙. ➷➷➷➷➷

It’s been a long time since I’ve picked up a paranormal vampire book and an even longer time since I read anything with Polyamory. In part that’s because I often was left feeling like it wasn’t done well. Rin Chupeco however has brought back broody (some more playful) sexy vampires but also made it queer and Poly in the most satisfying of reads. Our MC Remy is a rogue Vampire Hunter who is an outcast among fellow Reapers. Remmy’s mother was the source of scandal for their family having eloped with a vampire. Many think Remy is a half vampire and his own father has used that to shape him to be a lethal weapon. There is a peace treaty between humans and vampires that is tenuous at best. When a new breed of vampires starts killing, he sets out to find answers and meets vampire heiress Xiaodan Song. She is warm and caring, all of the things he’s been taught vampires are not. Her fiance Lord Zidan Malekh has studied the new mutation and may have the answers to defeat them. That he infuriates the hell out of Remy and adds sexual tension just sweetens the journey. I loved this trio so much!

Silver Under Nightfall is so different than The Bone Witch trilogy and I still LOVED it so much! I’ve never watch Castlevania but I’ve heard this marketed for fans of that video game/show. It reads adult and has many gruesome battle scenes that are balanced out with many tender moments and good humor sprinkled throughout. In many ways it feels like even though Remy is tasked with killing vampires, he is still this sweet cinnamon roll everyone wants to protect. When paired with two powerful royal vampires, it does seem like he needs their protection but make no mistake he has also lived a hard life and can hold his own. The relationship between him and his father is toxic as hell, there’s talk of his father having him use his body when he was 13 years old to acquire info from the wealthy women in the aristocracy. Both Malekh and Xiaodan make sure he knows he’s worthy of love without having to give anything in exchange. Redefining intimacy and consent are huge themes in this book. All of our characters check in with one another and genuinely care about each others needs and wants. For those inquiring minds, the spice meter was broken with this one and I was here for it all! I should’ve known I was going to love Rin Chupeco’s adult Paranormal, I’m now left eagerly anticipating the next book in this duology.

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Review: Astrid Parker Doesn’t Care by Ashley herring Blake

Title: Astrid Parker Doesn’t Care

Author:Ashley herring Blake

Pub. Date: November 22nd 2022

Genre: Contemporary Romance/LGBTQIA+

Format: eARC

Publisher: Berkley

Pages: 368

GOODREADS | BARNES & NOBLE | AMAZON | LIBROFM

 

☆☆ARC provided by Publisher in exchange for an honest review☆☆╮

☆☆This review may contain spoilers for Delilah Green Doesn’t Care (Bright Falls #1)☆☆

We’re back in Bright Falls with my favorite cast of queer women and this time the spotlight is on Astrid Parker. We first met Astrid in Delilah Green Doesn’t Care (my review) as the estranged step-sister of Delilah who Was set to get married and live the ideal life her mother had always dreamed of her having. Fast forward to a year later and Astrid Parker is a single woman who is laser sharp focused on her career/family owned business in interior design. The only thing is that the phones aren’t ringing and the projects have slowed down, Astrid is looking for a lifeline. When Pru Everwood asks Astrid to be the designer for the Everwood Inn whose renovation is being broadcast on the popular home improvement show Innside America, Astrid seizes the lifeline. What she wasn’t expecting was having all of her design ideas sabotaged by Pru’s frustratingly attractive granddaughter Jordan Everwood. The Everwood is also in need of a liefeline, its been a long time since guests have booked the place. If this renovation and media coverage don’t change its fortune, Pru Everwood may have to shutter its doors for good.

Jordan and her twin brother spent summers in the Everwood Inn and she feels Astrid’s clean linen and modern/sleek designs don’t quite capture the character of the place. As the lead carpenter on the project, she begins to make some changes to Astrid’s designs that result in some tension build-up while being filmed for the show. The show runners are LIVING for it and want them both to kind of play it up some more for the ratings which would result in good publicity for them both. This was never Jordan’s intention, after having her relationship fall apart unexpectedly and her work deeply affected by it…she was just looking to get back on track and prove to her brother and grandmother that she’s climbing out of her depression. 

*•.¸♡ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐰𝐨 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐮𝐩𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫. 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐞’𝐝 𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐚 𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐦 𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐨𝐫 𝐇𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐫 𝐌𝐨𝐨𝐧. 𝐒𝐡𝐞’𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐓𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐰. 𝐀𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞. ♡¸.•*

Soulmates and Tarot. Need I say more?!? ok there’s also the BEST character redemption arc I’ve come across in romance. I was not a fan of Astrid at all when I read Delilah green Doesn’t Care and when I started reading this book, I still wasn’t sold on her. Then I started seeing Astrid for who she really is, when all the need to meet her mother’s expectations just stops. This is when we really start seeing Astrid, a 30 something year old who is late to discovering who she really is but is choosing to step out and do so anyways. She’s exploring her sexuality and questioning her career choices. It’s not often that we get stories centered around woman in their 30’s redefining their lives. Jordan however is my favorite MC, she’s had her heart broken by someone she cared deeply for and thought was her soulmate. This doesn’t stop her from believing her soulmate is out there, her tarot cards won’t let her forget. Second chances in love and life, soulmates, and rediscovering passions while having an amazing group of supportive friends/found family…I may love this one more than Delilah Green Doesn’t Care? but good luck making me choose!