Tag: eGalley

Spoiler Free Review: The Truth According to Ember by

Title: The Truth According to Ember

Author: Danica Nava

Pub. Date: August 6th 2024

Genre: Contemporary Romance/Indigenous

Format: eARC

Publisher: Berkley

 Pages: 358

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Debut author Danica Nava introduces us to Ember Lee Cardinal, a Chickasaw woman who is down on her luck and feeling like it’s time to do things a little differently. Thirty seven job rejections won’t deter her, she’s on a mission to get out of working at the local bowling alley where everybody knows your name but scrubbing toilets is not endgame. Ember has taken some accounting courses but she hasn’t finished any of them and isn’t certified in the field. This however, doesn’t stop her from applying to her dream accounting job in the Park Avenue area of Oklahoma City. Ember employs some creativity while applying for this position by changing her race, for this job she is white Ember who is further along with her accounting experience and qualifications. Ember’s resumé is selected for an interview and before she knows it, she has snagged a corporate job as an accounting assistant. She decides to go for it and improvise along the way but also continue the lie and then lie some more, she’s actually pretty good at it until she crosses paths with the IT guy Danuwoa Colson. A fellow Native American working for the same company, Danuwoa is beautiful to look at. He isn’t hiding his race but in their flirting he’s kind of letting on that her lies don’t add up, at least not to him but he’s game to play along. 

Was this a little stressful at times to read? yea just a bit but in a fun and for some may be a bit unrealistic. Although it may not seem like something that happens, Ember’s situation is not at all unheard of. I’ve been on the receiving end of rejection in a room full of white hopeful interviewees while being the only Latinx applicant. To say or think that racism and prejudices don’t rear their ugly heads during the interviewing of applicants is unreal. I found it more unlikely to not have been caught earlier but Ember is quick thinking and resourceful, she was killing it in this new role. Ethically she should’ve completed her courses but I gave her kudos all the way for using what she had learned up until that point and super exceeding expectations. At her new workplace we see Ember navigate microagressions aimed at some of her co-workers from different ethnic backgrounds. She isn’t above checking the higher ups for their racist remarks and for that alone I loved Ember. I rounded up from a 3.5 to 4 stars simply because although I enjoyed my time watching Ember wiggle her way out of tough moments where her lies came dangerously close to being uncovered, it was perhaps too much time.  There is a no-dating policy at work but that doesn’t stop them from gravitating towards one another. Dan provided a different perspective by openly embracing his race and not really caring if it made others uncomfortable. I wanted more time spent between Ember and Danuwoa, especially since Dan didn’t judge her for how she got her foot in the door. If anything he seemed entertained by her scheming 😂 which hey! we love a King who loves you for you! I’ll be keeping an eye out for more from Danica Nava 💜

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Spoiler Free Review: Do Your Worst by Rosie Danan

Title: Do Your Worst

Author: Rosie Danan

Pub. Date: November 14th 2023

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Format: eARC

Publisher: Berkley

 Pages: 317

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Two strangers meet at a Scottish bar and share a drink, their attraction is instantaneous. They each go their separate ways not thinking their paths would cross again. Riley has traveled from New Jersey to Scotland in hopes of continuing the family business of curse breaking. There’s an infamous Scottish castle with a three hundred year old curse no one has been able to break, enter Riley. “Text Book Capricorn” Clark is an archaeologist trying to bounce back and clean up his reputation from a previous project that resulted in a scandal. The last thing he’s expecting is to have to have to work with a believer of the paranormal/curse breaker. When his attempt to have her removed from the project goes left and Riley learns of his attempts, she decides to get even.

What I Loved? the interactions between curmudgeonly Clark and optimistic/determined Riley provided comedic relief and grade A banter. The little ways Riley executed her pay back and had Clark wondering if she had some type of magic made me giggle on a few occasions. There’s a ton of steam between them that Clark tries his hardest to tamper down. Riley on the other hand embraces her undeniable attraction to Clark and what we get treated to dear readers is hot as hell. From sweet tender moments of hair braiding to the not explored enough if you ask me….edging. Mhm you get a little of everything between these two, Clark being the right amount of confident I like to see in a main love interest.

Their romance isn’t without its challenges, Riley is very aware of his disregard for her profession. This is very triggering to Riley who spent her younger years as an outcast for following in her grandmother’s footsteps studying the occult. It almost seems impossible these two could ever make it work with their opposing beliefs. While it was fun seeing them make their way to a HEA, the emotional connection fell a bit short for my liking. They had the physical chemistry/opposites attract down packed but it all seemed to stay surface level. In part I believe it’s because Clark’s character was so well developed with a backstory that drives the story, he’s seeking redemption. Riley’s character got some back story with her childhood years but it wasn’t as fleshed out as Clarks. Still, I had fun reading Riley and Clark’s story. Any time spent in a Scottish castle in the mix there’s a HIGH likelihood of time well spent 😉

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Spoiler Free Review: Wreck The Halls by Tessa Bailey

Title: Wreck The Halls

Author: Tessa Bailey

Pub. Date: October 3rd 2023

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Format: DRC

Publisher: Berkley

Pages: 351

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Melody Ballard and Beat Dawkins are the adult children of former world famous diva rock stars. They’ve come together to try and get their iconic duo moms to reunite for one more show, the odds of that happening though are slim to none. Melody and Beat met as teens while traveling in the same circles and had the potential to be really great friends but the rupture of their mother’s band made it so their lives took different paths. With Christmas Eve fast approaching, Beat and Melody are made an offer by a television network to livestream their efforts to reunite the Steel Birds one last time. This means 24 hour live coverage of Melody and Beat’s daily lives. For Mel, this means stepping back into the limelight where she’s experienced nothing but harsh criticism from a very young age. Melody prefers the quiet life of restoring old books but the promise of a large sum of money if she can successfully reunite the Steel Birds is too good to pass up. It means financial independence from a mother who she’s quite disconnected from. Mel’s mother is described as possibly being a cult leader in the sense that her home is open to all that love her and detest Beat’s mom. What I loved about Melody: She’s truly a funny character, her quips always had me giggling. Tessa bailey gave us a female who comes across as unaware of her charm and I absolutely loved falling in love with her at the same time as everyone else watching the livestream.

Beat on the other hand is quite charming, comfortable in his attractiveness, and in the limelight. He also has a need for the money the network is offering if he can get his iconic and elegant mother to participate in her former rock bands reunion. No one knows why the band broke up but strong rumors have always circulated that it was caused by a man their mothers were both involved with. They have their secrets and so does Beat, his attraction to Melody is just one of them. What I loved about Beat: How humble and down to earth he is, the wealth his family has accrued keeps him grounded in giving back. We see him run an organization focused on giving youth grants to further their education in music. Beat is also super protective of Melody so if you dig the type, he def checks off the bodyguard box.

This was admittedly my first Tessa Bailey read and it won’t be my last, holiday romance is always hit or miss no matter the author. This story picks up and takes a turn for a hilarious good time at the 50% mark, I’m talking Santa’s brawling on the lawn type funny 😂 which had me not wanting to put it down. I just wish I hadn’t struggled getting invested in this story for the first half, otherwise this could’ve been a five star read. The livestream was a nice addition with fans of Melody creating fun silly hashtags shipping her with Beat! There were a couple of scenes towards the end that were movie ready making it a certifiable rom-com in every sense of the word. On another note, I’ve long heard about the spice Tessa Bailey brings to her books can now say…not one lie was told! I’m intrigued to see what the Tessa Bailey back-list is packing so I guess it’s a good thing I have a couple on my shelves 😉

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Spoiler Free Review: The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston


Title: The Seven Year Slip

Author: Ashley Poston

Pub. Date: June 27th 2023

Genre: Contemporary Romance/Time Travel

Format: DRC

Publisher: Berkley

Pages: 352

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*•.¸♡ “𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎, 𝚠𝚊𝚜𝚗’𝚝 𝚒𝚝? 𝙸𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜𝚗’𝚝 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚊 𝚚𝚞𝚒𝚌𝚔 𝚍𝚛𝚘𝚙 — 𝚒𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚏𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚐𝚊𝚒𝚗, 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚘𝚗. 𝙸𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚏𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚋𝚎𝚌𝚊𝚖𝚎 𝚗𝚎𝚠 𝚙𝚎𝚘𝚙𝚕𝚎. 𝙸𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚝𝚘 𝚎𝚡𝚒𝚜𝚝 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚗𝚎𝚠 𝚋𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚑. 𝙸𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚞𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚛𝚝𝚊𝚒𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚒𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚗𝚒𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚢 𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚍, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚒𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜𝚗’𝚝 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚗 𝚏𝚘𝚛.” ♡¸.•*

When I say there isn’t a book Ashley Poston could write that I wouldn’t read, I truly mean it Book Lovers! I thought The Dead Romantics held the prize for breaking me into a million little pieces and then piecing me back together again UNTIL I read The Seven Year Slip. This story is about grief, healing, the passing of time, acceptance, and falling in love with your person at each phase of their life. Our MC Clementine has just experienced the loss of her aunt, the woman who was bigger than life itself and got her to fall in love with travel. She works long hours climbing the ladder at a publishing house as a publicist where her hard work is paying off. Gone are the days of travel and seeing the world, this is how Clementine copes with the passing of her aunt. She ends her days in the apartment her aunt has passed down to her. Located in Manhattan with a doorman whose been there since her childhood, this apartment holds many of Clementine’s most cherished memories with her aunt. There is where she tries to protect her heart from anymore heartbreak, but that all changes when she comes home one day and there’s a stranger sitting in her kitchen. Iwan with the southern drawl and a talent for making the most memorable lemon pies had rented the apartment from Clementine’s aunt for the summer. Clementine is caught off guard and thinks it’s some type of cruel joke since her aunt is no longer living. That is until she remembers those conversations with her late aunt who told her stories about the magic the apartment holds, time travel. Seven years to be exact, Iwan isn’t the one in the wrong timeline or the wrong place.

This is just one of those books that have stayed with me way beyond the final pages, I felt it all while getting wrapped up in “Lemon” and Iwan’s story. Clementine can for some be seen as either the grump or an unlikeable character but for me, she was experiencing some major heartbreak and loss. I found her super relatable as someone who will fully submerge myself in work when grieving the loss of someone whose passed or just exited my life. The overall theme of falling in love over and over again with your person at the very many different phases of their life was beautifully written. Food was used to trigger memories and emotions while Clementine jumped between past and present, I could practically smell and taste the lemon pies in the kitchen and tacos from the food truck. If you enjoy Magical Realism, time travel, serendipitous love stories, and great food scenes this one hits the mark!

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Spoiler Free Review: The Nanny by Lana Ferguson

Title: The Nanny

Author: Lana Ferguson

Pub. Date: April 11th 2023

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Format: DRC/Audiobook

Publisher: Berkley

Pages: 432

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A fun time was had in this single dad romance, I don’t remember laughing out loud so hard reading a Contemporary Romance! Our female lead Cassie Evans has fallen on some tough times and in the past she had her Only Fans account to rely on but for REASONS, she can’t go back to that. Instead she applies for a live- in nanny position not really thinking she’d actually land the job. Single dad/Chef Aiden Reid reaches out to Cassie, she turns out to be the most qualified for the job and he insists she take the job. Cassie is excited and accepts on the spot but also can’t help but notice that her soon to be employer is SUPER hot! We live in Cassie’s head as she tries to reign in her attraction to Aiden. What I loved about Cassie? She’s genuinely great with kids! Aiden’s daughter Sophie wasn’t easily sold on the idea of a live-in nanny and it took some persistence and trust building efforts on Cassie’s behalf. Once the hit it off and Sophie stole Cassie’s heart, it becomes clear to Cassie how much Aiden’s presence at home is felt. She acknowledges how hard it must be to be a single dad to a young girl while also having a full blown career as a Chef but she also doesn’t let him off the hook. We see Cassie win over Sophie and also take on the challenge of Sophie’s aunt who doesn’t believe Aiden has the time in his busy schedule to truly be there for Sophie. 

Audiobook Rating: 5 Stars (Samantha Summers narrated and made this one a fun time to listen to, HIGHLY recommend the audiobook)

The interactions between Cassie and the side characters were quality enjoyable scenes. The interactions between Cassie and Aiden (when they do interact) were also top tier steamy and hot. Especially when Cassie realizes Aiden is not the stranger she thought he was, he’s actually a client from her Only Fans account! and instead of disclosing this bit of admittedly awkward information, she decides to keep it to herself. Readers, the ANGST! it is delivered in hefty servings I thoroughly enjoyed. My only “want” was more time to build up the connection between Cassie and Aiden in person. We do see their history through chats in their Only Fans interactions but I just wanted more page time with them instead of feeling the weight of Aiden’s schedule myself. I still had a good time, Cassie has such a fun personality that makes her easy to love. There’s also Wanda, her older ex-roomate who still checks in on Cassie to make sure she hasn’t been kidnapped and thrown in a basement by her new employer. Wanda is a good time! Seriously, her dating life is thriving and I would read her story ARC any time! The Nanny has a cast full of characters you won’t forget 😉

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Spoiler Free Review: Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Title: Silver Nitrate

Author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Pub. Date: July 18th 2023

Genre: Horror/Historical Fiction

Format: DRC

Publisher: Del Rey

Pages: 323

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I’ll be the first to admit I was unsure I’d be reading Silver Nitrate when we got wind of the premise. SMG is and will always be one of my top favorite authors and if there’s anyone who can get me to read a book based on horror films, it could only be Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Character driven and slower paced than some of her other books, Silver Nitrate is a blend of Horror and Historical Fiction set in Mexico City during the 90’s with references to the Golden Age of Mexican Cinema. Our main characters Montserrat is a sound editor who is stuck at a bad paying job where all the projects worth having are given to the owners favorites. Montserrat stays for the love of what she does but doesn’t do so silently, she’s tough and isn’t one to keep quiet at the inequality of it all. Her best friend Tristán who she’s been in love with since childhood, is a soap opera actor whose career is rapidly fading. After a break-up Tristán packs up and moves into a building and discovers his upstairs neighbor is the legendary cult horror director Abel Urueta. Montserrat and Urueta hit it off when he senses her real passion for horror films and so he tells them of the curse he believes is responsible for ending his career overnight. Urueta tells them of his involvement in a cult led by a Nazi occultist and how silver nitrate stock was being used in an effort to dispel magic through the screen. This of course backfired and cast a spell on all those working on the film, Urueta is one of the very few to have made it out alive. 

We really get to know Montserrat & Tristán once they decide to get involved with helping Urueta and start living through the repercussions. For Tristán it’s the ghost of his dead girlfriend and for Montserrat its the feeling that she’s being followed by a dark presence. It was around the 60% mark that I started feeling as if I couldn’t put the book down, I was engrossed in the paranormal happenings at this point. Our MC’s who are an odd pairing to say the least are also deeply connected to one another, there’s real care and concern coming off the page. Tristán is freaked out and would much rather close the door on all of this while Montserrat can’t turn away, it’s just not in her nature. She’s always had to play the tough role as someone who’s disabled and was bullied at a young age but never backed down. The contrast of personalities worked really well in getting me to care for these characters which in turn got me to get invested in the horror/historical elements that play center stage. SMG is a phenomenal writer! it was easy to reimagine Mexico City in the 90’s through her pen similar to the magic of Velvet Was The Night. Whether the muse behind this book was my jam or not doesn’t take away from the fact that this author continues to deliver quality story telling. Silvia Moreno-Garcia continues to prove that she cannot be boxed into any one genre and I’m here to read anything she writes! 

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Spoiler Free Review: Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo

Title: Family Lore

Author: Elizabeth Acevedo

Pub. Date: August 1st 2023

Genre: Contemporary/Fiction/Latinx

Format: DRC

Publisher: Ecco

Pages: 371

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One of my MOST highly anticipated reads of 2023 by one of my all time favorite authors, I could not wait to get my hands on a copy! and since I’ve always listened to Acevedo’s books while reading along, I couldn’t break tradition. If you haven’t done so already, you should absolutely treat your ears to Acevedo’s narrative style and join the many readers who simply adore this author’s storytelling/voice. This is Acevedo’s first adult fiction debut and we follow the six women of the Marte family in past + present timelines between Santo Domingo and New York City. Sisters Flor, Matilde, Pastora, and Camila have gathered to organize a living wake for Flor. The Oldest of the sisters has always had a close relationship with death, experiencing premonitions at a very young age that predicted which family members were close to passing. After watching a documentary of a man having a living wake with his loved ones present, Flor decided she would have one for herself. This story is slow paced as we get to know the sisters and some of their offspring, cousins Ona and Yadi also have chapters of their own as they navigate their mother/aunts live funeral. 

There’s something comforting in reading one of Acevedo’s books and I believe it’s because family is always at their core. Also, as a Latina woman myself having grown up in a large family there is one universal truth and that is…everyone is deeply invested in everyone elses lives for better or worse. Matilde is dealing with a husband who is always having an affair and this time has taken his extra marital activities much further. Pastora is tired of seeing Matilde put up with her philandering husband and wants her to end her marriage. She’s also trying to get to the bottom of the reasoning behind Flor’s live wake. Camila is the youngest and most forgotten of the sisters and she’s grown tired of that. Flor’s daughter Ona is struggling with fertility issues and wanting more than anything to have a child with her husband. Pastora’s daughter Yadi has her world rocked when her boyfriend from her teenage years returns after having been in prison for some years. 

I found some of these women’s stories to be  more compelling than others but can appreciate what Acevedo set out to achieve. It was during the scenes that took place back in Santo Domingo where you can see where and why these ladies have unhealed generational trauma and wounds to heal. Although they’re all deeply woven with one another, six lives to follow can get chaotic and sometimes I found myself getting lost. I felt some women were better developed than others and this led to some blending in of voices and difficulty keeping the story lines straight. Even though we Know Camila is sick of being the forgotten one, I still felt she pretty much was forgotten in this story which seemed like a missed opportunity. If you enjoy reading slower paced stories with a strong focus on family dynamics paired with a unique storytelling voice, you can’t go wrong with Elizabeth Acevedo. 

Favorite POV’s: Matilde and Yadi

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Spoiler Free Review: An Island Princess Starts a Scandal by Adriana Herrera

Title: An Island Princess Starts a Scandal (Las Leonas #2)

Author:Spoiler Free Review: An Island Princess Starts a Scandal by Adriana Herrera

Pub. Date: May 30th 2023

Genre: Historical Romance/Latinx/LGBTQIA+

Format: DRC

Publisher: Harlequin Trade Publishing/Canary Street Press

Pages: 368

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First Impressions: Manuela + Corazón are on my shelf of forever loved characters! It’s going to be tough choosing a favorite Leona 🌈

I’ll start this review off by saying Adriana Herrera can do no wrong in this corner of the interwebz! I simply love this author to pieces! This time around we get introduced to Manuela who has to be hands down the liveliest character I’ve come across on the page. She’s so much fun and not even the fact that she is set to enter a loveless marriage to a wealthy business man in Venezuela can deter her from her last adventure in Paris. It’s 1889 and Paris is having its Exposition Universelle, Manuela who is also an artist plans a trip with her two Leona besties. Her mission is simple: to get into the naughtiest of troubles, preferably with a beautiful woman. Manuela is marrying because it’s what will continue to allow her family to live a life of luxury but her truth is that she is attracted to women. On her trip to Paris, Manuela meets the sexy and enigmatic Corazon Kempf Bristol the Duchess of Sundridge while visiting one of the pleasure clubs. Their attraction is instant but they walk away not knowing whether they’d meet again…

Corazon Kempf Bristol has spent some time in Paris making a name for herself as an intimidating yet well respected businesswoman amongst mostly white male counterparts.She has been keeping her name out of any scandalous headlines after a romantic affair that saw her exit London in a less than graceful manner. Determined to acquire a piece of land that would allow the completion of a railroad system, Cora arranges to meet with the owner of that land in hopes of convincing them to sell. When she discovers Manuela to be the owner and hears her proposal, she knows she’s headed for a world of trouble but it’s too late because Manuela has fully captivated her. Manuela wants Cora to give her a summer in Paris filled with passion and escapism in exchange for the sale of her land. Try as she might to resist Manuela’s flirtations and tempting invitations, she simply cannot.

I’m torn between Luz Alana Heith-Benzan from A Caribbean Heiress in Paris and our Leona in this story, Manuela del Carmen Caceres Galvan! I don’t think I can choose because I love them for very different reasons and that just speaks to how well crafted/developed Adriana Herrera writes her leading ladies. This was fun, flirty, steamy and also full of depth. Manuela thinks she’s committed to this life back in Venezuela and just needs to get one more adventure out of her system before getting married. She never once considered the possibility of living her truth and finding others who have pursued their passion and made a life for themselves. She creates paintings that up until this trip haven’t really received the praise they deserved. In a city where the rules are more lax, we see Manuela give into the deepest of her desires and allow herself to imagine what if…

If I could write an entire appreciation post for Corazon I would but I’d be here all day, that woman exudes confidence. She’s hot even when she’s trying to remain calm cool and collected. I think the harder she tries, the hotter she is SMH! Adriana Herrera is giving us the empowered female characters we need. While reading this book I felt all the warm familiar vibes you get when you have a full cast of characters that vibe off each other, a good time was had! It also doesn’t hurt that those steamy scenes were 10/10 perfection! Don’t think you can pick this one up in public and not get a case of blushed cheeks haha! I’m beyond ready for our next Leona, my curiosity is piqued and if it means more time with my faves making appearances then I’m all in. 

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Spoiler Free Review: Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood

Title: Spoiler Free Review: Love, Theoretically

Author:Ali Hazelwood

Pub. Date: June 13th 2023

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Format: eARC + ALC

Publisher: Berkley Publishing Group

Pages: 389/12hrs  33 min

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☆☆ARC + AlC PROVIDED BY PUBLISHER, netgalley, and librofm IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW☆☆

*•.¸♡ “𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞? 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐝” ♡¸.•*

Theoretical Physicist Elsie Hannaway is an adjunct professor hoping to make tenure in order to pay her bills and get medical insurance. Her day job(s) don’t cut it despite what her family thinks and as a type 1 Diabetic, she doesn’t have the privilege of slumming it. Elsie and her quirky roommate Cece have joined a fake dating site which works for Elsie who is comfortable as a people pleaser. She learns her client and their situation in order to convert herself into whomever they need her to be at family functions, parties, or corporate events. This all changes when her favorite client’s older brother begins to suspect that something just isn’t right, he’s not buying their relationship and begins to press Elsie. The hate to love trope is activated and we see Jack Smith truly get under Elsie’s skin simply for seeing right through to her. Navigating family functions becomes a game of cat and mouse as they circle one another. Elsie tries to avoid getting caught not being able to answer questions about her client aka Jack’s younger brother. She’s sold everyone the story of her being a Librarian with no mention of what her career actually is but things take a turn and she soon sees herself exposed.

Elsie is about to begin an intense interview process for a highly coveted professor gig at MIT when she finds out that Jack Smith is on the committee in charge of hiring the candidate to fill the position. They are BOTH taken by surprise when they lay eyes on eachother and Jack now has more reason to believe his brother is dating someone he should not trust. Elsie who takes the privacy of her clients very seriously can’t speak freely so she decides to focus on impressing the rest of the board and getting the job.

I first started reading my DRC of this book when I decided to switch to the audiobook I downloaded as an ALC from Libro.FM, best decision I could’ve made! the narrator did their thing and I was fully engaged laughing, smiling and or grinning throughout the story. Having read all other books by Ali Hazelwood and thoroughly enjoyed them, I was really hoping this one didn’t follow the formula of its predecessors. Happy to report that certain things were scaled back a bit (obsessive ogling of male love interest’s body) and new themes were explored. Also, THIS is actually a hate-to-love! not a 5 second I thought I didn’t like you but really do love you type story. The first 32% of the book is cat & mouse and I enjoyed every minute of it. As a Diabetic myself, it was also cool to see it not being thrown around like a judgment call or joke. Our MC has type 1, she was born with it and brings to light the reality of just how expensive it is to be insulin resistant. On the academia front the author goes more in depth with the inner politics that have shaped STEM to be a field dominated by those who are cis white males. We see more women side characters in STEM who wish to see others also join the field and balance out the odds. I found the inner workings to be interesting, especially when the relationship between student and mentor is explored. The fact that not all mentors can be trusted drives home the point that the odds are def stacked high for the women interested in this field.

The ROMANCE my loves! steamy AF and fun! Jack is all about pleasing Elsie who has made a whole side hustle out of people pleasing. She doesn’t know how to be cared for and her frustration at not being able to figure out what Jack wants/needs is real. That last 30% of the book was LOTS of sexual tension and exploration, not for the faint of heart haha! I’ll say it here, Love Theoretically is better than Love On The Brain 🤷🏻‍♀️ and for those who love seeing their faves pop up in later books, I won’t say which couple but it is my fave duo who make an appearance! 💞

🔬🧪💞
*•.¸♡ ωнαт ι ℓσνє∂ ♡¸.•*
🧪Women in STEM
🔬Hate-to-Love that’s believable 🧪Diabetic female lead bringing awareness to the steep price tag on insulin/Glucometer
🔬ACE Representation from a side character
🔬Academic settings/inner politics of Academia
🧪discussion on post grad financial challenges
🔬Steamy slow burn romance/sex scenes

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Spoiler Free Review: Blood Debts by Terry J benton-Walker

Title: Blood Debts

Author: Terry J. Benton-Walker

Pub. Date: April 4th 2023

Genre: YA Fantasy/Paranormal

Format: eARC

Publisher: Tor Teen

Pages: 416

GOODREADS | BARNES & NOBLE | AMAZON | LIBROFM

☆☆ARC PROVIDED BY PUBLISHER IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW☆☆

New Orleans is where this story begins, the city is rife with tension between the magical and non-magical communities. We follow 16 year old twins Christina and Clementine in dual POV as they learn of their family’s painful history. Thirty years ago their grandmother was accused of murder, removed from the throne as queen and lynched alongside her husband, the twins grandfather. Flash forward to present day where Chris and Clem have recently lost their father leaving them to look after their sick mother. Or so they thought. When a voodoo doll is found under their mother’s bed, they realize they’re the target of the same magical council who dethroned their grandmother and a war for the throne is on the horizon. Told in dual POV this is a YA Fantasy centered around the Trudeau family and their generational magic. There are some mystery elements that play into the overall arc as we see Christina search for answers to her family’s tragic past and present day. Who is trying to kill their mother? did a spell Christina cast indirectly cause their father’s death? will Christina ever practice magic again? will the crown ever return to its rightful heir in the Trudeau family?

What I Loved? the strong presence of the twins elders, grief explored, necromancy, queer main character and side characters, and last but not least Clementine’s POV. I absolutely LOVED being in Clem’s mind who is loving, hopeful and has a strong desire to unite his family and help them get past their differences. This is a spoiler free review so I won’t go into detail but Clem’s story line definitely broke my heart and got me to shed some tears. It’s why I am absolutely picking up the follow-up Blood justice next Spring 2024. 

What I wanted? More of the city/setting, it’s New Orleans only because it’s stated but it’s not really shown. More of their mother’s POV, after all she is the rightful heir to the throne, lastly a slightly less morose Chris. She’s a force to be reckoned with and her powers are hinted at having the potential to be huge but she lives in perpetual guilt until about the last 10% of the book. That being said, I have a ton of respect for Christina who has her boundaries set firmly in place. Non-consent is discussed when magic is used for a love spell, seeing Chris firmly oppose this was one of those moments that stand-out and give you insight to her character. We also get introduced to a few side characters, some like the necromancer are very interesting. I’d love to see them explored more in the next book, especially because it was giving Frankenstein vibes and that is one my all time favorite classics. Given that the last 20% of the book was fast paced, violent and bloody…I predict Blood Justice will be delivered swiftly and mercilessly. High hopes from this Book Lover 🤞🏽

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