Title: Beach Boss Author: Liz Alden Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect) My Bookshelves:Contemporary romance, Vacation romance Pace: Fast Format: eBook, Short story
After reading this short story, I just want more of the Wanderlust Resort. I mean, I got to see Emery and her partner in The Rival in South Africa, and Clara from Nutcracker with Benefits is also mentioned in Beach Boss, so I love the cross over. And it was good to see their origin. But, I also wanted more of the resort in the Caribbean and the different couples that could fall in love here.
There is something dreamy and sweet about a vacation romance. The fact that this is a story all about falling in love with a Caribbean beach as the backdrop is just so damn cute. Plus, Emery is also reeling from the death of her father and trying to figure out how to rebuild his business. It makes the love and support in this story all that much sweeter and more endearing. Plus, Emery’s mum absolutely sucks. I mean, yeah, she has hurt feelings from the past with her dad. But to take that out on your own child? Absolutely unbelievable. So much nope.
This is a really quick and cute read about two people finding their way back to one another. They both have crushes on each other from years ago, but the depth of feeling and maturity just grows and grows with the advent of age and understanding. I absolutely adored this story, and as I mentioned before, I would love more of this Resort and all of the potential it shows!
Title: Best Served Hot Author: Amanda Elliot Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect) My Bookshelves:Contemporary romance, Food Pace: Medium Format: eBook, Novel Year: 2023
I can’t say that the idea of Internet Influencers, or running my own page that brings in traffic as a career has ever been something that I’ve completely understood. It’s just a world that my introverted self doesn’t quite feel the need to enter. However, I absolutely loved reading a story about someone who puts their passions and loves out into the public eye through social media and the public eye. It was an entirely new viewpoint and one that I wasn’t really expecting. But, man, did I enjoy it.
One of the aspects that I loved about this romance is that it took the different modes of food reviewing and highlighting the pros and cons of each style. Julie is the grass roots internet influencer who is all about the hidden gems and is working out how to make her own footprint on the “scene” without much assistance. Bennett on the other hand is from a more privileged background and thus has a greater number of resources to begin with. He also has a different set of limitations to Julie, both have their unique niches that they slot into brilliantly, and, ultimately, neither of them is “better” than the other, rather, they are just two different sides of the same passionate coin.
Even though you know that Bennett and Julie are going to end up together (because romance), I love how well their chemistry reads from the very first moment. There are just sparks flying everywhere, and I couldn’t wait for them to dive in. Plus, the characters that I thought would stand in the way of their happily ever after actually support their attraction! I love that the entire story was a massive slow burn and they really don’t get together to fairly close to the end. Of course, there is that last minute spanner in the works that drives them apart again. But it was still nice to read a good, solid slow burn that had me speed reading through the pages to find when they finally decide to get together.
I must admit, that this is definitely a book I wouldn’t suggest people eat on an empty stomach. It is just filled with wonderful and delicious descriptions of food. Descriptions that, even as I’m writing this review, make me want to get in the kitchen and create something scrumptious. I’m actually not that talented in the kitchen, but it made me want to try. I love that, even when Julie is so dang obsessed with class / social circles, food ends up ultimately being the great equaliser. It’s a great mode in which her big chip on her shoulder is whittled down just a bit. We all enjoy food in our own unique ways, and, whilst our background can and will influence what we are drawn to, we are all drawn to food of some sort. At least, in my experience.
The end of 2024 was just as hectic and insane as the rest of the year, but the beginning of 2025 has been a little slower and nicer. Which has meant that I’ve read a lot since the last update. Many fun books, some with a Christmas theme, others with just an all round fun story line.
Starting the Meet Me Under the Mistletoe anthology is the story of Eva and Finn, but there are multiple mentions of Leo and Haley’s engagement and how it instigated a whole lot of change for their families. I love that the following story, O Come All Ye Faithful is all about Leo and Haley’s experiences of the Christmas party. As they’re a more settled couple, there was none of the will they / won’t they feelings. And there was a whole lot of contentment in their relationship. Which I seriously enjoyed.
There was a lot of the BDSM sexuality throughout this story, which I often find is a bit of a guilty pleasure of mine. This is a quite intense tale, one that I absolutely adored. Even if it’s definitely the kind of story that I would prefer to read without witnesses and companions, like I said, a perfectly enjoyable guilty pleasure. Particularly as the sexuality of the story lends itself to telling more of Leo and his control impulses. It also creates a darker lens to this romance and Christmas party, one that I found dark and unforgettable.
I love that, although Haley and Leo are an established and settled couple in this story, they are still negotiating the changes in their public personas. Haley is constantly worried about how she is going to fit into Leo’s world. And I love that she figures out a way to play in his waters, helping to make his life a little easier. And honestly, just showing the depths of her love for the man.
I absolutely adore cozy mysteries. There is something about them that is such a fun and enjoyable diversion. Particularly in this world that is insane and incredibly intense. The fact that this is a well-written cozy mystery with dragons was going to pull me in far more deeply. And then there’s the fact that the Women’s Institution are absolutely obsessed with tea and cake. This is definitely not the book that you should be reading on an empty stomach. Or without tea and cake at hand to enjoy the high jinx and nonsense that the cast manage to get up to.
Throughout the entirety of this story, I could not stop smiling and giggling. Every single chapter was hilarious and I honestly could not stop laughing. I mean, not only are there meddling, pint-sized dragons who can’t stop getting involved and irritating the cops involved in the murder. But Alice and Miriam can’t stop there nosy meddling ways either. The fact that Miriam and Alice are elder women with complex pasts who will try anything just made it all that funnier. A young detective comes to a small town expecting to easily solve a murder, but then has to deal with the nonsense that Alice brings along to the table.
I could honestly spend this whole review reflecting on how much I love and was entertained by the WI and their shenanigans. Not one of them is a meek elderly lady who is easily led. Rather, they all have opinions, they all want to help. And even the more clueless of them seem to just get under foot and cause havoc and chaos. I honestly found DI Adams trying to deal with their nonsense and figure out just how the hell to solve a mystery in a small town to be one of the most hilarious things I’ve read in a while. It was such a subtle and English humour running through the words. And I couldn’t put them down.
Even though there are hints as to who the real villain was from the beginning, I didn’t actually guess who it was. In hindsight it is incredibly obvious. Partly this is because Watt was incredibly good at providing Red Herrings and misleading you throughout. But it was also in great part to the fact that I couldn’t stop laughing at the shenanigans. I didn’t even necessarily care who committed the murder throughout most of the story. I just wanted to see what awkward position Beaufort, Montgomery, Alice and Miriam would find themselves in next. Which, of course, just makes me want to dive into Yule Be Sorry all that much more.
It’s been a bit of time since I last read a story by Skye Warren. And I kind of forgot how there tends to be a dark undertone to her romances. This feeling of so many secrets and horrors underlying the lust and potential romantic connections. It’s probably why she’s not an author I read constantly, but one I still like to have on my shelves. Sometimes you just need a darker story to fill your time and energy.
This short story acts as both a tale of the rich and famous at a Christmas gala, but also a beginning to the One for the Money series. It’s pretty intense and I’m absolutely intrigued by all of the drama and horrors that hide in people’s lives. I felt like the entire time I was reading these three chapters, my heart was in my throat and I was waiting for the next lot of insanity and nonsense to hit.
Finn might be a total alpha who has most likely left bodies in his wake. But it’s obvious that Eva has secrets too. And I doubt that she’s anywhere near as innocent as she comes across. This is unapologetically dark and I can’t wait to read One for the Money.
Carla and Noah work wonderfully as an opposites-attract story. Noah is a stunt driver, with no hesitation in diving into a number of life-risking endeavours. Carla on the other hand, is a software developer who has a chronic health condition and isn’t able to just follow the impulses and dangers of Noah’s life. I love how different they are, and how they are able to make their relationship work. It’s a great reminder that different people with different needs and desires can still work wonderfully together. And, as is very much in evidence within Tough Cookie, support each other through the good and the bad.
I had a brief brush against Chronic Fatigue Syndrome when I was in high school, luckily for me, it was a short term experience. Honestly, reading about a woman with this condition was a big reminder of just how intense and terrifying this experience is. I’m always keen to read romances, or indeed, any story which features someone with a chronic condition, it reminds us that most people have some battle or other that they must face. Hunter is brilliant at highlighting that Carla is just a normal human with a whole lot less Teaspoons. And, honestly, a lot more will power and willingness to fight for what she wants than some other people if I’m being honest.
At the beginning when Noah is happy that Carla doesn’t really like him, because women just fall for him, I thought he was a bit of a fool. I mean, that’s a pretty big ego one has there and it felt kind of unrealistic. But then, you find out just why he fears someone developing feelings for him just for his natural charisma. It took a while, but that assumption became far less negatively judged after finding out more about Noah’s past. Then, there’s the fact that he completely respects Carla’s boundaries and needs. He might help push her outside of her comfort zone, but he does it with her permission and is constantly checking in to see how she’s coping with all of the changes in her life.
Hunterbrings a lot of experience and knowledge to the character of Carla. A lot of illnesses, disabilities, chronic conditions, etc. are invisible. Which, in my experience, means that people don’t quite think that they exist. Carla’s family and her ex both act like this to varying degrees. Whilst her family is just trying to help, but not actually succeeding in so many ways. Her ex-fiancé on the other hand, could not deal with her illness. Whilst it’s understandable that some people can’t deal with having a sick partner, it’s also not painting him in the greatest light. The fact that the person he swore to love is exchangeable because they can’t act the way they once did. Loving someone means loving them through all of the twists and turns of life, not just the convenient and easy moments.
Noah as a male cookie maker and cake decorator is too adorable. I love that his passion started as a child helping out his mother. And then choosing to pursue it again as an adult. I love that it is a man in a female-dominated sphere (a rarity even in the books I read), and that he just embraces it. Plus, there’s the whole making cookies which suit all of Carla’s dietary restrictions. But making cookies which are still nice and don’t taste (and feel) like cardboard. I wish this recipes were here for me to try…
This novella is filled with snapshots into the life and times of Dorian. I love that each chapter is a different point in his life and his journey to Aisha and his ability to shift. I love that the first few chapters are about Dorian learning to accept his latency. And, rather than choosing to let this be a weakness, he turns it into a superpower. His will and strength of self are seriously enviable, from a very young age too. And I hope that I am able to raise children with the same strength of self and resilience that Dorian has!
Where Hostage to Pleasure ends with Dorian’s first transformation, this novella takes place before and after this. Starting with the previously mentioned early years, and then surpassing his first shifts to when he lets the rest of his family know. The joy and the genuine love for one another come striking off of the pages with every word. I love that sense of belonging that each of the DarkRiver cats find, and how they have accepted Dorian as he is, but also rejoice in the positive changes in his life.
The fat that all of the sentinels give Dorian no quarter even though he’s only just learning how to be a cat made me smile. They accept him and make sure that he knows he is still expected to be as tough and independent as he’s always been. They treat him as the powerhouse that he is, and this recognition of his power made me smile. It’s nice to know that people don’t just assume that others are weaker because they have a handicap. It also lit up a fire in Dorian. Definitely a story that I needed to fill in all of the joyful gaps in Dorian’s story and journey to becoming the strong sentinel I fall in love with every time I read Hostage to Pleasure.
Everybody Wants to Rune the Worldis a great little cozy mystery andparanormal romance. Sigmund and Virginia are an entertaining couple that keep avoiding the obvious. But, they are also a simple read and a great diversion when you’re needing something happy and easy to read. I tend to love Roth’s writing for just this reason – there is enough action that I want to see what high jinx are going to happen next. But not so much that I get angsty and can’t put the book down.
I love that this story actually starts 16 months earlier, when Sigmund actually realises that Virginia is his fated mate. But is then filled with so much self doubt that he refuses to act on it. It gives constant entertainment to the town of Bewitching, and makes the two act like, well, absolute fools. Particularly Sigmund, he’s a big, scary kraken shifter who is scared to talk to the woman that he loves. Which of course just confuses the heck out of Virginia, and makes the townsfolk laugh at the shenanigans. Constantly and with much mirth.
Once Petey finally gets involved with Sigmund’s inability to actually make a move, I love that Virginia is able to just dive right in with both feet. Rather than continuing to hesitate (as she has done for the previous 16 months), she chooses to embrace the marriage that Petey officiated and start to chase the poor, ignorant shifter. Sometimes men just need a bit of a shove, and her confidence in doing this made me laugh out loud. The fact that it quickly gets rid of the potential love triangle emotional entanglement just made it all that much better.
I must admit, I did guess who the villain of the story was and the one who was starting to hunt Virginia. I mean, he’s effectively set up as the anti-Sig way too well. And, it makes so much more sense and fun to have any potential barriers to their future relationship nipped in the bud. I also love that, in dealing with the villain and threat to Virginia, Sigmund is able to finally embrace his kraken side and regain confidence in himself and his newfound abilities.
All in all, Everybody Wants to Rune the World is an incredibly cute and fun read that I will probably open up again. It was a great journey and fun diversion, and I’m hoping that Roth revisits the world of Bewitching again and again. There is just something fun and super chaotic about the whole town that is irreplaceable and unforgettably joyful.
It’s been a while since I last read the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, and I love that I’ve just randomly decided to dive into a reread. Some of the series that I read when I was younger haven’t aged as well now that I have children. But, that’s most definitely not the case with this series. In fact, I can’t wait to share these books with my children when they get older. Even though this was a reread, The Lightning Thief was just as brilliant and fun as I remembered.
I love that everything Riordanwrites is about those who are neurodivergent or don’t quite fit the “normal mould”. Each and every one of these children have their own talents and powers, it’s a reminder that we all have super powers, we just need to figure out how to use them. Percy’s slow discovery of his own powers and that he’s not actually a troubled kid is a really nice journey. This is only the beginning of him finding out just who he is. But, it is such a reward to read about a kid that finally realises that being different doesn’t mean bad.
Even though I knew who the “bad guy” of this story was going to be, I still really enjoyed reading this story. Plus, it was fun to pick up on those extra hints throughout that I’ve missed before. Plus, it was easier to see just why the betrayal happened. Riordan creates some wonderfully scary villains in the Greek monsters, but also some sadly tragic and relatable ones in the humans and demigods that work with the Big Evil.
I can’t wait to dive in and reread the rest of the Percy Jackson series and beyond. This is such a phenomenal and enjoyable read that I just didn’t want to put down. You know that a book is good when you can’t put it down, even if it is your third read through. I can’t wait to share this story with my children in the future, and read it again and again. Plus, there are now a whole heap more books in the Riordan universe that I need to rearead, and read for the very first time!
Earth and Skye 