Tag Archives: Contemporary romance

Acute Reactions by Ruby Lang

Book Review, , ,
Overview

Title: Acute Reactions
Author: Ruby Lang
Series: Practice Perfect #1
Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, Contemporary romance
Pace: Slow
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2015

Thoughts

This is a very simple and sweet contemporary romance. It’s definitely got absolutely no surprises in it and was a total breeze to read. One of those stories that I thoroughly enjoyed, but wouldn’t necessarily want to reread again and again.

Ian and Petra both have quite a few issues to get over for them to finally get together. In fact, the way that they meet and the ethical / moral greyness around this is actually the least of their worries. Petra might fixate on this, but ultimately, it’s actually their own nonsense that is a massive hurdle.

Having said that, I do love that this story brings up the morality of daring a patient. I mean, that’s how they meet and get to know one another, but there is nothing untoward throughout. In fact, Ian does everything he can to make sure Petra doesn’t look like she’s doing the wrong thing. In fact, it’s all of those nuances of doctor patient relationship that I liked. It’s a similar difficulty I’ve faced working in disability – you form connections with people being around them that much and in their lives, but you somehow have to also remain professional. It’s a hard line to walk.

I knew that Danielle (the ex) would be an issue in this story – I mean, there was nothing really all that great about her from the beginning. I didn’t actually anticipate just how low she would stoop and what she was likely to do though. It kind of made my teeth hurt if I’m being honest.

Sometimes this was a frustrating read (because people getting in their own damn way), but all in all I did enjoy this. It was a nice, light and fluffy read with just enough questions about morality to make me intrigued and happy.

<- More Ruby LangHard Knocks ->

Image source: Amazon

Beef Cake by Jiffy Kate

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview

Title: Beef Cake
Author: Jiffy Kate, SmartyPants Romance
Series: Fighting for Love #2
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, Contemporary romance, Sports romance
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2020

Thoughts

It’s taken me a little while to get to the next book in the Fighting for Love series, mostly because there are just so many amazing books on my shelves and I get very easily distracted. And it was just as good as the first book in this series. Kate is an amazing writer, and as with Stud Muffin, I loved that they have a genuine understanding of the world of MMA and the dedication that it takes to go pro. Plus, Frankie and Gunnar are a wonderful pair of leads that had me struggling to put this book down from the very beginning.

Frankie is an incredibly prickly female lead, absolutely nothing like Tempests firey nature, she’s just… prickly. And somehow the name Frankie just highlighted how damn prickly she is. I loved how well the name suited her from that very first appearance. And then, there’s the mystery of just who her dad is. The little hints that are shown throughout this novel had me constantly guessing. But, when her scars are revealed, I did guess. And correctly. But, even then, Frankie’s journey of discovery and acceptance were fantastic and incredibly emotional.

Then there is Gunnar, he is wonderfully driven. Not just in his MMA career, but also just how he is willing to drive himself to keep working at the relationships in his life. Not just with Frankie, but also the rest of the Erikson brothers. He is so adorably driven, but, he is also constantly checking for Frankie’s consent. Making what is sometimes a bit of a creepy trope into something that was wonderful and actually quite sweet. He also is willing to take that step back to let Frankie process her demons. I love that the couple actually take a little bit of time apart in this story so that Frankie is able to work on herself, rather than relying on somebody else to prop her up.

Getting your head screwed back on straight can be an incredibly difficult thing to do. I mean, admitting how messed up you are and then opening up is ridiculously hard. I loved how Frankie had the guts to face up to that and do the damn work. And, it is hard work. Both Gunnar and Frankie put in a whole lot of hard work throughout this story, not just towards their relationship, but also towards their own health and goals. I absolutely loved this story and will most definitely read it again multiple times.

<- Stud MuffinEye Candy ->

Image source: Goodreads

The Assist by Rebecca Jenshak

Book Review, , , ,
Overview

Title: The Assist
Author: Rebecca Jenshak
Series: Smart Jocks #1
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, Contemporary romance, Sports romance
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2018

Thoughts

The Assist is a very cute college romance. It’s an easy read, new adult romance. The fact that it also features a jock and an overly bubbly sorority girl just made it that much cuter. Plus, I love that Blair, whilst being a sorority girl is surrounded by positive female relationships. A lot of the stories I read feature not-so-healthy female relationships, ones that I’m annoyingly familiar with, but want to see less of, lets normalise the female relationships in this story – the ones that are supportive and have your back no matter what.

I love how from the very first moment, Blair is able to completely put her foot in it. She makes assumption after assumption and just… speaks before she thinks things through. Yet, somehow, that blundering assuming thing that she does is really quite endearing and cute. Rather than coming of as judgy and entitled, she comes across as a little bit oblivious and kind of sweet. She also has the loyalty towards Gabby, and I love how the prologue introduces their friendship, while the rest of the story continues it on. It also helps to set up how she’s going to fit into the world in later books…

The Assist highlights the horrors of sexual harassment. It starts out as a challenge to overcome, and difficulty in Blair’s way. But, as a nice dark counterpoint to the niceness of the romance it works really well. Blair’s plight shows just how horrifying sexual harassment and online harassment can truly be. And also the long-term ramifications and impacts which can occur. The abusive ex in Blair’s history is horrible, and I love that whilst he does actually get his poetic justice, there are still many lingering effects on Blair’s life. Sometimes it’s just a little too hard to put the genie back in the bottle.

As a counterpoint to Blair, Wes is kind of an absolute idiot. He is confident in his role in the college and has a brilliant statistical mind. Yet, he also is completely unable to look on the bright side of things. He’s also so oblivious to the ramifications of his actions to Blair that it’s almost painful. However, for all of his self-centred idiotry, he does eventually get his shit together. And I love how he is able to figure out a new future and find a way to move on from his dickishness. Definitely a fun completion to this story and one that I will probably read again in the future.

<- The CatchThe Fadeaway ->

Image source: Kobo

Hooking Up by Helena Hunting

Book Review, , ,
Overview

Title: Hooking Up
Author: Helena Hunting
Series: Shacking Up #2
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, Contemporary romance
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2017

Thoughts

Amalie and Lexington are yet another fantastic couple from Helena Hunting. I love that they actually get a Meet Cute before the events of this book. And, in the fun little novella Getting Down, you can already feel the tension and attraction between the two. It very, very quickly builds in this novel, but you already kind of feel it before you even open the first page. The fact that they also have to face a whole lot more drama and horribleness than Ruby and Bane in Shacking Up just makes it incredibly difficult to put this book down.

Amalie’s husband / ex, the horrible man that instigates all of the crap in this is actually freaking terrifying. I mean, horrible and manipulative exes are a pretty common story point. But the way he is so damn entitled, knowingly abusive and borderline stalkerish. That is seriously scary. That, and that he actively admits to grooming her with his emotional abuse. And that the only reason he ever showed an interest in Amalie is to one-up Lexington. I mean, seriously, there is no end to the horribleness that is this man. And the discomfort I got from reading about him.

This might start out as a bit of a holiday romance, but it is immediately clear that this couple is going to be in it for the long haul. I kind of hate that everyone jumps to some kind of horrible conclusions about Lexington’s motives. Yet, it’s Lexington is happy to be involved with Amalie in whatever way works for her, with no pressure or expectations placed upon her. The constant comparisons that can be made between Lexington’s treatment of her and the ex-who-shall-not-be-named helps to drive home the difference in a healthy relationship and a seriously unhealthy one.

I’m glad that although there are obviously some scars that Amalie carries from her wedding gone bad, but it was such a short stint that it’s not so horrifying. Both members of the couple are able to start to move on from the past pretty quickly, making this a fairly easy read still. Don’t get me wrong, it is definitely filled with a whole lot more heart hurting drama than Shacking Up, but definitely not as much as some of the other angsty books on my shelves.

<- Getting DownI Flipping Love You ->

Image source: Amazon

Getting Down by Helena Hunting

Book Review, , ,
Overview

Title: Getting Down
Author: Helena Hunting
Series: Shacking Up #1.5
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, Contemporary romance
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Novella
Year: 2018

Thoughts

This is a fun novella and a nice follow-on from Shacking Up. It gives more insight into how Ruby and Bane are continuing to negotiate their relationship and find their happily ever after. Plus, it is a great way to revisit not just Bane and Ruby, but also Amie and how her relationship is going. All through a Halloween party and the insanity that is trying to organise a massive event.

Getting Down also provides a nice way to lead into Hooking Up. Not only does it highlight the challenges that Amie is already facing in her relationship, it also shows some of the connection she feels for Lex. The way that Amie and Ruby’s future mother-in-laws are constantly contrasted and their treatment of the girls just further drives home all of the difficulties that Amie is about to face.

Like Shacking Up, this was a fund, easy and light novella. One that adds to the series by providing closure and a foreshadowing of what is to come. Definitely a fun read, and one that I will revisit in the future.

<- Shacking UpHooking Up ->

Image source: MacMillan

Shacking Up by Helena Hunting

Book Review, , ,
Overview

Title: Shacking Up
Author: Helena Hunting
Series: Shacking Up #1
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, Contemporary romance
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2017

Thoughts

This was one of those instances that I bought a book that looked interesting and got excited to read it. Only to find out that it was the fourth in the series, so then, of course, I had to buy the first three. And you know what? I’m not disappointed with this mistake at all. As the FIRST in this series, this was such an amazing story. It was fun, clever and cute. A tale that I most definitely enjoyed and will most likely read again in the future. One of those wonderful, easy reads that lets you go off on an adventure, without being so intense that you actually have to concentrate.

Ruby is a wonderfully off-kilter, loveable and sweet heroine. I love that although she comes from money, she is determined to make her own path in life. One that makes her happy and gives her her own sense of fulfillment. She is a wonderfully driven and content character who, although she is slowly and steadily falling for Bane, manages to still do it with her independence intact. I particularly love that when she realises her feelings, rather than continuing to “shack up” with Bane, she chooses to find her own place. That streak of independence is so damn admirable, and made me love the character that much more.

Bane (Bancroft) is kind of the perfect partner for Ruby – he’s also a little bit out of the “norm”, and so immediately accepting of Ruby’s decisions in life. In fact, he chooses to admire her for her wish towards independence. And, when he realises that some of his actions make her feel like her independence is being impinged upon, he takes a step back and lets her try and make her own way. Even his response to Ruby’s job as a burlesque dancer is driven by his hurt at being lied to rather than her actual job. I’ll be intrigued as to how Bane and Ruby’s relationship shows up in Hooking Up. Particularly since some of Bane’s forced cohort seem like absolute, complete and total wankas.

I love that Bane and Ruby originally find their common ground in Bane’s ferret. Any cute, show stealing pet is going to be a winner for me. And the way that she is able to drive some of the dialogue as the two get to know each other is really sweet. Actually, this whole enforced roommates romance is made all that much sweeter in the fact that Ruby and Bane, although they have the insta-attraction, spend time actually getting to know one another. Don’t get me wrong, there’s some wonderful, witty and steamy banter from the very beginning, but they still actually spend that time conversing before taking that final plunge.

There is a very obvious set up for Hooking Up in this in that Ruby’s best friend is obviously going to have her own story. I mean, the jerk fiancé? Puh-lease! And then there’s Bane’s brothers who are also getting a few parts of their backstory set up. It makes me want to dive right into the next tale in this series! Although, I do say that for almost every good book that I read…

<- More Helena HuntingGetting Down ->

Image source: Kobo

Slapshot by Rebecca Jenshak

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview

Title: Slapshot
Author: Rebecca Jenshak, Heart Eyes Press
Series: Moo U #3
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, Contemporary romance, Sports romance
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2021

Thoughts

This is my first Rebecca Jenshak novel – and I will most definitely be reading more. I fell in love with both Kaitlin and Lex from the very beginning. They were relatable and interesting, without being too overwhelming with their flaws. It was also one of those wonderful stories in which you can most definitely predict what’s going to happen, without it being a boring story. Honestly, one of my favourite things about reading a contemporary romance.

Kaitlin is a bit of an overindulged and spoilt girl, but I love that she’s actually aware of that fact. Plus, although there is the drama that led to her being at Moo U, she’s actually kind of innocent. Plus, alongside all of her flaws and spoilt ways, she’s wonderfully perky. Not in that, dear god no more kind of way, but the hopefully optimistic about the world around her. Which, of course balances out all of her thorns and trust issues perfectly.

Lex makes the perfect partner to work through Kaitlin’s trust issues. He is cockily confident, but beneath that he’s overwhelmingly kind. He also knows from the very beginning that Kaitlin (and I’m not even sure I’m spelling that right) has a whole lot of walls that he’s going to have to break down. Yet, he’s determined to show her that she is actually worth it. Alright, not necessarily the most realistic aspect of this romance, but it’s such a nice idea that someone is going to look at all of your thorns, and decide that you’re worth it anyway. There’s a reason I’ll be reading Jenshak again, and it’s those little moments of ooooooh that do it.

I most definitely predicted how the last minute hurdle was going to work out – not the exact details, but I knew it would have something to do with Kaitlin’s trust issues and her dad. But, I love how it was all resolved. I also love how Lex works on helping Kaitlin restore her relationship with her father, rather than just his relationship with her. Such an amazing novel, and I can’t wait to read not only more Jenshak stories, but more tales of the Moo U hockey team.

<- BlindsidedHoldout ->

Image source: Amazon

Foundation by Lainey Davis

Book Review, , ,
Overview

Title: Foundation
Author: Lainey Davis
Series: Brady Family #1
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, Contemporary romance
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2020

Thoughts

I love that this is a romance in which two people fall in love while training for a marathon. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a huge fan of running, but, I can understand how two people going through some pretty intense training can get to know each other quite quickly. Plus, there’s the whole sex immediately after running endorphins thing which is amazing. And the uniqueness of falling in love when marathon training – a pathway that I haven’t often seen throughout my many, many, many contemporary romance readings.

I do need to read more about The Stags though. I love that this is the beginning of the romances for the Brady Family, but there were so many allusions to the Stag family and how they all fell in love. Since Nicole is a peripheral character in some of their lives, I can’t wait to get to know that family all that much more. Plus, it just gives me yet another rabbit hole to dive into with my reading… because I don’t have enough of them already.

Isaac is so completely damaged by his mother’s abandonment and his perceived outside status in his own family. As with all of the flawed characters, there were times that this was incredibly frustrating. But I love how he manages to eventually find a way to work past his crap. In fact, he finally realises that a lot of what he is feeling is projected by himself, not caused by the people who actually love him the most. I’m so wonderfully glad that ultimately he doesn’t let this totally ruin his relationship with his family.

Nicole is an absolute supreme boss woman. Something that is incredibly difficult to be if I’m being honest. I particularly love the moment when she decides to actually take back control of her professional life. Yet, unlike many of the boss woman tropes I come across, Nicole isn’t nasty or totally closed of from others. She’s assertive and confident in herself, and uses that to stop people from completely railroading her. I also love that Isaac isn’t intimidated by this at all. In fact, he actually admires her power and encourages it, without finding it threatening in any way, shape or form.

Foundation is a wonderfully sweet and endearing story. It left me smiling and feeling incredibly comfortable when I turned that final page. The perfect late night read for when your brain isn’t quite firing on all cylinders. And one that has added a whole new author to my TBR.

<- More Lainey DavisSuspension ->

Image source: Amazon

Overnight Sensation by Sarina Bowen

Book Review, , , ,
Overview

Title: Overnight Sensation
Author: Sarina Bowen
Series: Brooklyn Bruisers #6
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, Contemporary romance, Sports romance
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2019

Thoughts

I love that even the name Castro implies a bit of a womaniser / ladies’ man. But, as his story unfolds, and you begin to understand just why he is not really interested in a relationship, it becomes a little less light and funny. Yet, there are still many heart lifting moments throughout this romance, that even with the sad backstory, you’ll still have a smile on your lips throughout the majority of this story.

One of my pet peeves throughout the romance tropes and frustrations is when a character makes decisions for another person. In this case, when Castro just decides for Heidi that she shouldn’t put up with his drama, past, and nonsense. I love that Castro’s friends actually call him on this and remind him that it’s actually not a unilateral decision. There are always two people in a relationship, so they both should have a damn say in how that relationship takes sense.

At the beginning of Brooklynaire, I found Heidi a wee bit too chipper. Probably because that was Bec’s original impression, and it’s written in her point of view. Yet, from the moment she enters the storyline in Overnight Sensation, I was kind of in love. The chipper, bubbly front isn’t everything that she is, although, she is still one of the most optimistic characters I’ve read in a long time.

I love that while Castro is working through his emotions and past, Heidi is going through her own dramas and challenges. And, regardless of what her father and the universe throw at her, she manages to come out on top. She is constantly having some serious obstacles to overcome, and yet she finds a way to not just deal with it, bit to thrive. In fact, I was so damn proud of how much Heidi thrives throughout this tale that I was kind of disappointed attending. I wanted an epic showdown and a reclaiming of independence with her father, instead it was very anticlimactic. But still good enough to read again and again.

<- BountifulSuperfan ->

Image source: Goodreads

The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams

Book Review, , ,
Overview

Title: The Bromance Book Club
Author: Lyssa Kay Adams
Series: Bromance Book Club #1
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, Contemporary romance
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2019

Thoughts

I actually read the first book in this series after reading the fifth book, because Christmas. So I did already know that the premise was that there is a Bromance Book Club that helps men to connect with the women in their lives. And, also, just lets men connect in whatever way they need to. It also meant that I already knew I was going to enjoy this because I enjoyed A Very Merry Bromance so much. Having said that, I actually think that I enjoyed this even more. For starters, it was wonderfully refreshing that this is a romance that actually starts in the middle of a marriage. That point when there is no more communication and the two leads are just struggling to figure out how to get back to who they were. Not just as a couple, but to find who they are as individuals as well. Of course, the complications and stressors of children made it all that much more volatile and difficult. I loved reading about not that moment of falling in love, but how you fall back in love with your significant other after life impacts you.

Although you can see how drastically Thea and Gavin could’ve gotten off track, I definitely I felt like Gavin was the one with his head further up his arse. His unwillingness to give up on his marriage is ultimately a good thing, and this stubbornness gives him an edge when others might have given up. But this same stubbornness is kind of what lands him in trouble in the first place – an inability to see past his own hurt and nonsense and actually listen to his wife gets his butt kicked to the curb. I do love though how is friends in the BBC (Bromance Book Club) consistently kick his butt and make him see reality. And that his hurts aren’t all about him, sometimes your hurts bleed over to others and you need to just stop and deal with your shit. In fact, that seems to be the underlying theme of not only this book, but the book they read within the book – backstory is everything and if we understand just what the backstory is, we can understand the hurts of today.

There are a few moments throughout this novel that had me grinning like a damn Cheshire cat – but two stand out in particular. Firstly, the moment when Gavin just yells “Backstory!” at Thea and storms out. Not only is it a great reminder that it took both of them to break up their marriage, but he also has been able to learn what the damn bromance has been pushing at him. Then, there’s the moment where Thea finally manages to regain some of her strength and independence – she not only shuts down the other, horrible women who are attached to the players. But, she also owns her relationship with her husband. “He stutters in bed, and it’s fucking amazing”. Quite possibly one of my favourite mic drop moments that I’ve read in a very long time.

There are so many brilliant moments throughout this novel. Ones that I look forward to revisiting again and again. Not just in Gavin and Thea’s romance. But also in Courting his Countess, the novel that Gavin is actually reading. I love that it looks like Adams has actually written this in entirety, because honestly, that’s a book that I actually want to read as well…

<- More Lyssa Kay AdamsUndercover Bromance ->

Image source: Goodreads