Regina
This was a super-fun (and clean) YA romance with some time travel and a mystery thrown into the mix. I can imagine that even though the main characters are teenagers, it's probably even funnier when you “were there” in the '90s... :D
I loved the cast of characters, especially Oakley and Hudson, but also their friends and family (Stacey! Sherm!).
Wonderful feel-good Christmas rom-com!
This latest book in the Cranberry Hill Inn series has all the ingredients I love in a romance:
* characters I can fall in love with
* witty banter
* some funny moments
* truly swoony moments
* beautiful writing
And, on top of all of that, there is Scooter, who totally stole my heart and who needs her own story, eventually. (Pretty please with snowflakes und Christmas magic on top?)
Ever since finishing “Counting on You”, I've been waiting to read this story! James is such an entertaining hero, and Ali-with-an-i is the perfect challenge (and ultimately match) for him.
I loved their banter, their plotting and scheming, and how their relationship developed over the course of the story.
More please!
Fabulous finale to a fun series!
Even though I'm a bit behind on the series, the story still works okay. Important points from the backstory are explained, so even if you are like me and haven't read all the other books yet, you'll still have fun with the shenanigans around Charlotte, Ham, and the rest of the NIIA gang.
Bonus points for the quotes at the beginning of each chapter. :)
Favorite quote: “I have a bad feeling about this.” :D
In this super quick read, the Drama is back (yes, with a capital ‘D'), mostly in the form of Isaac's ex Aspen. Isaac continues to mess things up (of course, he does...), and so it seems like Preston might be in the running again. (Yay! Go, Preston!)
So it seems that Destiny's relationship status has gone from “it's complicated” to “it's even more complicated”, and I'm curious to see how the story unfolds in the next instalments of the saga.
Disclaimer: I'm not a big fan of Billionaire stories. BUT I am a big fan of Laurie Baxter's writing.
It turns out, thankfully, that one of the protagonists being a billionaire has not all that much to do with the storyline. If he didn't happen to be a rather newly-minted, self-made rich guy, Alec would probably fall into the “kind-hearted, hot nerd” category of romance heroes - which incidentally is one of my favorites. ;)
Ivy is overthinking so much, she's not only second-guessing but third- and fourth-guessing every little detail. (Been there, done that. Sans billionaire, though.)
All in all, it's an quick, entertaining read with some funny and some swoony moments.
Daisy's lovely writing set in the world of Penny Reid's Winston Brothers series - in my book, that's a winning combination!
I loved spending my time with Olive and Jay on the AT, the banter between these two had me at times laughing out loud (always a plus when reading on public transit... ;) ), and I enjoyed to see their relationship develop.
While the inital attraction was rather insta-lovey, I liked that the story itself spanned several months.
Le sigh. Le melt. <3
This story kept me up way past my bedtime. And made me ugly-cry. Repeatedly. And I loved every single second of it, even if my heart was breaking. Because it gave me ALL the feels. And that included plenty of heart-warming moments as well as some quality time with the extended Reynolds clan.
Queens of Mana delves deeper into the story of Poli‘ahu and paints just as complex a portrait of the Snow Queen as the previous books did for Namaka and Pele, while also bringing all the overarcing previous story lines together in a satisfying close.
I feel like there are even more thematic echoes from the Norse Eschaton than in the previous two books, tying these myths from opposite sides of the world together and weaving them all into one big mythological tapestry.
On a more personal note, this is my favorite book in the trilogy - not only because the world is not quite ending and not everybody dies... ;)
This story has a somewhat more serious feel than the previous two. That's not to say that it doesn't have its truly funny moments, or that it's not as swoon-worthy as the other two (it totally is!).
But the stakes seem to be higher - at least for Grant - and so it's at least sort of understandable that he pulls some jerk moves. (The ensuing prank war has its moments, though!)
I like how Alex handles the adversity, and how she manages to win pretty much everyone over in the end.
Bonus points for Lucas and Casey, and of course for the other Tomboys. :)
One of my favorite quotes: “To hell with my heart. Alex Prince might stomp it to pieces, but maybe that's what hearts were made for.”
Le sigh.
If jumping to conclusions were an Olympic sport...
...Jordan would sure be competing for one of the medals (though she should probably rather stick to hockey... ;) ).
I thoroughly enjoyed watching her overcoming her insecurities and going for what (and, in the end, whom) she wants. Plus, Asher is just such a genuinely good guy - and him being a talented musician and a gifted athlete on top of that is practically a guarantee for swoon-worthiness, amiright?
Jordan's family plays an important part in this story; I loved how things worked out with her little brother, and her dad's little “speech” gave me all the warm fuzzies. :)
Jordan's friends add more fun to the mix - both the Tomboys (who make their appearance via text messages) as well as Natalie and Kelly, Jordan's besties at school.
Bonus points for making me go and look up if there is, indeed, a National Rubber Duckie Day. :)
NSFPT - Not Safe For Public Transportation :D
Caution, this book might cause tears (of joy, of laughter, or of heartbreak - it's all there), snort-laughing (you'll know what I mean when you read it, trust me!) and some serious swooning.
Though, let's be honest: Stiff Suit is a darn tough act to follow, but somehow Captain Dreamboat pulls it off. Jonathan and Blanka are their own brand of funny, sexy, swoony, heartbreaking and -melting, and I would give Chapter 4 alone a gazillion stars if I could! Add to that the usual craziness that is the Bracelyn clan, and you've got yourself another winner. :)
Fun and sexy rom-com with fantastic characters.
Ari is a strong, fun, and sassy heroine (plus, her family is a hoot!), and I really liked smooth-talking Jax and their witty banter, to say nothing of their chemistry.
But I'll admit that there was a point in the story where both Ari and Jax were just so stubborn and... gah!... that I felt like thwacking them over their respective heads, Mamá-Amante-style.
I adore Lola - and I especially enjoyed to see how her relationship with Jax developed, especially as more and more of the backstory was revealed. Their verbal sparring cracked me up! :)
The story can be read as a standalone, but to get the full effect of the Carolina Connection posse, it helps to have read at least some of the other books in the series.
This new series is off to a great start!
Roseanne Beck has become one of my go-to rom-com authors, her stories are funny, a little snarky, a little sexy, and her take on the “wounded” hero usually means that they poor guys are (getting) injured in one way or another...
Lauren and Jake are likeable and relatable main characters. I love that they are not perfect, but that they are still perfect for each other.
I also enjoy the family dynamics a lot - sometimes the situations are outright hilarious (Jake's nephew Reece and Lauren's Aunt Sheila have some of the best lines!), but it still feels genuine, and there's always a lot of heart (big kudos to Lauren and Jake's sisters, Kylie and Tracy!).
On top of all that goodness, there are also some pop culture references for those so inclined, but it doesn't take any of the fun away if you happen to miss them.
All in all, this is just my jam, and I can't wait for the next book in the series!
Can't wait for the next book in the series!
Red Awakening is a fast-paced emotional roller coaster that gave me ALL THE FEELS. Snort-laughing one moment, swooning the next, and ugly-crying right after that - not to forget all the nail-biting...
Mace is a marvelous paradox, being a stubborn sort-of-viking with jerk-y tendencies, but also a determined protector (especially of those of the female persuasion). Keiko - just the perfect mix of strong, vulnerable, plus a bit naive where her employer is concerned - is an excellent match for him and a great addition to the Red Team family.
(Also: No spoilers, but I LOVE Mace's other half!)
Slightly bittersweet Christmas novella with a satisfying happy end.
I really like the structure of this novella with each chapter describing one Christmas Day over the course of a decade. There is a lot of drama going on in this rather short read - not only with Alex and Lucas, but also with their families - but, somehow, Susannah Nix makes it work.
Among all that drama, we get to see Alex and Lucas grow up - and, sadly, grow apart - before they find their way together again.
To be honest, I found Lucas more relatable than Alex - but I was still rooting for the two of them to get togther (again) ever since that first swoon-worthy kiss...
A(nother) swoon-worthy YA sports rom-com by Maggie Dallen!
First of all, I love that tagline... - and the rest of the book too!
Hannah is a heroine I can easily root for - she ist capable, she knows what she wants, and she isn't afraid to go for it. Exhibit A (among many):
“You sure you know what you're doing with that guy?”
I shook my head. “No,” I said in all honesty. “But I don't think I could live with myself if I didn't try.”
River is a great addition to the long list of Maggie Dallen's swoon-worthy YA heroes, mitigating his cockiness with showing distinct (and quite entertaining) symptoms of having this long-time crush on Hannah.
Adding to the fun are both Hannah's friends and family (including the other two “tomboys” Alex and Jordan, who are getting their own stories in the series), but especially River's best friend Tristan - even more so when he teams up with River's older brother in one of my favorite non-romance scenes.
Looking forward to the other two stories in this multi-author series!
Since I haven't read the original Love's Labour's Lost, I don't know if the Bard is to blame for my niggles with this story...
Somehow I didn't like Rex very much (and I agree with Zara here, he does indeed have a big head ;) ), Bronx and Reggie seemed much nicer, and I have no idea why they would put up with someone like Rex as a “best friend”.
Having read “Perfectly Played” before its companion, I liked how “Beautifully Baked” started off with Flora and Dean's non-weddings - but from M.K. and Clay's perspective, of course - and continued to show glimpses of already familiar events throughout the story.
I knew I already loved M.K. and Clay before I even started this story, so I was rooting for them from the get-go, even if it was no secret that they'd get their HEA.
But... all those near-misses in the beginning! Gah! :D And I particularly enjoyed the close friendships between M.K. and Flora, and Clay and Dean respectively.
An unexpected yet absolutely delightful crossover with Holly Kerr's Oceanic Dreams story “I Saw Him Standing There” added an extra layer of happy for me. (Perfectly played, Ms. Kerr, so to speak... ;) )
Now... how about Adam's story?
I really enjoy Annabelle Costa's writing, her snarky humor, and especially her characters who are far from your stereotypical cookie-cutter heroes and heroines. They are human, they are not perfect, they are occasionally messed up - and, of course, messing things up.
John and Kirby were a great match, and I couldn't help rooting for them getting together, even though John occasionally behaved like a first class jerk, and Kirby took her sweet time to get her feelings sorted out (there's that messy realism again, eh?).
And that bubblegum cupcake scene? ALL THE FEELS. le sigh