Category Archives: Romance

Review: Daughter of No One by Carissa Broadbent

30 December, 2024 1:14 am , Leave a Comment ,


Daughter of No Worlds
The War of Lost Hearts #1
By: Carissa Broadbent
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication date: January 7, 2020
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Rating:

A former slave fighting for justice. A reclusive warrior who no longer believes it exists. And a dark magic that will entangle their fates.

Ripped from a forgotten homeland as a child, Tisaanah learned how to survive with nothing but a sharp wit and a touch of magic. But the night she tries to buy her freedom, she barely escapes with her life.

Desperate to save the best friend she left behind, Tisaanah journeys to the Orders, the most powerful organizations of magic Wielders in the world. But to join their ranks, she must complete an apprenticeship with Maxantarius Farlione, a handsome and reclusive fire wielder who despises the Orders.

The Orders’ intentions are cryptic, and Tisaanah must prove herself under the threat of looming war. But even more dangerous are her growing feelings for Maxantarius. The bloody past he wants to forget may be the key to her future… or the downfall of them both.

But Tisaanah will stop at nothing to save those she abandoned. Even if it means gambling in the Orders’ deadly games. Even if it means sacrificing her heart.

Even if it means wielding death itself.

 

My thoughts…

 

Wow. This story was really good. I mean, so good that I put the book down 3 months ago due to life, and only just recently picked it back up and then proceeded to devour it. I love the story that the author created and the fact that everything wasn’t polished and clean. Tisaanah has been a slave the majority of her live. A slave that has had to do whatever her master asked of her, and then some in order to survive. After breaking out of her awful life, she heads for the Order to help her free the other slaves. However, there are certain criteria that must be met, and let’s just say that the Order is hiding a lot.

Given that Tisaanah was a slave that had to do a lot of demeaning things, to say that her story and personality aren’t raw and honest would be an understatement. She doesn’t hold back, and she knows how to use her body and girlish innocent charms to fool those around her. Then you have Max who is her crotchety, grumpy instructor that the Order forces to teach Tisaanah how to utilize her magic in order to fight. He has long since left the Order behind and wants nothing to do with them, but here he is, in the middle of it all again. Seeing him and Tisaanah interact and then learning his story as the book progresses was really interesting to me. It was like pulling back the layers of an onion.

Now, I don’t want to go into too much detail because there’s a LOT that happens that I wouldn’t want to spoil. However, if you’re someone looking to read a fantasy novel about two people who for all intents and purposes should have been broken and given up, but pushed through to fight for what they believed in… then you should definitely pick up this book. It had magic, mystery, fight scenes, romance, friendship, and a whole lot of action that I practically stayed up the last few nights reading as much of this book as I could before my eyes grew too tired to stay open.

Posted in: Fantasy, Romance

Review: Falling for the Royal Guard by Megan Clawson

11 December, 2023 8:47 am , Leave a Comment ,

Falling Hard for the Royal Guard
Megan Clawson
Publisher: Avon
Publication date: April 27, 2023
Genre: Romance
Rating:

Despite living in an actual castle, happily ever after is evading Margaret ‘Maggie’ Moore.

From her bedroom in the Tower of London, twenty-six-year-old Maggie has always dreamed of her own fairy-tale ending.

Yet this is twenty-first century London, so instead of knights on white horses, she has catfish on Tinder. And with her last relationship ending in spectacular fashion, she swears off men for good.

And then a chance encounter with Royal Guard Freddie forces Maggie to admit that she isn’t ready to give up on love just yet… But how do you catch the attention of someone who is trained to ignore all distractions?

Can she snare that true love’s first kiss… or is she royally screwed?

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Posted in: Romance

Review: The Godparent Trap by Rachel Van Dyken

24 April, 2023 11:57 am , 1 Comment ,

The Godparent Trap
Rachel Van Dyken
Publisher: Forever
Publication date: July 19, 2022
Genre: Romance
Rating:

Colby’s living her best life: as a popular food blogger, she gets to fulfill her dreams of exploring the globe. But her world comes crashing down when a tragic accident leaves her co-guardian of her best friend’s two adorable children. Not only does she need to put down roots—fast—but she’ll be sharing custody with the one man she can’t stand sharing a continent with, let alone a house.

Accountant-extraordinaire Rip values rules and plans. But when he loses his sister and his best friend and becomes an insta-guardian all in one night, Rip sees his organized life imploding. What he really doesn’t need is his sister’s irresponsible, flighty—albeit kind and gorgeous—best friend making it worse.

Rip doesn’t trust Colby to take their new responsibilities seriously, while Colby can’t believe Rip thinks children will thrive under his rigid control. Yet soon Rip and Colby discover they need each other more than they hate each other. Could it be possible that following their hearts is just what their new little family needs?

 

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Review: The Paid Bridesmaid by Sariah Wilson

31 March, 2023 8:19 pm , 2 Comments ,

The Paid Bridesmaid
Sariah Wilson
Publisher: Montlake
Publication date: Jan. 1, 2022
Genre: Romance
Rating:

Rachel Vinson is a bridesmaid for hire: part confidante, part wedding planner, and one hundred percent pretend BFF. Discretion guaranteed. Her next gig is a destination wedding—livestreamed and sponsored—for an Instagram influencer. That means a paradise of new contacts, which could be a boon to her already booming business. If Rachel can keep the very handsome and slightly too interested best man at bay, that is.

High-tech entrepreneur Camden Lewis must know: Who is this gorgeous, intelligent, and mysterious woman? Too good to be real. Convinced she’s a corporate spy out to tank his company, Camden’s not letting her out of his sight. But the constant surveillance is also opening his eyes to things about Rachel that he likes. If she’s a spy, she’s certainly the cutest one he’s ever seen.

As the week’s worth of wedding events march along, Rachel and Camden are learning almost everything there is to know about each other. Rachel’s made a career out of always a bridesmaid…but perhaps there’s a chance for her own trip down the aisle?

 

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Posted in: Romance

Review: Frost by C.N. Crawford

20 March, 2023 1:12 pm , 1 Comment ,

Frost
(Frost and Nectar #1)
C.N. Crawford
Publisher: Self-published
Publication date: Oct. 3, 2022
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Rating:

On the worst birthday of my life, I come home to find my boyfriend in bed with another woman. Within hours, I’m drunk, homeless, and pledging to stay single forever. And that is when the dangerously sexy Seelie King rolls through town, looking for fae like me.

Every generation, the king holds a competition for Seelie queen. But for reasons he won’t explain, Torin is looking for a charade, not a real marriage. So when I drunkenly sling insults his way, I have his attention.

When Torin offers me fifty million to participate, I think, “What have I got to lose?” The answer turns out to be “my life,” because my competition will literally kill for the crown.

And the more time I spend with the seductive king, the harder it becomes to remember it’s all supposed to be fake. Now, my life—and my heart—are one the line.

 

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Posted in: Fantasy, Romance

Review: The Nanny by Lana Ferguson

3 March, 2023 1:28 am , 2 Comments ,

The Nanny
Lana Ferguson
Publisher: Berkley Books
Publication date: April 11, 2023
Genre: Romance
Rating:

After losing her job and being on the brink of eviction, Cassie Evans finds herself with two choices: get a new job (and fast) or fire up her long-untouched OnlyFans account. But there are no jobs to be found, and as for OnlyFans. . . . Well, there are reasons she can’t go back. Just when all hope seems lost, an ad for a live-in nanny position seems the solution to all her problems. It’s almost too perfect—until she meets her would-be employer.

Aiden Reid, executive chef and DILF extraordinaire is far from the stuffy single dad Cassie was imagining. She is shocked when he tells her she’s the most qualified applicant he’s met in weeks, practically begging her to take the job. With hands that make her hindbrain howl and eyes that scream sex, the idea of living under the same roof as Aiden feels dangerous, but with no other option, she decides to stay with him and his adorably tenacious daughter, Sophie.

Cassie soon discovers that Aiden is not a stranger at all, but instead someone who is very familiar with her—or at least, her body. She finds herself at a loss for what to do, given that he doesn’t remember her. As their relationship heats to temperatures hotter than any kitchen Aiden has ever worked in, Cassie struggles with telling Aiden the truth, and the more terrifying possibility—losing the best chance at happiness she’s ever had.

 

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Review: Backstage by Erika Vanzin

24 February, 2023 3:57 am , Leave a Comment ,


Backstage
(Roadies #1)
Erika Vanzin
Publisher: Self-published
Publication date: Feb. 10, 2021
Genre: Romance
Rating:

Damian Jones never chose to become a rock star. He was forced into music, and the celebrity lifestyle fell into his lap. He is lucky, and he knows it. He never takes money and stardom for granted. And if the perks of fame are women throwing themselves at him, who is he to say no? But sometimes the private life of a rock star is far less glamourous than the one painted in gossip magazines.

Lilly Jenkins dreams of being a rock star. Music saved her life as a teenager, and she will always be thankful for that. But since her band won the contest to go on tour with the most famous rock band in the world, her worst nightmare becomes a reality: paparazzi stalk her everywhere, judging her every move. To make things worse, she is attracted to the only man that draws gossip like a moth to the flame: Damian Jones.

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Review: Accidentally Famous by Marissa Clarke

6 February, 2023 3:50 am , 1 Comment ,


Accidentally Famous
(Hideaway Harbor #2)
Marissa Clarke
Publisher: Entangled: Amara
Publication date: Jan. 24, 2023
Genre: Romance
Rating:

Jack Winston may be Hollywood’s biggest action hero, but he’s seriously burned out. He can’t even save himself from his PR team’s latest scheme: dating a starlet. But when his assistant accidentally tags Cassidy James from Blink, Maine (wherever that is) on social media, the paparazzi decide that she’s Jack’s latest fling. Now Jack needs to do some serious damage control…starting with the adorable home reno pro in paint-splattered overalls.

Cassidy is not prepared when the Jack Winston shows up in her quiet little town—and whew, he is that gorgeous in person. Before she can pick her jaw up off the floor, his PR team is bombarding them with a whole new plan involving “fake girlfriend,” “optics,” and “sign this NDA” (whatever that is). But no one warned her that Mr. A-List Action Star is hot, funny as all get out, and loves old houses as much as she does.

Now they have two weeks to convince everyone they’re in a fake relationship—two weeks that will drive Cassidy’s reno business through the roof and help Jack reclaim his “spark.” The plan is going fine, dare she say, perfectly…until she discovers something that will change everything.

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Review: The Holiday Ex-Files by Jennifer Peel

23 December, 2022 10:32 pm , 2 Comments ,

The Holiday Ex-Files
by Jennifer Peel
Publisher: Self-published
Publication date: Oct. 22, 2021
Genre: Romance
Rating:

Once upon a time people called me the holiday queen. But catching my husband under the Christmas tree with another woman kind of did something to me. Like make me digitally crop him out of all our wedding photos and post them online. Who knew that post would go viral? Thanks to all the requests I received to do the same for other jilted partners, I started a new business called, the Holiday Ex-Files. And I couldn’t be happier. Well . . . at least I’m not unhappy.

Then along comes my ex-husband’s best friend, Noah Cullen. Yep, like the vampires. He’s extremely gorgeous like them too. He has a plan to help me believe in the magic of holidays again. But the more I’m around him, I begin to think he’s the magical one, and that perhaps I picked the wrong best friend to begin with. Maybe, just maybe, it will be a very merry Christmas after all.

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Posted in: Romance

Review: Mistle Text by Whitney Dineen, Melanie Summers

16 December, 2022 8:44 am , 2 Comments ,

Mistle Text: ‘Twas the Text Before Christmas
(An Accidentally in Love Story #5)
by Whitney Dineen, Melanie Summers
Publisher: ‎ 33 Partners & Indigo Group
Publication date: Sept. 19, 2021
Genre: Holiday Romance
Rating:

Twas the text before Christmas…

Twenty-eight-year-old Holly Snow is the only mother her four-year-old niece remembers. Three years earlier, when her sister and brother-in-law were killed, Holly’s dream of becoming an international flight attendant was put on hold so she could be home for baby Faith. Holly is doing everything she can to keep the rent paid, including working as an online travel agent, filing medical claims, and cleaning apartments in her building. When her friend Maggie tells her that her boss needs someone to buy his Christmas gifts, she leaps at the opportunity.

Tall, dark and Scroogy, investment banker, Archibald Harrington is too busy to do his own Christmas shopping. When his assistant tells him she knows of a professional shopper, he happily checks another dreaded task off his holiday list. The last thing Archie is expecting is for his hired elf to text him insistently to find out more about the people on list. The last thing Holly expects is to develop feelings for grumpy man who’s stealing her Christmas spirit.

Will there be a Holiday miracle, or will Holly and Archie miss their chance at love? Find out in the fifth installment of the Accidentally in Love Series.

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Posted in: Romance