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The Accidental Life of Jessie Jefferson
The Accidental Life of Jessie Jefferson
Paige Toon | 2014
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I enjoyed this, probably because I liked being back in the glamorous (or not so much anymore) world of Johnny Jefferson. He's grown up a little since Johnny be Good and I like him a lot more than I did initially. I even loved reading about how Jessie came into existence--he wasn't always an arse! He had cared about people before Meg and the boys.

I have to admit though that Jessie annoyed me quite a bit in this. One minute I was sympathetic to what she was going through and the next she was being a right brat and I wanted to give her a good smack. I know you're only 15 and haven't matured a lot but really?! At least by the end of the book she'd matured quite a bit and realised how badly she'd treated some people.

I'm not sure if I'd class this as being a romance either. It had slight aspects. Two love interests for Jessie but nothing really happened with either of them, she isn't going out with one or the other...but I'm pretty sure that that might change in the next one.

I am interested in reading it at some point but not quite yet.
  
Handsome Death
Handsome Death
Sara Dobie Bauer | 2020 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Paranormal, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Handsome Death is a standalone paranormal romance. In a world where vampires, werewolves, and witches (to name just three) are known about and regulated. Ethan is a vampire mercenary, happy to be alone and lurking in the shadows. Tris is a human, with many friends and, although not so happy in the limelight, still doesn't want to be in the dark.

Although there are some sexy times from the start, this book is a slow-burner. It takes time for Ethan to realise that his obsession with Tris is more than just lust. We see Ethan change as his heart opens to Tris, and we see Tris change as his self-confidence grows. The way Tris stood up to his ex is one of the best scenes in the book, in my opinion.

With snark and humour and no unnecessary dramatics, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters are delightful and the world-building is just enough. I would love to return to this world and read some of the other characters' stories. Absolutely recommended by me.

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
  
SY
Say you Swear
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
24 of 235
Kindle
Say you Swear
By Meagan Brandy
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

If she isn't mine in the end, I'll still be hers.
It's torture, but it's true...

My brothers best friend broke my heart, but what happens when his new teammate wants to put it back together?

For years, I've dreamt of what college life could bring and while some things changed, there was always one constant.
It didn't matter how wild I allowed my imagination to run, it always led me to the same place in the end.

It led me to him.
My future was clear, and he was it.

Until suddenly, he wasn't.

Now there's a new man in my life, one who isn't afraid to go after what he wants, and what he wants ... is me.

They say first loves last forever.
What about the second?

I don’t normally really enjoy the college romance books unless there is some sort of supernatural element. But this is definitely a book I think I needed to read it was just such a well written enjoyable read it’s definitely one I don’t regret picking up. The characters were likeable the story was decent. I’m an emotional reader to so this made me feel good while reading.
  
You'd Be Mine
You'd Be Mine
Erin Hahn | 2019 | Romance, Young Adult (YA)
8
7.7 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
I was so excited to read this book, because I love country music with all my heart, especially some of the older music that Hahn weaves into this book. I read this on the heels of WHEN IT'S REAL and couldn't help but compare the two. I fell hard for REAL. My reaction for MINE varied, though I still enjoyed it a lot; for sure, the two--while romances--are very dissimilar in many ways.

This book has some really dark tones to it, and both Clay and Annie are struggling with some major demons. Each have dealt with some major sadness in their lives, and Annie's past with her parents is honestly just awful. As a result, this isn't a light, fluffy romance, and it has some surprising emotional depth to it and its characters. Annie, especially, is really easy to like and to root for.


"Everything in me speaks music with a fluent tongue. Surely it's genetic, but my parents certainly haven't done me any favors. If anything, their deaths nearly killed the music in my soul."


As I said, I quite enjoyed the music aspect of the book. Not just the country music part, but the overall fact that the book is centered around a tour. It's really fun to get glimpses into tour life--especially since everyone is so young. Pretty crazy how much responsibility and freedom they all have. There's also a lot of songwriting and emotions displayed through songwriting, which I loved. (Side note: As a child, I always dreamed of being a country singer-songwriter. This was probably due to my intense love of Mary Chapin Carpenter, which lives on to this day. Alas, I cannot carry a tune or read music, so this dream has yet to come to fruition.)


"That's the glorious thing about music. It speaks to the very heart of things in the most absolute and obtrusive way."


The one hard thing for me was that the book got rather repetitive in the middle with both Clay and Annie going on about how they were wrong for each other. It seemed to stall the plot for a while, as I felt like we were waiting for a bit for something to happen. Yes, we realize each was damaged, but it seemed like the book hit on that just a little too much/too often for a while.

Still, this was a really good read. It's very emotional and honestly heartbreaking at times. If you're a music buff, I think you'll enjoy it even more, because of all the musical scenes and songs woven into the book. The characters are very real and go through a lot. There's no insta-romance, and you will root for Annie and Clay, even though you'll want things to move along a bit in the middle. I totally cried at the end, which is a major sign that Hahn did a good job. 3.75 stars, rounded to 4.
  
Life's Too Short
Life's Too Short
Abby Jimenez | 2021 | Fiction & Poetry, Humor & Comedy, Romance
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
A touching and heartfelt romance
Vanessa is a famous travel blogger/YouTuber. She spends her life as she wants, seizing the moment. She lost her mom and sister to a genetic disease and--not knowing if she will wind up like them--doesn't want to waste a moment of her life. But when her troubled half sister leaves Vanessa custody of her infant daughter, Grace, Vanessa finds herself stuck at home. She's forced to deal with her sister and her father and confront her illness. But she also meets Adrian, her handsome next-door neighbor. A lawyer, Adrian turns up on her doorstep, and suddenly he and Vanessa become inseparable. He's helping care for Grace as they share take-out dinners and their life stories. Vanessa knows she cannot get close to Adrian, but she's finding it really hard not to.

I loved the first two books in this loosely tied series. This was probably my least favorite of the three, but I still enjoyed it. Jimenez writes excellent slow burn romances, and this one was no exception. Plus, it offers excellent escapism while delving into serious subjects, which I always love about her work.

Adrian was my favorite here--dependable, sweet Adrian. Both characters have a lot baggage in this book, so be prepared. Beyond her genetic illness woes, there's a lot going on with Vanessa's family. Some of the way the book deals with mental illness is excellent; sometimes, I'm not so sure. And Adrian has his own issues with his family as well. As for Vanessa, her attitude and approach toward her potential genetic illness was a little hard for me to handle. It's one of those things where you just want to take the character and try to shake some sense into them. Yes, Jimenez provides some backstory and reasoning for Vanessa's attitude, but... this was the one part of the book that was hard for me to swallow. (And it was, um, key to the plot.)

If I overlooked that piece, Vanessa and Adrian were cute together. There's lots of the patented Jimenez banter, romance, and cuteness. Someone needs to learn to trust again, someone needs to come out of their shell. But, because it's Jimenez, it's done in this adorable, funny way tinged with a heartfelt touch. And this time there's a baby! (Who is amazingly portable and never causes any trouble--wish my kids were like that, ha.) The book can be heartbreaking at times. I honestly adored Adrian, his outlook on the world, and how supportive he was of Vanessa. We could all use an Adrian to take care of us.

If you like romances, you'll enjoy this one. It's cute and sweet, without being sickeningly so, and there are lots of moments that make you laugh. It's also serious in places, covering illness and family. It's not the best of the series, but it's worth a read. Just be prepared for some frustration with some of the characters! 3.5 stars, rounded up.