Seductive Nights (Peaches #2)
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Jonas Five years ago, after I lost my husband, I barricaded my heart, not strong enough to let...
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One Last Chance
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Dayton is in a place in his life when he's just about to give up on finding a suitable partner to...
The Vampire's Delicious Fae (Brinnswick: Tales From Gauhala #2)
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I hate vampires. Well, just one in particular. But I do kinda love how his eyes follow me whenever...
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The Ruby Dragon Prince (Omega Fairy Tales #1)
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Once upon a time, in an enchanted kingdom of captive omega princes and jeweled dragon alpha...
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Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Pudge & Prejudice in Books
Jan 31, 2021
I thought the plot for Pudge & Prejudice was very well written. It's 1984, and fifteen year old Elyse (nicknamed "Pudge" by her older sister) and her family have just moved to Texas. It's a bit of a culture shock at first, but Elyse learns the ropes quickly. While her beautiful, older sister Jayne has no trouble fitting in at high school, Elyse's body issues complicate things especially when it comes to guys like Billy Fritz. Will Elyse ever be able to get over her looks or will the way she thinks of herself be her downfall?
The plot for Pudge & Prejudice is such a cute one, and it's one I can semi-relate too. (I never had a crush on any of the football players at my school, but I was a chubby teen like Elyse.) Pittman does an excellent job of making the small Texas town that Elyse lives in come to life. I could picture every sight, taste, and smell throughout the book. I just had to open my book, and I was instantly transported. The pacing for Pudge & Prejudice was spot on. I found myself not wanting to put this book down. It held my interest from the very first page. I loved the 1980's references, and I was glad that they weren't overdone like some other books. One thing that I did enjoy about Pudge & Prejudice is that the romance isn't all in your face. It's hard for me to describe, but although there was some romance, it wasn't what the whole book was about. I didn't spot any plot twists, but Pudge & Prejudice is such a fantastic book that it didn't need any plot twists. There was a minor cliffhanger at the end of the book which mentions the summer after Elyse's sophomore year. I'm hoping this will turn into a series because I would love to see what happened to Elyse and her sister Jayne that summer. (I was so sad when the book ended.) I will say that I did find some of the book a bit unrealistic as to who crushes on Elyse. I have never known something like that to happen. Maybe it happens to a small minority, but I never knew it to happen at any school I had ever known. However, this was such a sweet and fun read that I didn't mind. I liked seeing how the story would progress.
Kudos to A.K. Pittman for writing such fantastic well fleshed out characters! I think I knew someone like each character mentioned when I was in school. I could picture each character in Pudge & Prejudice as if they were someone I knew in real life. Elyse was the most relatable character for me. I was her in high school (minus the crush on a football player). I sympathized with her more than any other character I've ever came across in a book. Pittman's portrayal of an overweight teen struggling with self esteem issues was perfect. I loved how sweet Jayne, Elyse's older sister, was. I loved the relationship between between Jayne and Elyse. The way they looked out for each other was really sweet. Charlie was also a really nice guy, and it was interesting to read about his and Jayne's relationship especially when the problem of sports came up. Billy was an interesting character. He's the only one that I couldn't imagine knowing in real life. Perhaps they are unicorns at exist somewhere, but I had never known anyone like Billy when I was a teen (and even now). However, Billy was a complex and great character. I did enjoy reading about him. Lottie was well fleshed out, but she seemed a bit too snobby for my liking. She was way too blunt and what she said about her boyfriend really irked me. She treated her boyfriend horribly. If I was Elyse, I wouldn't have been friends with her for very long, but I understand how hard it was for Elyse to make friends. Unfortunately, I did know people like Lottie in my school. Lydia (Elyse's younger sister) was fun to read about as was Gage although I never really trusted Gage for some reason.
Trigger warnings for Pudge & Prejudice include minor kissing, a mention of sex, a mention of punching someone, cheating, and body issues.
All in all, Pudge & Prejudice is such a cute and fun read. It's got such a relatable plot and a cast full of characters that everyone can relate to. This is one book that I could definitely picture as a successful Netflix series. (I know I'd binge watch for sure!) I would definitely recommend Pudge & Prejudice by A.K. Pittman to everyone aged 13+ that are after a sweet and fun read. This is one book that will leave you smiling long after you've read it.
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(A special thank you to Lone Star Literary Life for providing me with a paperback copy of Pudge & Prejudice by A.K. Pittman in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
Midge (525 KP) rated SEAL's Homecoming in Books
Jan 31, 2019 (Updated Jan 31, 2019)
Chance McCallister is a Navy SEAL with dark brown eyes a perfectly honed body and likes sprucing up classic cars. He and his brothers have returned to their home town of Springwell, Georgia for their father’s funeral. Chance buys the car parts from the garage that his ex-girlfriend owns, who he is trying to avoid and hasn’t seen for twelve years. No problem, unless things start to get complicated....
Enter Mandy Loomis, a stunning, petite, curvy, russet-haired beauty, to whom he lost his virginity and who he thought he’d marry until she ripped out his heart just before he left for the Navy. Mandy’s gambler father died two years ago, leaving her the garage family business and a whole load of related debt, owed to a loan shark.
To Mandy, Chance was her childhood sweetheart who abandoned her 12 years ago. Then he was 18 years old, now she is drowning in lust for him and he is bigger, stronger and even sexier, with an aura of danger and a reputation of fighter and predator. Just as the two are beginning to realize they could have a future together, the loan shark starts to make some serious trouble for them, putting both their love and their lives in danger.
Although Chance has a bad-boy image, I loved the sexy chemistry between him and Mandy whenever they were together and they were both very likeable characters. Mandy is bright, ambitious, fiercely independent and very much knows her own mind. Chance is gorgeous and his actions are always carried out with good intentions.
"SEAL’s Homecoming" is a short fast-paced read with lots of action, some suspense and plenty of lust and love. Leslie North has written another brilliant story that was sweet and captivating to the end and loads of fun to read.
I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone.
Thank you to Hidden Gems and the author, Leslie North, for a free ARC of this book in exchange for a voluntary, honest review.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Ties That Tether in Books
Apr 1, 2021
Azere has always kept a promise she made, at twelve, to her dying father to only date Nigerian men. She's kept this vow even after the rest of her family emigrated to Canada, and Azere has had to struggle with preserving her Nigerian culture in a new land. Then one evening, yet another date set up by her overbearing mother goes awry. Frustrated, Azere heads to the hotel bar for a drink before heading home. There she meets Rafael Castellano; the two hit it off and share a few drinks--and later, his bed. Azere leaves the next day ashamed that she slept with this handsome white man. But when their one-night stand later evolves into something more, Azere must make a serious choice between pleasing her family or loving a man who isn't Nigerian.
"Culture is important. Preserving it, even more important. It's the reason I've always abided by one simple dating rule. Tonight, I've broken that rule."
This book was exactly what I needed when I picked it up--a simple romance that took my mind off things. It's not the most complicated or deftly written book, but it's cute and fun. Is it a bit predictable at times? Sure, but that does not take away any of the enjoyment. Azere is a lovely character, and the book does an excellent job exploring the dilemma she faces of love versus family and culture. Her mother, honestly, is a hateful character, and I felt terribly for the pressures Azere faced.
Rafael was a excellent character as well, as he came with his own baggage and struggles. It's easy to root for the pair of them. I loved that the book is an ode to romances, with lots of references to other love stories and films that predated it thrown in.
All in all, this is a delightful "culture-clash love story," and I am sure that Igharo's work will only get better with time. 3.5 stars, rounded to 4 here.
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8.0
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10.0
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Running from my past seemed like a good idea at the time. Too bad it’s about to catch up to me. ...
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