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Island Detour (Sunrise Island #1)
Island Detour (Sunrise Island #1)
Maria Imbalzano | 2024 | Contemporary, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
throughly enjoyable 4 star read
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarain, I was gifted my copy of this book.

Sophie is accused of doing something she knew she did not do, and is suspended from her teaching post. Taking a job in Florida, helping out a friend, seemed the best thing to do during that time. But she was unprepared for taking a lead role in the school and she was totally unprepared for Max, another teacher at the school, trying to get his environmental institute off the ground. They both have demons to fight, but will they be stronger together?

What I especially liked about this book was the slow burn between Sophie and Max. There was immediate attraction, sure, but Max thinks Sophie has ulterior motives for being at the school and he trusts so rarely. It takes him time to see that Sophie can calm his demons, and he, hers. They both just need to admit, trust and give in to each other.

Both Max and Sophie get a say, and I'm glad they did.

There is passion, heat and love here, but I found the smexy times were very much faded to black and I liked that. I do like the smexy books, sure, but I can also appreciate a fade to black book, if the story is a good one.

And this is a good book! It's a great book, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this, my first by this author. I'd like to read something else, something with a bit more bite.

A thoroughly enjoyable 4 star read.

*same worded review will appear elsewhere
  
The Long Way Home (Coming Home #1)
The Long Way Home (Coming Home #1)
October O'Neil | 2025 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
7
7.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
THE LONG WAY HOME is the first book in the Coming Home series and begins with Marcus and Cory, both broken characters in different ways.

Marcus was a troubled teen/trust fund child who got together with Declan, someone out of the same group of people who actually wanted to spend time with him. Unfortunately, Declan became seriously ill and made Marcus continue on with his life without Declan being in it. Cory became a dad at 19 and a single dad six months later. His whole life revolves around his daughter and his family. The sparks fly when these two meet, but not for the reasons Marcus thinks.

I will say, most of this book is angst between the two, with lots of misconstrued signals and attempts to speak. Considering they're both adults, this became frustrating very quickly. You could cut out half of this and still have a decent-sized novel, as this was a LONG read.

I found both characters to be slightly inconsistent in how they thought and behaved, especially Cory. Considering how he'd been earlier in the book, there was a bit of whiplash involved when he and Marcus actually had their first date.

On the whole, this was a good read that I would give 3.5 stars to (rounded up). It is a debut novel and there is plenty of potential for future stories.

** same worded review will appear elsewhere **

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

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Feb 28, 2025
  
Riggs (Maddox BRAVO Team #2)
Riggs (Maddox BRAVO Team #2)
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
good solid 4 star read
Independent reviewer for BookSirens, I was gifted my copy of this book.

This is book 2 in the BRAVO Team series and I have not read book one, Sawyer. I don't think I missed anything, other than knowing Sawyer and Camillie's story, who pop up here.

Riggs is assigned to keep Vanessa safe. He's the problem solver for BRAVO and she's an influencer. But somewhere along the line, her comments have turned deadly and she asks for Riggs to keep her safe. Lines blur, and then it all comes to a head.

This is another spin off from Maddox Security and Dean pops but none of the others, I didn't think. You don't need to have read those books to follow these. I have and I enjoyed them.

I enjoyed this too! I did find it HEAVY on the attention to close protection, sometimes repeating the same thing, and while I got that it was Riggs' thing, it did get a little annoying.

Riggs and Vanessa have met before and I wanted that meeting! I don't get it, and I think it would have made this a better read, to be honest.

One point: safe smex, Riggs, safe smex! :-)

I'm liking these books by Chance, these military turned security guys. They all follow a same kinda plot line and that makes them easy reads, that don't require much brain power to follow complicated plot lines or twists and turns all over the place. And trust me, that's a GOOD THING!!

4 good solid stars

*same worded review will appear elsewhere