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Merissa (13169 KP) rated Leveling The Field (KTS #3) in Books
Jun 14, 2021 (Updated Jul 18, 2023)
LEVELING THE FIELD is the third book in the KTS series, and once again, I am recommending you read it as part of a series, rather than a standalone, as there is an overall story arc you will need to follow.
Jesse is strong and confident until it comes down to herself and then those nasty, niggling doubts surface. She longs for the fantasy of having someone love her for her, but the one she wants only sees her as a friend. Leo IS Jesse's friend but she is so much more than that to him. He feels he is not good enough for her! I loved Hannah and Lily's solution to this!
Oh, man! What a story! I loved the arc and where it is going. My heart was in my mouth for the teams when they were in a pickle 😉 I really want to know just who is behind everything and see them get their just desserts. What I love about Ms Faber's writing style though is that you get pulled into the technicalities, the big bad, whilst still being so invested in the love story being played out before you. Neither side suffers as the story continues, making it perfect.
The pacing is perfect, the romance delightful, and the steamy moments are HOT. All in all, this was a brilliant read that I highly recommend. Now I'm impatient for Hannah and Lily's story.
** 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, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 14, 2021
Jesse is strong and confident until it comes down to herself and then those nasty, niggling doubts surface. She longs for the fantasy of having someone love her for her, but the one she wants only sees her as a friend. Leo IS Jesse's friend but she is so much more than that to him. He feels he is not good enough for her! I loved Hannah and Lily's solution to this!
Oh, man! What a story! I loved the arc and where it is going. My heart was in my mouth for the teams when they were in a pickle 😉 I really want to know just who is behind everything and see them get their just desserts. What I love about Ms Faber's writing style though is that you get pulled into the technicalities, the big bad, whilst still being so invested in the love story being played out before you. Neither side suffers as the story continues, making it perfect.
The pacing is perfect, the romance delightful, and the steamy moments are HOT. All in all, this was a brilliant read that I highly recommend. Now I'm impatient for Hannah and Lily's story.
** 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, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 14, 2021
Merissa (13169 KP) rated Brooklyn Rockstar (Kendalls #1) in Books
Dec 17, 2018 (Updated May 31, 2023)
Charlie is trying to sort out his solo career, whilst the rest of the band do their own thing, as they all wonder where Danny the drummer disappeared to. Evelyn is a city girl stuck in the country until she just ups and moves to New York, to live with a friend she met online. Now I have to say, I can't figure out if Evelyn is either brave or stupid! To move somewhere, with no job lined up, with someone you've never actually met in person? As I say, brave or stupid.
The connection between these two is instantaneous and hot. The best bit for me is that Evelyn doesn't just jump when Charlie says so. She is naive to his world and admits that from the start. This is part of her charm for Charlie, as she has no false airs and graces.
This is a well-written book, with plenty of action, paparazzi, mystery, suspense and romance. I did feel for Charlie as he tried to figure out what to do and was glad when it all became clear at the end. I am not usually a fan of rockstar romances, but this one ticked most boxes for me. The inner dialogue from Danny started to annoy me though, I know he's a jerk, you don't have to keep telling me. Apart from that, I thoroughly enjoyed it and would love to read more by this author. Definitely recommended.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Mar 30, 2016
The connection between these two is instantaneous and hot. The best bit for me is that Evelyn doesn't just jump when Charlie says so. She is naive to his world and admits that from the start. This is part of her charm for Charlie, as she has no false airs and graces.
This is a well-written book, with plenty of action, paparazzi, mystery, suspense and romance. I did feel for Charlie as he tried to figure out what to do and was glad when it all became clear at the end. I am not usually a fan of rockstar romances, but this one ticked most boxes for me. The inner dialogue from Danny started to annoy me though, I know he's a jerk, you don't have to keep telling me. Apart from that, I thoroughly enjoyed it and would love to read more by this author. Definitely recommended.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Mar 30, 2016
Warlord's Prize (Prime Omegaverse #4)
8.0
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She bargained herself for her people's survival. Now she's claimed by the most powerful oni warlord...
Monster Romance Omegaverse Science Fiction Dub Con Non Con Pregnancy Loss
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated The Secret of Ella and Micha (The Secret, #1) in Books
Apr 27, 2018
I got maybe three or four chapters into this novel. Ella seemed like a strong character with potential, and the basic plot seemed like it could have been really good. Sadly, I couldn’t get past chapter 4. There are a few reasons why.
1. Drama. Drama, drama, drama! Really that’s what most fiction boils down to, but what makes a book good is that the drama is realistic. This drama was a little overdone. Ella goes to college (running away without telling anyone where she went, which technically is impossible: trust me, I know. My university sends my parents stuff all the time with their logo on it). when she comes back, Micah is a mess, and has been looking for her everywhere.
2. Physicalities. I felt like this book was an excuse to write steamy romance… bad steamy romance at that. When Ella comes home, she still wants Micah, but she won’t admit it. And he knows it. Then he starts flirting with her, touching her, kissing her on the ear, etc. Really? The girl won’t even look you in the eye, doesn’t want to talk to you, and you can’t even rekindle your friendship before getting touchy-feely? Talk about being a douche bag. After she tells him off and leaves, he climbs into her room through the window and climbs in bed with her. C’mon. Really? Does this girl have no self respect? Then there was the factor that it wasn’t even hot. I mean, if you want to write erotica, fine. Write erotica. don’t disguise it as a New Adult novel… and at least make it good. It was just sappy and corny. Trust me, writing emotional and physical scenes is really hard: I’ve written a few now since I’ve gotten through some of my own books. But if you suck at writing love scenes, don’t make your whole book a drawn out love scene.
3. The sorority best friend. Every time this b!tch opened her mouth, I had flashbacks to this video (). That was one thing the narrator did really well: She nailed the rich kid! And I couldn’t stand her. Maybe that was the point… but it was just the nail in the coffin for me.
So yeah, that’s why I didn’t like the book. Also, the female narrator sounded like she was fourteen, and the male narrator sounded twenty eight… So that was awkward.
Maybe if I read the book instead of listened to it, I would like it more… but as of now, I can’t recommend it.
1. Drama. Drama, drama, drama! Really that’s what most fiction boils down to, but what makes a book good is that the drama is realistic. This drama was a little overdone. Ella goes to college (running away without telling anyone where she went, which technically is impossible: trust me, I know. My university sends my parents stuff all the time with their logo on it). when she comes back, Micah is a mess, and has been looking for her everywhere.
2. Physicalities. I felt like this book was an excuse to write steamy romance… bad steamy romance at that. When Ella comes home, she still wants Micah, but she won’t admit it. And he knows it. Then he starts flirting with her, touching her, kissing her on the ear, etc. Really? The girl won’t even look you in the eye, doesn’t want to talk to you, and you can’t even rekindle your friendship before getting touchy-feely? Talk about being a douche bag. After she tells him off and leaves, he climbs into her room through the window and climbs in bed with her. C’mon. Really? Does this girl have no self respect? Then there was the factor that it wasn’t even hot. I mean, if you want to write erotica, fine. Write erotica. don’t disguise it as a New Adult novel… and at least make it good. It was just sappy and corny. Trust me, writing emotional and physical scenes is really hard: I’ve written a few now since I’ve gotten through some of my own books. But if you suck at writing love scenes, don’t make your whole book a drawn out love scene.
3. The sorority best friend. Every time this b!tch opened her mouth, I had flashbacks to this video (). That was one thing the narrator did really well: She nailed the rich kid! And I couldn’t stand her. Maybe that was the point… but it was just the nail in the coffin for me.
So yeah, that’s why I didn’t like the book. Also, the female narrator sounded like she was fourteen, and the male narrator sounded twenty eight… So that was awkward.
Maybe if I read the book instead of listened to it, I would like it more… but as of now, I can’t recommend it.
Prophesy (The King & Alpha, #1)
8.0
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Justice Volkov is the youngest Alpha Zenith to ever lead the wolf shifters. Following in his...
MM Paranormal Romance
The Great Maple Mistake (Love in Maplewood #8)
8.0
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A small-town photographer who’s given up on love meets a smoking hot firefighter with a smile to...
Contemporary MM Romance
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Charm Offensive in Books
Sep 2, 2021
A delightful reality show romantic comedy
Dev Deshpande works on the set of Ever After, a reality dating show he's loved since he was a kid. He truly believes in the show's premise of happily ever after, even as his own six-year-relationship with Ryan, a co-worker, ends. Then the show casts Charles Winshaw, a handsome millionaire tech genius as their next prince. Charlie has only agreed to come on the show to fix his awkward image, which has made it impossible for him to get another job in tech. He's terrible in front of the cameras and even worse with the women he's supposed to woo. Dev is assigned as his handler, a last ditch attempt to save Ever After. As he works to get Charlie to open up, the two connect, and realize that their chemistry is far better than anything Charlie has with his potential love interests. But Ever After demands a fairy tale ending--what does that mean for Charlie and Dev?
"And maybe then Dev will forget that in his own life, happily ever afters are never guaranteed."
This is a truly lovely book, with a great romance filled with crackling tension combined with excellent points about mental illness and being loved unconditionally (or not, as the case may be). I fell head over heels in love with both Charlie and Dev--they are wonderful characters, whom you grow attached to easily.
Dev truly believes in the romance of the show when no one else does--including his ex, Ryan, and Charlie. Yet sweet Dev does not feel worthy of the love he so fervently believes in and can only offer up what he terms "Fun Dev," a light, easygoing version of his personality that does not reflect his true self. Meanwhile Charlie struggles with OCD and anxiety. He has never been in a serious relationship or given himself a true chance to explore whom he likes. The two feel so real and are so well-written: they just fly off the pages. I don't watch the Bachelor and other type shows, but if you do, I'm sure you'll love this book. Even if you don't though, there's so much to enjoy in the dynamics of the story and the examination of the pros and cons of reality shows--a look at how they treat women, racism, sexuality, and more.
"Then again, it turns out Charles Winshaw is no one's definition of a Prince Charming, no matter how much he might look the part."
Cochrun writes and describes anxiety so well and truly mental illness as a whole. It's treated seriously and given the respect it deserves. There is so much great representation in this book, include ace. And while it covers serious issues, at heart, this is a romance, and oh, it's so cute! There's so much steamy, sexual tension between Charlie and Dev. So many hot scenes, so much love and wondering and flirting... they are adorable together! This book made me smile and laugh and cry; it's so wonderful written and just bursting with goodness.
I do think Charlie probably could have gotten a new job in tech without going on a reality show, but oh well. Overall, this is such an excellent read. It's a wonderful blend of serious and fun and flirty and a great exploration into love and what happily ever after really means.
"And maybe then Dev will forget that in his own life, happily ever afters are never guaranteed."
This is a truly lovely book, with a great romance filled with crackling tension combined with excellent points about mental illness and being loved unconditionally (or not, as the case may be). I fell head over heels in love with both Charlie and Dev--they are wonderful characters, whom you grow attached to easily.
Dev truly believes in the romance of the show when no one else does--including his ex, Ryan, and Charlie. Yet sweet Dev does not feel worthy of the love he so fervently believes in and can only offer up what he terms "Fun Dev," a light, easygoing version of his personality that does not reflect his true self. Meanwhile Charlie struggles with OCD and anxiety. He has never been in a serious relationship or given himself a true chance to explore whom he likes. The two feel so real and are so well-written: they just fly off the pages. I don't watch the Bachelor and other type shows, but if you do, I'm sure you'll love this book. Even if you don't though, there's so much to enjoy in the dynamics of the story and the examination of the pros and cons of reality shows--a look at how they treat women, racism, sexuality, and more.
"Then again, it turns out Charles Winshaw is no one's definition of a Prince Charming, no matter how much he might look the part."
Cochrun writes and describes anxiety so well and truly mental illness as a whole. It's treated seriously and given the respect it deserves. There is so much great representation in this book, include ace. And while it covers serious issues, at heart, this is a romance, and oh, it's so cute! There's so much steamy, sexual tension between Charlie and Dev. So many hot scenes, so much love and wondering and flirting... they are adorable together! This book made me smile and laugh and cry; it's so wonderful written and just bursting with goodness.
I do think Charlie probably could have gotten a new job in tech without going on a reality show, but oh well. Overall, this is such an excellent read. It's a wonderful blend of serious and fun and flirty and a great exploration into love and what happily ever after really means.
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated The Lawyer's Lawyer (Jack Tobin, #3) in Books
Apr 27, 2018
You know what makes certain books fantastic? Character development. That was the strongest point of The Lawyer’s Lawyer; the characters were wonderful.
Jack, the protagonist, was clever and intelligent and innovative and full of emotion (and hilarious when drunk). He was the kind of person I’d want to hang around… and for that matter, so were his friends. They left you with the feeling of belonging, of security. And by the end of the book, you’re thanking your lucky stars Jack had those friends, because they saved his rear end!
Danny was awesome. For the sake of keeping this review spoiler-free, I’ll just say this: The best people are the ones who do everything in love—whether those things are good or bad is up for you to decide.
And the bad guys! Sometimes the bad guys are the best! This was definitely the case in this book. One of the characters, Sam (the police chief), started off as this guy who was a little annoying. But as the story went on, I began to like him less and less, and finally at the end, I despised him. And the lawyer who represented the State in the case? Man that guy was a twit. I hated his guts. I wanted to slap him across the face.
The other exceptional attribute of this book was the narrator for the audiobook. He is incredibly talented, giving unique and identifiable voices to each character that totally described their person in a few sounds. I’m adding Rick Zieff to my list of narrators to look for in the future!
There were a few parts I would have liked to see improved: namely the beginning of the story, a chapter in the middle, and the very last scene. In the beginning, we are met with character development and background information, which is all fine… but there’s this one random case that Jack works that has nothing to do with the main plot. I kept waiting for it to come back into the main story, but it never did, and it felt out of place.
Then there was the scene in the middle, and the other part, the ending. These scenes were just borderline sappy. Danny and Jack are in love and they date and have hot sex and get all wishy-washy and twitterpated. And I’ll be the first to admit that I thoroughly enjoy being twitterpated, especially with sexy fictional characters. But I’m going to be brutally honest here… James Sheehan, you are a thriller writer… NOT a romance writer. And there’s a good reason for that: Because you suck at romance.
All in all, I absolutely loved The Lawyer’s Lawyer, and look forward to more from Sheehan.
Content/Recommendation: Some language, mild violence, mention of sex. Ages 17+
Jack, the protagonist, was clever and intelligent and innovative and full of emotion (and hilarious when drunk). He was the kind of person I’d want to hang around… and for that matter, so were his friends. They left you with the feeling of belonging, of security. And by the end of the book, you’re thanking your lucky stars Jack had those friends, because they saved his rear end!
Danny was awesome. For the sake of keeping this review spoiler-free, I’ll just say this: The best people are the ones who do everything in love—whether those things are good or bad is up for you to decide.
And the bad guys! Sometimes the bad guys are the best! This was definitely the case in this book. One of the characters, Sam (the police chief), started off as this guy who was a little annoying. But as the story went on, I began to like him less and less, and finally at the end, I despised him. And the lawyer who represented the State in the case? Man that guy was a twit. I hated his guts. I wanted to slap him across the face.
The other exceptional attribute of this book was the narrator for the audiobook. He is incredibly talented, giving unique and identifiable voices to each character that totally described their person in a few sounds. I’m adding Rick Zieff to my list of narrators to look for in the future!
There were a few parts I would have liked to see improved: namely the beginning of the story, a chapter in the middle, and the very last scene. In the beginning, we are met with character development and background information, which is all fine… but there’s this one random case that Jack works that has nothing to do with the main plot. I kept waiting for it to come back into the main story, but it never did, and it felt out of place.
Then there was the scene in the middle, and the other part, the ending. These scenes were just borderline sappy. Danny and Jack are in love and they date and have hot sex and get all wishy-washy and twitterpated. And I’ll be the first to admit that I thoroughly enjoy being twitterpated, especially with sexy fictional characters. But I’m going to be brutally honest here… James Sheehan, you are a thriller writer… NOT a romance writer. And there’s a good reason for that: Because you suck at romance.
All in all, I absolutely loved The Lawyer’s Lawyer, and look forward to more from Sheehan.
Content/Recommendation: Some language, mild violence, mention of sex. Ages 17+
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Pretty Reckless (All Saints High, #1) in Books
Jan 8, 2021
This review and more can be found at my blog https://aromancereadersreviews.blogspot.com
A Romance Reader's Reviews
Got this from the Kindle Unlimited library.
This starts with the prologue at age 14, when Daria is at ballet practise with her rival for her mothers affection and attention, Via - a gifted but very feisty girl. It turns out she's that good that she's been accepted into a prestigious ballet school but in her jealousy Daria steals the letter and meets a boy outside a coffee shop a short distance away. A boy who wanted her to give him all her firsts. He gives her a bit of orange sea glass and rips up the letter she's holding when she tells him it's what she wants most in the world.
Fast forward four years and Daria and the boy, Penn, are now bitter rivals because of the events following the letter rip up. They come from rival schools. He's a football player, she's a cheerleader. He's poor, she's rich. They're opposites in a lot of ways and have reason to dislike each other but that initial connection from four years ago keeps rearing back up and they're drawn to each other time and time again.
I was a little undecided about our couple for quite a while. I did not find what they were doing hot and didn't understand it. But strangely, I got attached to them and wanted them to get together. I realised that they made the other one a better person, and in Daria's case, I think she needed it.
She came across as being such a bitch at times but internally she hated it, cowering away from what she'd just said and the damage she'd inflicted. I couldn't really believe that she'd done half the stuff in regards to her mum. It just seemed a step too far for me at times. Yeah, fair enough, her mum wasn't the most...loving or understanding at times, but still, it was harsh.
The romance did grow on me quite a lot, though, and by the 60% mark I was hooked on them. I wanted them to conquer everyone and everything that was thrown in their path. I cried like a baby for quite a while around the 70-75% mark, that's how invested I was in them.
There were a lot of secrets and lies going on in this and it was a little hard to keep track but I'm glad that in the end Penn and Daria got their HEA.
I'm interested in seeing how all the All Saints High parents got together as I loved that scene where they all banded together to get justice for Daria. Mess with one, mess with them all.
A Romance Reader's Reviews
Got this from the Kindle Unlimited library.
This starts with the prologue at age 14, when Daria is at ballet practise with her rival for her mothers affection and attention, Via - a gifted but very feisty girl. It turns out she's that good that she's been accepted into a prestigious ballet school but in her jealousy Daria steals the letter and meets a boy outside a coffee shop a short distance away. A boy who wanted her to give him all her firsts. He gives her a bit of orange sea glass and rips up the letter she's holding when she tells him it's what she wants most in the world.
Fast forward four years and Daria and the boy, Penn, are now bitter rivals because of the events following the letter rip up. They come from rival schools. He's a football player, she's a cheerleader. He's poor, she's rich. They're opposites in a lot of ways and have reason to dislike each other but that initial connection from four years ago keeps rearing back up and they're drawn to each other time and time again.
I was a little undecided about our couple for quite a while. I did not find what they were doing hot and didn't understand it. But strangely, I got attached to them and wanted them to get together. I realised that they made the other one a better person, and in Daria's case, I think she needed it.
She came across as being such a bitch at times but internally she hated it, cowering away from what she'd just said and the damage she'd inflicted. I couldn't really believe that she'd done half the stuff in regards to her mum. It just seemed a step too far for me at times. Yeah, fair enough, her mum wasn't the most...loving or understanding at times, but still, it was harsh.
The romance did grow on me quite a lot, though, and by the 60% mark I was hooked on them. I wanted them to conquer everyone and everything that was thrown in their path. I cried like a baby for quite a while around the 70-75% mark, that's how invested I was in them.
There were a lot of secrets and lies going on in this and it was a little hard to keep track but I'm glad that in the end Penn and Daria got their HEA.
I'm interested in seeing how all the All Saints High parents got together as I loved that scene where they all banded together to get justice for Daria. Mess with one, mess with them all.