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Shouting Match (Amore Matchmaking #1)
Shouting Match (Amore Matchmaking #1)
Pandora Pine | 2022 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
so much with the warm and fuzzies AND too stinking cute! Loved It!
Independent reviewer for Gay Romance Reviews, I was gifted my copy of this book.

Capone has been the head of the family since his father passed away. His youngest brother has decided to start a matchmaking scheme, and Capone is target one! But did it have to be Fuller, the hot cop who got him all hot and bovvered under the collar after a traffic stop?

This book, right? Is as pure a warm and fuzzies slash too stinking cute book as you're gonna get! Or at least, the purest I've had in such a long ass time, and I loved it!

Capone is a restauranteur, and Fuller the local cop, in a small town where everyone knows everything about everyone else. Brando, the youngest brother of 4, and his matchmaking scheme needs a poster couple and who better than Fuller and Capone, eh?

What follows is a delightfully easy read (a really REALLY good thing!) with lots of misunderstandings, no real break-up but wonderful make-ups after those misunderstandings!

Both men are scared: Fuller after his last relationship, and what happens here because of that. Capone because of Fuller's job and because he has to look after his brothers and his mum. Capone had a wonderful upbringing, but Fuller not so much. They love the small town they live in, just wishing everyone wasn't so in-yer-face about everything. But when something happens, that in-yer-face-ness is vital!

It's funny, it's sweet, some smexy times, but not too many, just the right amount for this book. Some nosy brothers, all with a secret they've been hanging on for so long.

Said brothers are fabulous, and mum is awesome! And that goat is hilarious and nasty to all the brothers except Fio, who feeds him!

Fio is next, I have Grudge Match on my list to read shortly.

First I've read of Pine, so guess what? Wish list just got longer!

5 full and shiny stars (but I did write 4 first!)

*same worded review will appear elsewhere
  
Stronger Than Hope (Chesapeake Days #1)
Stronger Than Hope (Chesapeake Days #1)
Katherine McIntyre | 2022 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
so much with the warm and fuzzies!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

I have to say, I think that Ms McIntyre's MM books are coming on in leaps and bounds! They've all been good but they get better and better!

I try really hard NOT to read other people's reviews before I read a book: I got burned once and will never do it again. I will, however, read them before I write mine. Mostly to see if what they thought and if I thought the same. The general consensus for this book is this:

It's a really sweet book, with most wanting to punch Linc in the face a time or two. And I have to say, I feel exactly the same!

Linc is self-sabotaging his life. He loved his wife, he really did, but dealing with a 6-year-old, his job and his grief is pulling him under. He's a bad bet in anyone's book, he thinks. Nate, on the other hand, thinks he's no good cos he won't settle. But he WANTS to settle, just not for the sake of it, you know? They really are polar opposites, but so well suited!

Linc grew on me, though, and I really did wanna wrap him up in cotton wool a time or two! He needed a hug!

The book deals with grief, Linc lost his wife in child birth. It is handled sensitively, making the point that there is no time line for your grief, it's up to you when you want to move on. Living in a small town is difficult at the best of times, but in this matter? making Linc want to run away. And it's that fact the most that he should have conveyed to Nate, once they decided they were a thing. That he wanted to run, but NOT from Nate.

It's an emotional read, a steamy read and a well-handled difficult read. It's full of the warm and fuzzies and is too stinking cute and I loved it!

Linc's friends, Nico and Jer, need a story, please, Ms McIntyre! I'll grovel if need be!

5 full and shiny stars

*same worded review will appear elsewhere
  
Tic-Tac-Mistletoe (Hartbridge Christmas #1)
Tic-Tac-Mistletoe (Hartbridge Christmas #1)
N.R. Walker | 2020 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
TIC-TAC-MISTLETOE is the first book in the Hartbridge Christmas series and, honestly, this belongs on the Hallmark Channel. The book itself says so too!

Hamish is travelling from Australia to his sister's for Christmas - and the next two years. However, nothing has gone right for him, and he ends up going headfirst into a snowbank. Luckily for him, he is rescued by the local hardware shop owner, Ren. They click instantly but spend time trying to understand just what is going on, and how it will work when Ren is going to Mossley to be with his sister.

This is a low-angst full-of-Christmas-spirit book that will definitely give you the warm fuzzies! I loved Ren and Hamish together, together with Chutney the dog. I loved the TV references and how Ren and Hamish made it 'their thing'. We hear the back story of both of them, without it being an info dump.

Honestly? I have nothing bad to say. I would LOVE for Hallmark to grab this up and make a dream come true! A warm, fuzzy, cookies in the kitchen, sweet Christmas story that I adored. Absolutely recommended by me.

** 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!
  
40x40

Merissa (11765 KP) rated By The Book in Books

Jun 26, 2017  
By The Book
By The Book
Maria Vickers | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
By the Book by Maria Vickers
By the Book is a story that will give you the warm fuzzies as you pray for Josh and Sam to get together, and to STAY together. This may sound easy, but these two have both families against them. Josh does act immature at times, but he is actually mature enough to realise it! Sam is trying so hard to do the right thing, that he may end up losing the best thing for him.

This is a wonderful story, excellently told, and giving great insight into how family can cause issues even if they are not on the doorstep! With plenty of situations to keep the characters on their toes, their characters grow throughout. This is definitely a feel-good book, that has no editing or grammatical errors that I noticed.

Hot, steamy, tender, poignant, it's all here. Definitely 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!
  
Puzzle Me This
Puzzle Me This
Eli Easton | 2019 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
8
9.3 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
Puzzle Me This is a short read that is big on emotions! Although it takes place over a number of months, it is very fast-paced, making it seem quicker than it is.

Both of our MCs have issues and baggage to deal with, and I loved that! The other thing I loved was the fact Alex was in a wheelchair WASN'T the biggest part of it. There was so much more to this story than that, but I won't give out any spoilers.

Personally, I would have preferred a bit more about the characters themselves, them getting to know each other, before the angst. However, that would probably take it to novel status, rather than novella.

Well written and edited, with no spelling or grammar issues that disrupted me. This is a perfect coffee break book, with plenty of the warm fuzzies to go around.

* 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!
Sep 11, 2019
  
I've Got This (Joy Universe #1)
I've Got This (Joy Universe #1)
Louisa Masters | 2020 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
8
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
too stinking cute and warm and fuzzies!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

This book has been edited and tightened up, following being released from the previous publisher.

I enjoyed this, I really did!

I will admit, I had an old copy that I started to read ages ago, but never finished it. Something IS different about this copy to that, but I have no idea what!

It’s a warm and fuzzies, too stinking cute kinda book that just wiles away a couple hours, and you can forget about the laundry and the cleaning, and just fall into the Joy Universe!

I must admit, at first, for some reason, I thought that the Joy Universe was an ADULT place to be, you know? And I couldn’t place dancers in that world, not for the life of me! But all becomes clear when Derek starts to do his thing, dealing with a murder on site and an attack of food poisoning that decimates his dance troop!

Derek is a big ole teddy bear, that has a work smile I would be so proud of, but I loved that Trav can see right through that false smile, that work face Derek puts on. Loved that Trav could bring a real smile out of him, just by looking his way.

I understood Trav’s. . .not hatred, more a strong dislike of the image Derek puts across. When explained why he has that reaction, it makes a lot more sense.

The murder thing takes a twist, and I didn’t see it going that way. So I liked that.

Some sexy on screen time, some not. Some deep emotional bits, some a much lighter feeling comes at you. Just enough of everything, to make it interesting.

I liked this book, a LOT. But for one thing.

First person, present tense AND both Derek and Trav have a say. Maybe that’s why I didn’t finish it before, but I’ve made a decision to give a book a couple of chapters, even if it IS written in my least favourite way, and I’m glad I did.

Not a difficult or hard read, just what I needed at this point in time 😊

4 good solid stars

**same worded will appear elsewhere**
  
Not As Nature Intended
Not As Nature Intended
Rich Hardy | 2020 | Education, Food & Drink
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Not As Nature Intended is not a book that’s going to give you the warm and fuzzies. It’s a book that tells it how it is: it’s graphic, even without the pictures.

Rich Hardy is an animal activist, and he considers that it is his responsibility to inform the public of the living conditions that the animals who live and die for our food and clothing endure. And it’s not easy reading. It can’t have been easy researching either. It’s clear that Rich’s life and/ or safety is in danger on several occasions, and that by the way he deals with these incidents it just shows that these aren’t the first time he’s had to deal with them. This man has made it his life’s work to stand up for animals and the way they live and die (although as he is a vegan, I’m pretty sure he’d rather they didn’t have to die for our benefit at all), and has written this book in an informative, non-preachy way.

This has certainly made me think more about the food I put on my family’s plate, and we have reduced the amount of meat in our diet as a consequence. Who knows, perhaps we’ll ditch it completely!

Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for serialising the book, and Rich Hardy for reading along.
  
CM
Call Me Michigan
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is a second chance novel - Mason and Tyler were best friends in their younger years, although both of them wanted more, neither of them said anything. When Tyler left home under difficult circumstances, Mason got blinding drunk before chasing after her and giving her a drunken kiss. Now, this is not guaranteed to win anyone over, so unsurprisingly, Tyler leaves anyway. Fast forward a few years, and Tyler returns to take care of her family. Of course, the first person she sees is Mason, although he doesn't recognise her. Things are about to change for the pair of them.

This is a well written, fast moving and smoothly paced contemporary romance, showing character growth and not just with the two main characters. With getting to know each other again, things don't go exactly smoothly. However, things eventually work out for them, which is good because the situation is about to get a whole more complicated.

This is a story guaranteed to give you the warm fuzzies, at the same time as you laugh and cry with the characters and the situations they find themselves in. Definitely recommended by me.

* I was given this book in return for a review which has in no way affected my opinion. *
  
Room For Recovery (Hearts and Health #4)
Room For Recovery (Hearts and Health #4)
D.J. Jamison | 2018 | LGBTQ+, Romance
10
9.0 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
excellent addition to the series
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

This is book 4 in the Hearts and Health series, but you don't need to have read the others first, they are all stand alones.

I don't usually much care for younger main characters; end of high school, beginning of college age; probably because I'm far older than that, but while I KNEW Beau and Wade were that age, it never really sunk in, you know?? I KNEW they were 18 and 19, but they did not SEEM that age.

Wade and Beau have crushed on each other for as long as they can remember, but Wade's coming out led to disastrous consequences, and he doesn't want to admit that he's gay, not to himself, nor to anyone else. Beau, while not fully OUT, certainly aware of what and who he wants. When Beau is attacked, Wade goes all protective and the two get to really know each other.

I can't quite file this book on the warm and fuzzies shelf, like Bedside Manner, because Wade carries a lot of guilt about one thing and another BUT it is a fantastic read. Watching Wade and Beau getting to know each other properly, after being around each other for years, watching Wade deal with his demons, and watching them both fall, and fall far is excellent reading.

 Wade pops up in Urgent Care, he is Trent's nephew and Wade is ANGRY at everything and everyone. We get just WHY he is so angry here and its painful reading, listening to Wade deal internally with everything, it really is.

An excellent addition to this series, and it introduces us to Dr Casper Rollins, who has his story next. I look forward to reading it.

5 not quite warm and fuzzie stars, but very nearly.

**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
  
Pieces of Us (Missing Pieces #3)
Pieces of Us (Missing Pieces #3)
N.R. Walker | 2020 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Pieces of Us is the third and final book in the Missing Pieces series and what a fantastic finale it is! We reunite with Justin and Dallas as Justin continues to make slow but steady progress. He still can't remember everything but is enjoying all his firsts - again.

If you are looking for a high angst book then I'm afraid you've picked the wrong series. The angst here is all about Justin's accident and the impact it has, in ways neither he or Dallas could have envisaged, with just one exception - Justin's mother. The relationship between Justin and Dallas is as rock-solid as ever, with them given ample support by Davo and Sparra.

I loved how this book and the whole series played out. My heart broke for Justin as he planned for a future when Dallas wouldn't want him and it also broke for Dallas when he realised what Justin was talking about. The ending, for me, was perfect. We got the HEA I craved whilst still being realistic to Justin's limitations.

This trilogy is a definite heart-breaker that will give you the warm fuzzies. Absolutely fantastic and highly 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!