** spoiler alert ** I will start off with saying this is probably not a genre of romance I usually read but WTF did I just read. 

The book starts off really great and captured my interest but why on earth was she so chill about it after she knew who her abductor was. 

The story felt very disjointed and I was confused the first half of the book not really knowing what's going on. The story is told in a way that had so much thrown in. 

The memory loss, the sister? Just too much for me. 

Darius' character was just weird too me. He's saving her from the dangers of the world but he abducts her 2x and doesn't do a good job. 

This one was not for me. 

The narrators did a good job with the story - it was the plot that was a kiss for me. 

Thank you @hambright_pr for gifting me a copy of the audiobook.

DNF at 40%. The writing is just not for me. It is very lyrical and wordy for me. I am not a fan of stories told in 3rd person POV so that added to my lack of interest

***CONTAINS SPOILERS***


** spoiler alert ** I have so many mixed feelings about this one. You will like this if you like office romance with an arrogant rich MC. 

Here's what didn't work for me:
- secret baby
- talk about work harassment - how on earth is there any time at a corporate job that you get ready in front of your PA?
- the need to marry an Italian when there wasn't much Italian culture or even language by the MC
- their first sex scene felt like he was taking advantage of her 

Both Grace and Gabriel are stubborn people and their lack of communication was a bit annoying. The twins were adorable and added humor to the story. 

I can't imagine that Gabriel's mom could be so cruel just because Grace is not Italian but that just seemed so off to me. 

I did enjoy the duet narration by CJ Bloom and Sean Masters.

I have enjoyed this series and this one is about Henry and Halle. Henry is the captain of the hockey team and is feeling the pressure of being the role model. Halle, is a student that is extremely over extended in life and goes to college at Maple Hill as well. They meet through a mutual friend and Halle decides to help Henry with a class he is struggling. 

I really enjoyed their friendship and this was a slow burn. I enjoyed seeing Halle blossoming but was frustrated with her being a doormat. Henry's character was neurodivergent and I appreciate how this was a big factor in the story. 

There is a lot going on in the story and it sort of distracted me and I wanted the story to move along. Overall, I think if you enjoy the series, you will like this one.

Thank you @atriabooks for a copy of this book.

I always enjoy a romance with food involved. I enjoyed the Iranian heritage that was a big element to the story and both Farzan and David were very likeable. The meet cute mistaken identity captured my interest from the first chapter. 

I appreciate that both Farzan and David were in their 30s and their family added a fun element to the story. Their love was just a little too insta for me and the big run was miscommunication which I am not a fan of. Overall, I enjoyed this steamy MM romance. 

Shezi Sardar and Brent Billings both did a great job with the narration and bringing the story to life. 

Thank you @readforeverpub @hachetteaudio for a copy of this book.

Thank you @prhaudio for a copy of this book. I have been a fan of Picoult's books for many years and this one is so different to her usual books. Perhaps because the majority of the book focuses on Emilia set in 1581 and her life as a mistress and becomes the ghost writer for William Shakespeare. There is so much heartache for Emilia with her life as a mistress and her lack of rights as a woman. 

There is also a current timeline with Melina who is struggling with the same issues as Emilia did with not being able to have opportunities as a woman in playwright. I really wanted more in this timeline because it felt like a love story. 

You can see how much research was done for the story and it really makes you question how did Shakespeare write about so many far away places that he had never been. 

The wide cast of narrators (Billie Fulford-Brown, Laura Benanti, Jayne Entwistle, Andrew Fallaize, Joe Jameson, John Lee, Nicholas Guy Smith, Simon Vance, Steve West) made for an entertaining audiobook. 

This was highly recommended by so many after Steamy Lit that I had to give it a try. This is not my normal type of books so I may not have enjoyed it as much as others. Probably when authors you love rave about it, it sets a very high bar. 

I did enjoy the story and the interesting concept of psy and channeling. World building js always tough for me and the story felt slow at times. 

The second half really picked up and that's when it grabbed my attention. I am still debating if I will continue with the series.

This series is just so much fun. This time, the story involves Everly and Hardy. It's a little messy with her pining for him who is indirectly her boss. Hardy is asking Everly to help see if his ex is interested in him. They form an unlikely friendship and the banter in the texts are just chef's kiss. 

It was fun to see a Brodie and Maggie from the first book play a big role in this story. I feel like we are set up for Hudson's story next and I can't wait for it. 

Don't sleep on this series, it is so fun!

Thank you @read_bloom @hambright.pr for a copy of this book.

I really enjoyed The Match and was excited to listen to the next book in the series. This was just as fun as the first one with June and Ryan who are total enemies and lovers. Lots of great banter and funny moments. I love the characters from first book was in this story too. 

Connie Shabshab and Will Damron did a great job with the narration and brining the humor and banter to life. 

Thank you @libro.fm for the audiobook

Thank you @berkleypub @prhaudio for a copy of this book. 

Who knew mom-influencers are so toxic. This is a story about Aspen and Meredith who are both influencers that were BFF then had a falling out. These characters are both manipulative and unlikable. We see how they both try to hurt each other in the name of gaining more followers and brand partnerships. 

At first I thought this book was about their toxic relationship and then about 50% mark, the story takes a turn. It was so abrupt that I had to listen back a few times to see if I missed something. 

I also felt the ending was a bit abrupt as well. 

Eunice Wong and Risa Mei did a great job as these characters and I could feel their jealousy coming out