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alechains's Reviews (192)
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
🎧️ ALC Review 🎧️
Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Audio: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Tanner is a small-town billionaire romance with an age gap. This is the second time I've read this book, and I loved it both times. The first time, I read the ebook; this time, I listened to the audiobook. Both versions are great, but Sean Masters and Victoria Connolly bring this story to life. I cannot think of a better duo to voice Tanner and Victoria; they sound exactly as I imagined the main characters would. The duet narration was perfect. Connolly's voice was spot on when portraying Victoria's determination, stubbornness, and lightheartedness. Masters' voice had the perfect timbre and raspiness for gruff and grumpy daddy Tanner. His voice during the spicy scenes was pure 🔥🔥🔥, and when he was being sweet and caring toward Victoria, it made you swoon.
The story is fun. Victoria is a strong, resilient woman who tackles any challenge head on. It's entertaining to watch her learn about farm life and transform her aunt's cabin. I also enjoyed seeing Tanner open up to her and share his life. I love that Samantha's books have a suspense aspect. In this case, however, I would have liked clearer signs earlier on so that the buildup to the main event would have been stronger.
Overall, this is a great book. I want to thank Samantha Skye and Handsome Henry Publishing for the opportunity to listen to this ALC.
Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Audio: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Tanner is a small-town billionaire romance with an age gap. This is the second time I've read this book, and I loved it both times. The first time, I read the ebook; this time, I listened to the audiobook. Both versions are great, but Sean Masters and Victoria Connolly bring this story to life. I cannot think of a better duo to voice Tanner and Victoria; they sound exactly as I imagined the main characters would. The duet narration was perfect. Connolly's voice was spot on when portraying Victoria's determination, stubbornness, and lightheartedness. Masters' voice had the perfect timbre and raspiness for gruff and grumpy daddy Tanner. His voice during the spicy scenes was pure 🔥🔥🔥, and when he was being sweet and caring toward Victoria, it made you swoon.
The story is fun. Victoria is a strong, resilient woman who tackles any challenge head on. It's entertaining to watch her learn about farm life and transform her aunt's cabin. I also enjoyed seeing Tanner open up to her and share his life. I love that Samantha's books have a suspense aspect. In this case, however, I would have liked clearer signs earlier on so that the buildup to the main event would have been stronger.
Overall, this is a great book. I want to thank Samantha Skye and Handsome Henry Publishing for the opportunity to listen to this ALC.
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
My wife, the serial killer. When I read the title and the blurb, I was reminded a little of the Mindf*ck series, and I love a badass, serial killer FMC. The story was entertaining with sharp, dark humor. The main character, even though she's the serial killer, and that character tends to be portrayed as unlikable, that isn't the case here. Fran is a badass, funny, and quirky. You don't understand her motives until the end, but that's part of the charm of this book. On the other hand, her husband, the detective investigating the murder, is a wimp. It takes a while to warm up to him and start to like it, and even now, I'm not sure I ever fully liked him because he was too bland in my opinion. There were just a few times when I thought "he's okay".
The first half of the story was funny and felt fluid, but after the 50- or 60-percent mark, it started to drag. It wasn't as humorous as the beginning, so it became boring because there were parts where nothing much was happening. The ending was also predictable.
Overall, it was a good debut novel, but with a bit more character development and refinement of the writing, it could have been great.
Thank you Netgalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC.
The first half of the story was funny and felt fluid, but after the 50- or 60-percent mark, it started to drag. It wasn't as humorous as the beginning, so it became boring because there were parts where nothing much was happening. The ending was also predictable.
Overall, it was a good debut novel, but with a bit more character development and refinement of the writing, it could have been great.
Thank you Netgalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
2 ⭐
ALC Review
I'm a big F1 fan so I pretty excited about this book when I read the blurb. I also decided to read the first one in case I would miss something important, however, now I think that wasn't the best idea because it left me feeling underwhelmed but I hoped this one would be better. Newsflash!: It was more of the same and I even thought about dnfing once or twice but I pushed through 🙈 on hindsight, I don't know if it was a great idea.
What I didn't like about this book:
1. The characters weren't likeable or relatable. The were in their mid thirties to mid forties but they both behaved like 16 year olds.
2. The FMC has abandonment issues that feel like they are swept under the rug.
3. Not enough F1 content for a supposed F1 romance, it was barely discussed.
4. There were a lot of time jumps that nade the story feel clunky and choppy at times.
5. A lot of miscommunication and fights followed by the silent treatment like they were kids at recess in elementary school.
What I liked:
1. The narrators 🙌🏽 Max and Cecily were amazing at voicing the characters. Their voices were perfect for the role and we're engaging. It wasn't their fault that the characters were annoying sometimes.
2. That the MMC was based on Toto Wolff and who doesn't love that man 🤤
3. There were some interesting ideas and plot points that could have been interesting, they just needed to be developed better. Less tropes would have made the story feel more fluid. Just focusing on the age gap and workplace/forbidden romance would have been so much fun.
Anyway, thank you to Netgalley and Hachette Audio for this ALC in exchange for an honest review.
ALC Review
I'm a big F1 fan so I pretty excited about this book when I read the blurb. I also decided to read the first one in case I would miss something important, however, now I think that wasn't the best idea because it left me feeling underwhelmed but I hoped this one would be better. Newsflash!: It was more of the same and I even thought about dnfing once or twice but I pushed through 🙈 on hindsight, I don't know if it was a great idea.
What I didn't like about this book:
1. The characters weren't likeable or relatable. The were in their mid thirties to mid forties but they both behaved like 16 year olds.
2. The FMC has abandonment issues that feel like they are swept under the rug.
3. Not enough F1 content for a supposed F1 romance, it was barely discussed.
4. There were a lot of time jumps that nade the story feel clunky and choppy at times.
5. A lot of miscommunication and fights followed by the silent treatment like they were kids at recess in elementary school.
What I liked:
1. The narrators 🙌🏽 Max and Cecily were amazing at voicing the characters. Their voices were perfect for the role and we're engaging. It wasn't their fault that the characters were annoying sometimes.
2. That the MMC was based on Toto Wolff and who doesn't love that man 🤤
3. There were some interesting ideas and plot points that could have been interesting, they just needed to be developed better. Less tropes would have made the story feel more fluid. Just focusing on the age gap and workplace/forbidden romance would have been so much fun.
Anyway, thank you to Netgalley and Hachette Audio for this ALC in exchange for an honest review.
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
First, the FMC Phaedra was infuriating. She acts like a freaking teenager who has never had an interaction with another human being so her go to is aggression and deflection. I get she is a woman in a usually "man's world" so she's heard every sexist and misogynistic remark to ever exist but at least give people the benefit of doubt before you chew their heads off. She hates the MMC for being a playboy and his unprofessional flirty comments on the radio while they are working and everyone else can hear definitely doesn't help to get her to like him and I get that part, he was asked to stop many times and he didn't so I would want to smack him too because that kind of behavior undermines her authority in front of everyone so I totally get that part. However, her insults and comments to her supposed best friend when they were arguing were very immature and infuriating. Both of them are annoying, they are basically high schoolers with secrets and when one confronted the other they just insulted each other, fought and acted like the other didn't exist. WTF! These are supposed to be adults but most characters in this book don't act that way.
Now the MMC, besides what I already mentioned about undermining his engineer by making flirty comments and using pet names while at work, he had his very sweet moments. However the first impression of him was not the best at all. He gets better as the book progresses but he could have been even better if we got more context about his childhood and what he went through. We got some of the story but I think they could have gone deeper into it to get some vulnerability, the same for Phaedra, there has to be a reason why her default is being a bitch when she's confronted about something.
What I did like about this were the family relationships: Phaedra's relationship with Mo, her father, although I would have loved to see more of it, the little we got was cute and the email she read made me cry. Then also her relationship with the silver fox Klaus, heat like another father figure and mentor and their conversations were great but I expected her to grovel a bit and apologize to him for being a bitch but they just gloss over it. And lastly Cosmin's relationship with his sister, you can tell they are close and what they went through as children brought them together to help others, we see a bit about that but again, I would have liked to see more.
After all of this I'm still on the fence about whether this is an ok book or not 🙃
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Faking Game was good. When I read the blurb to this and saw the tropes, I was immediately excited because it had some of my favorite tropes: Fake dating, brother's best friend, forced proximity, dating lessons and on top of that you add a bit of mystery with a stalker, I was sold. When I started reading it felt a bit slow, it took me a little while to get fully into it but once we got through the 20-30% mark I was hooked.
I liked both main characters, their personalities and interactions were great they had banter, humor, tension, and their chemistry developed naturally. It never felt rushed and I really appreciated that, I like a bit of a slow burn. I loved how West helped Nora grow into a confident woman who made her boundaries clear, became more confident in herself and talent and stopped being a people pleaser.
And West? He was freaking perfect. He was always there for Nora, he saw her true self from the very beginning and helped her come into her own. He never told her what to do, he listened to her and her needs and always made sure she was safe and felt protected. He basically worshipped her.
Now onto the things the didn't fully convince me and the reason this is only 3.75 stars but leaning into 4. 😅 Besides the fact that the beginning felt a bit slow for me, the whole length of the book felt a bit much, some chapters could have been shorter or cut altogether. In my opinion a contemporary romance doesn't really need to be 500 pages long 🙈 And the other thing was the stalker subplot, I really hoped there would be something more to it because it felt like the story was building up to something interesting but when we got there it was like "that's it? 🤨", it was very underwhelming. I know this isn't a romantic suspense but still, it was way too surface level for me.
Overall, it was a good book, I really enjoyed it and now I'm excited for what's coming next, I can't wait for Rafe's story after the sneak peak at the end and also Amber's story to find out her mystery man, although I have a theory about it. This was a great introduction to this new series and the characters for the next books.
PS. This quote at the end of the acknowledgements spoke to my soul: "Speaking your pie e and staying true to you, even in the face of others displeasure, is hard. It's terrifying. And it can be incredibly rewarding."
Thank you to Olivia Hayle and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I liked both main characters, their personalities and interactions were great they had banter, humor, tension, and their chemistry developed naturally. It never felt rushed and I really appreciated that, I like a bit of a slow burn. I loved how West helped Nora grow into a confident woman who made her boundaries clear, became more confident in herself and talent and stopped being a people pleaser.
And West? He was freaking perfect. He was always there for Nora, he saw her true self from the very beginning and helped her come into her own. He never told her what to do, he listened to her and her needs and always made sure she was safe and felt protected. He basically worshipped her.
Now onto the things the didn't fully convince me and the reason this is only 3.75 stars but leaning into 4. 😅 Besides the fact that the beginning felt a bit slow for me, the whole length of the book felt a bit much, some chapters could have been shorter or cut altogether. In my opinion a contemporary romance doesn't really need to be 500 pages long 🙈 And the other thing was the stalker subplot, I really hoped there would be something more to it because it felt like the story was building up to something interesting but when we got there it was like "that's it? 🤨", it was very underwhelming. I know this isn't a romantic suspense but still, it was way too surface level for me.
Overall, it was a good book, I really enjoyed it and now I'm excited for what's coming next, I can't wait for Rafe's story after the sneak peak at the end and also Amber's story to find out her mystery man, although I have a theory about it. This was a great introduction to this new series and the characters for the next books.
PS. This quote at the end of the acknowledgements spoke to my soul: "Speaking your pie e and staying true to you, even in the face of others displeasure, is hard. It's terrifying. And it can be incredibly rewarding."
Thank you to Olivia Hayle and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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challenging
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Not Safe for Work was a great book, and for me, an introduction to this author. I've obviously heard about her fantasy romance books, and I have them all on my TBR, but this contemporary romance was wonderful.
First of all, when I read the blurb, I was immediately interested, then I found out the book had some of my favorite tropes: rivals to lovers and one bed, and I was sold. This book gave laughs, banter, and sexual tension, but also talked about and dealt with very serious and very real issues that most women experience at least once in their lives: misogyny, racism, nepotism, sexism, among others. What these men did and said wasn't really fiction; it's facts. Every time they opened their mouth I was like "f*ck him/them"
Trishara was a badass, and I would love to be her friend IRL. She was witty, smart, and funny. I loved her banter with Rafe and her inner monologues. I connected so much with her because of what she was going through at work, and with her help, because it's something I've experienced, not at her level but in a similar way. I was rooting for her from the very beginning.
Rafe was not what I expected. The usual type in workplace romances is a grumpy, broody guy, but he wasn't like that; his character was deeper and more nuanced than I expected, and I loved to see his growth and see him follow his dreams. And, even though the love story was predictable, I loved seeing Tris and Rafe together
I listened to the audiobook, and I think the narrator, Soneela Nankani, was perfect; she fit the character and vibes really well. She definitely brought the story to life. I would have loved to see Rafe POV though.
Overall, I really liked this book and would definitely recommend. Thank you, Hachette Audio and Netgalley for this ALC.
Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Audio: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
First of all, when I read the blurb, I was immediately interested, then I found out the book had some of my favorite tropes: rivals to lovers and one bed, and I was sold. This book gave laughs, banter, and sexual tension, but also talked about and dealt with very serious and very real issues that most women experience at least once in their lives: misogyny, racism, nepotism, sexism, among others. What these men did and said wasn't really fiction; it's facts. Every time they opened their mouth I was like "f*ck him/them"
Trishara was a badass, and I would love to be her friend IRL. She was witty, smart, and funny. I loved her banter with Rafe and her inner monologues. I connected so much with her because of what she was going through at work, and with her help, because it's something I've experienced, not at her level but in a similar way. I was rooting for her from the very beginning.
Rafe was not what I expected. The usual type in workplace romances is a grumpy, broody guy, but he wasn't like that; his character was deeper and more nuanced than I expected, and I loved to see his growth and see him follow his dreams. And, even though the love story was predictable, I loved seeing Tris and Rafe together
I listened to the audiobook, and I think the narrator, Soneela Nankani, was perfect; she fit the character and vibes really well. She definitely brought the story to life. I would have loved to see Rafe POV though.
Overall, I really liked this book and would definitely recommend. Thank you, Hachette Audio and Netgalley for this ALC.
Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Audio: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I freaking loved story. From the moment I started the book I couldn't put it down until I finished. The main characters were two people who at first glance seemed to be complete opposites but the more they got to know each other they realized they had things in common. Their first meeting may not have left a great impression on Daisy but that sparked some great banter and a lot of sass. But it also got Daisy an amazing job offer that takes her to Whispers.
I loved the two main characters but also the side characters. I loved Daisy because I felt connected to her. Daisy wasn't the usual skinny blonde FMC and that made me so happy. She's plus size, she has curves and a tummy and that doesn't make her any less attractive than skinny women. I also liked that we could see some of her insecurities and how the people in her life were always trying to help and reassure her because that's a struggle most plus size women have to deal with.
Connor was just like his father, hot, tall and rugged. Also crazy protective of the people in his life and I loved that. He always listened to Daisy's ideas, valued her knowledge when it came to wellness and natural healing and even took interest in what she liked. He never put her down or was dismissive about anything even if they were things he wasn't used to and was weary about in the beginning like the teas or sound healing.
One of my favorite things about Samantha's books is that they always have a bit of mystery and drama in them but without resorting to the classic 3rd act breakup. This book exceeded my expectations.
I can't wait to have more billionaire's join Whispers and read their stories 🫶🏽
I loved the two main characters but also the side characters. I loved Daisy because I felt connected to her. Daisy wasn't the usual skinny blonde FMC and that made me so happy. She's plus size, she has curves and a tummy and that doesn't make her any less attractive than skinny women. I also liked that we could see some of her insecurities and how the people in her life were always trying to help and reassure her because that's a struggle most plus size women have to deal with.
Connor was just like his father, hot, tall and rugged. Also crazy protective of the people in his life and I loved that. He always listened to Daisy's ideas, valued her knowledge when it came to wellness and natural healing and even took interest in what she liked. He never put her down or was dismissive about anything even if they were things he wasn't used to and was weary about in the beginning like the teas or sound healing.
One of my favorite things about Samantha's books is that they always have a bit of mystery and drama in them but without resorting to the classic 3rd act breakup. This book exceeded my expectations.
I can't wait to have more billionaire's join Whispers and read their stories 🫶🏽
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Love in Focus was a sweet and cozy, sapphic second chance romance that follows two women on their late 20s. The two main characters are Gemma a relationship advice columnist and bisexual woman who's newly single after her relationship of seven years falls apart; and Celeste a renowned photographer and lesbian woman. Fate does what it usually does when it throws them together to work on a project about modern love that could potentially save Gemma's company.
The premise of the book was interesting from the get go even though second chance is not something I usually look for in my reads, however this was great. I liked that it followed the FMCs and their present lives and didn't mention the past more than the strictly necessary. The pace of the book was good and there was a good balance of plot and spice. I particularly loved the friendship between Gemma, Kiara and Val, they gave supportive friends/parents vibes. There was a lot of great BIPOC and Queer representation. However there were parts were some Korean dishes or costumes were mentioned and I got a bit lost because it's not something I know so some context would have been great.
Also, all the conversations about age felt a bit premature for characters that are just getting to their 30s, I feel like that's more of a conversation that people in their middle to late 30s have, not 29 year olds.
As for the audiobook, I very much enjoyed it. I think Natalie Naudus did a great job bringing Gemma to life, she fit her personality and depth really well. On the other hand, Catherine Ho as Celeste felt a bit weird and slow at times, I'm not sure why but I couldn't connect with her character completely. It could be because it was written in third person while Gemma's was in first but that's the author's decision so we can't fault her for that.
Overall, Love in Focus was a light and sweet story that you can read in one sitting. II liked it and would recommend it.
Thank you Hachette Audio and Netgalley for the Advanced Listener Copy.
Release date: May 27th 2025
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Story: ⭐⭐⭐.75
Audio: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The premise of the book was interesting from the get go even though second chance is not something I usually look for in my reads, however this was great. I liked that it followed the FMCs and their present lives and didn't mention the past more than the strictly necessary. The pace of the book was good and there was a good balance of plot and spice. I particularly loved the friendship between Gemma, Kiara and Val, they gave supportive friends/parents vibes. There was a lot of great BIPOC and Queer representation. However there were parts were some Korean dishes or costumes were mentioned and I got a bit lost because it's not something I know so some context would have been great.
Also, all the conversations about age felt a bit premature for characters that are just getting to their 30s, I feel like that's more of a conversation that people in their middle to late 30s have, not 29 year olds.
As for the audiobook, I very much enjoyed it. I think Natalie Naudus did a great job bringing Gemma to life, she fit her personality and depth really well. On the other hand, Catherine Ho as Celeste felt a bit weird and slow at times, I'm not sure why but I couldn't connect with her character completely. It could be because it was written in third person while Gemma's was in first but that's the author's decision so we can't fault her for that.
Overall, Love in Focus was a light and sweet story that you can read in one sitting. II liked it and would recommend it.
Thank you Hachette Audio and Netgalley for the Advanced Listener Copy.
Release date: May 27th 2025
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Story: ⭐⭐⭐.75
Audio: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
dark
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Overall, it was okay. It started well, it hooked me up in the first couple chapters but in the middle it dragged out a bit. It made me laugh many times tho so at least I was entertained.
The characters were likeable except for the FMC who needed a backbone and maybe some brain. Anyone could see she was just getting used as a trophy daughter by her dad but she did everything he said even though he gave her zero believable proof of actually wanting her to be part of the business. All she does is watch TV, eat takeout and be with Rook. I wanted to shake her and maybe slap her a few times so she could wake up and see her reality. She got better in the end but still it took way too long.
The characters were likeable except for the FMC who needed a backbone and maybe some brain. Anyone could see she was just getting used as a trophy daughter by her dad but she did everything he said even though he gave her zero believable proof of actually wanting her to be part of the business. All she does is watch TV, eat takeout and be with Rook. I wanted to shake her and maybe slap her a few times so she could wake up and see her reality. She got better in the end but still it took way too long.
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book was a HUGE improvement from the first one. Tho it wouldn't take much to make something better, I would just be happy with a book without SA.
This book gave me all the feelings I was intrigued, happy, I laughed out loud at parts but also cried at others and loved every single second.
This is the first time I can say I've liked a Rina Kent book 😅 It's also the first time I didn't hate one or both of the main characters so I'm very happy I pushed through and kept giving her books a chance until I finally found one. Hallelujah! 🙌🏽😂
This book gave me all the feelings I was intrigued, happy, I laughed out loud at parts but also cried at others and loved every single second.
This is the first time I can say I've liked a Rina Kent book 😅 It's also the first time I didn't hate one or both of the main characters so I'm very happy I pushed through and kept giving her books a chance until I finally found one. Hallelujah! 🙌🏽😂