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bandherbooks's Reviews (3.65k)
Jackie Lau's next book, Man vs. Durian, is so important. It is a lovely romance between a prickly heroine and the soft, handsome cinnamon roll who utterly falls for her after she dumps durian ice cream on him.
Peter hates durian, but he falls in love with Valerie who could be compared to the fruit itself.
Plus, the sensitive and important discussion of Valerie's need to use lube and a vibrator to achieve orgasm is wonderful to see depicted, especially how Peter listens, learns, and doesn't just expect his sexual prowess to magically change Valerie.
CW for sexual harassment (off page). You can read this story starting on August 27, 2019!
Thank you to the author for the ARC!
Peter hates durian, but he falls in love with Valerie who could be compared to the fruit itself.
Plus, the sensitive and important discussion of Valerie's need to use lube and a vibrator to achieve orgasm is wonderful to see depicted, especially how Peter listens, learns, and doesn't just expect his sexual prowess to magically change Valerie.
CW for sexual harassment (off page). You can read this story starting on August 27, 2019!
Thank you to the author for the ARC!
I official own three copies of Brazen and the Beast and sorry not sorry I'm keeping them all. I re-read my favorite book of 2019 via audio book, and let me tell you a grunting hero is a glorious thing to hear. Hattie and Whit are my ride or die couple and I'll be re-reading their story for years to come.
Sheer and utter perfection. I am here for #yearofhattie, Carrick bend knots used for sexy reasons (OMG JUST WAIT), and Beast, oh Beast.
MacLean has done it again and I cannot wait for everyone to read this book. Full review to come closer to the publication date.
Thank you to the publisher for the advanced reading copy!
A lady determined to raise the sails on her own future inadvertently brings an underworld king to his knees when she discovers him trussed up in her carriage on her birthday. Hattie wasn't looking for this man for her birthday, but he turns out to be her utterly perfect Beast. Watching this savvy business woman fight for her future and for the man she loves is an absolute delight, and a must read, especially for fans of other historical romance authors who bring together the ballroom and the smuggler's den, like Sophie Jordan or Julie Ann Long. If you haven't yet read Sarah MacLean, what are you waiting for?
Sheer and utter perfection. I am here for #yearofhattie, Carrick bend knots used for sexy reasons (OMG JUST WAIT), and Beast, oh Beast.
MacLean has done it again and I cannot wait for everyone to read this book. Full review to come closer to the publication date.
Thank you to the publisher for the advanced reading copy!
A lady determined to raise the sails on her own future inadvertently brings an underworld king to his knees when she discovers him trussed up in her carriage on her birthday. Hattie wasn't looking for this man for her birthday, but he turns out to be her utterly perfect Beast. Watching this savvy business woman fight for her future and for the man she loves is an absolute delight, and a must read, especially for fans of other historical romance authors who bring together the ballroom and the smuggler's den, like Sophie Jordan or Julie Ann Long. If you haven't yet read Sarah MacLean, what are you waiting for?
Kate Cooper is running her sick mom's tiki bar in Florida while also struggling to find her footing with her own career and trying to find health insurance for her medical condition. So, when her former high school crush turns up at the bar on leave from his dangerous job as a military contractor, she doesn't really have time for one more thing on her plate. But Damien is too hard to resist, especially since he's been waiting for ten years to finally make Kate realize how much he's always wanted her.
Their fling has an expiration date, until Damien proposes Kate become his wife for his insurance.
I loved the concept of this romance but the story arc didn't exactly work for me. The big conflict was Damien leaving and Kate needing insurance came very close to the end, and then resolved very quickly. We are also left just moments after the wedding not knowing how they as a newly married couple would handle Damien being deployed for a year.
That said I am intrigued to read more by this writer.
CW: Kate's mom has breast cancer, but there is no death. Kate was slut-shamed in high school because she made out with Damien.
I received a free copy in exchange for a fair review.
Their fling has an expiration date, until Damien proposes Kate become his wife for his insurance.
I loved the concept of this romance but the story arc didn't exactly work for me. The big conflict was Damien leaving and Kate needing insurance came very close to the end, and then resolved very quickly. We are also left just moments after the wedding not knowing how they as a newly married couple would handle Damien being deployed for a year.
That said I am intrigued to read more by this writer.
CW: Kate's mom has breast cancer, but there is no death. Kate was slut-shamed in high school because she made out with Damien.
I received a free copy in exchange for a fair review.
CW for physical and verbal abuse, gas-lighting, and gory medical details.
Yeesh. I chose this book for my Book to Art Club because it is super popular and I want people to come to my library program. It will definitely be a great book to discuss, I just am personally very tired reading these type of memoirs. The abuse Westover went through at the hands of her parents and her siblings is awful to read and I'm just real tired of knowing some white men get to live their lives this way, with their guns and their mental illnesses and their brutal control over their families all for the sake of being "free."
Yeesh. I chose this book for my Book to Art Club because it is super popular and I want people to come to my library program. It will definitely be a great book to discuss, I just am personally very tired reading these type of memoirs. The abuse Westover went through at the hands of her parents and her siblings is awful to read and I'm just real tired of knowing some white men get to live their lives this way, with their guns and their mental illnesses and their brutal control over their families all for the sake of being "free."
I started Scoring Off The Field and didn't stop until I was finished and now I need a bathroom break and a snack because holy wow. I typically am not a fan of friends-to-lovers romances but Naima Simone is my consistent trope-breaker. Basically what she writes is delicious gold and I am here for it.
Holy wow this book. My lord, my heart, and my loins.
Content warnings behind spoiler
Shannon Walsh, known to me as the kickass now take names later go-getter who takes care of her family while running the family architecture business with an iron fist is my forever favorite. Type-A and brilliant and bowled over in the best way by Will Halsted, Navy SEAL, heart of gold, and book boyfriend of my dreams. And when I say Shannon is bowled over, she is bowled over in the most Shannon of ways in that it takes her years to realize it, and Will is with her the whole way. Despite being an extreme alpha, Will is also the most patient and gentle (but not in bed) with the woman who was horribly hurt as a child, the woman who he knows is IT for him, despite having to work as hard as he's ever worked for anything.
Canterbary knows how to build the best emotional tension, and chooses to give you the hot sex immediately than make you want MORE of it so bad, especially as Shannon and Will spend a significant amount of time apart due to his covert missions. I adored that there was never a huge "break" moment in this romance, but a gradual ebb and flow of issues most couples facing the secrets and distance these two had would also experience. This is competence porn at its finest as Shannon is a pro at her job, maybe too much so, and Will never questions her career, her choices, or whether he would be willing to sacrifice for her.
This series is rapidly becoming one of my favorite family romances, and I love how each book builds upon the next. I skipped Sam's book because I am not super in the mood for how angsty his romance with Tiel seems. I can't wait to read Erin's book as she's obviously with Dr. Nick and I must know what that is about. I am also not quite sure what exactly went down between Erin and Shannon and why they still haven't spoken in nine years, but I'm hoping we'll soon find out!
Content warnings behind spoiler
Spoiler
Shannon's horrid father repeatedly raped her throughout her childhood/teen years (only alluded to, never discussed in detail). Will picks Shannon's apartment door lock and is in her apartment without her permission once. Shannon's brother attempts suicide by binge drinking while also diabetic. Shannon has sex with a different man (not on page, described as meh) while she and Will are kind of broken up. He handles in the most mature way I've ever read in any romance novel - no chest beating her besides "get rid of him"Shannon Walsh, known to me as the kickass now take names later go-getter who takes care of her family while running the family architecture business with an iron fist is my forever favorite. Type-A and brilliant and bowled over in the best way by Will Halsted, Navy SEAL, heart of gold, and book boyfriend of my dreams. And when I say Shannon is bowled over, she is bowled over in the most Shannon of ways in that it takes her years to realize it, and Will is with her the whole way. Despite being an extreme alpha, Will is also the most patient and gentle (but not in bed) with the woman who was horribly hurt as a child, the woman who he knows is IT for him, despite having to work as hard as he's ever worked for anything.
Canterbary knows how to build the best emotional tension, and chooses to give you the hot sex immediately than make you want MORE of it so bad, especially as Shannon and Will spend a significant amount of time apart due to his covert missions. I adored that there was never a huge "break" moment in this romance, but a gradual ebb and flow of issues most couples facing the secrets and distance these two had would also experience. This is competence porn at its finest as Shannon is a pro at her job, maybe too much so, and Will never questions her career, her choices, or whether he would be willing to sacrifice for her.
This series is rapidly becoming one of my favorite family romances, and I love how each book builds upon the next. I skipped Sam's book because I am not super in the mood for how angsty his romance with Tiel seems. I can't wait to read Erin's book as she's obviously with Dr. Nick and I must know what that is about. I am also not quite sure what exactly went down between Erin and Shannon and why they still haven't spoken in nine years, but I'm hoping we'll soon find out!
SUPER heavy, but written with Beharrie's sensitive and warm style. Just not for me at this time.
SPOILERS and CW's only notes:
I read about half of this story. I did not look up any reviews before starting but I typically enjoy a "marriage in trouble" romance so I jumped in.
While excellently written I personally had an issue wanting to keep reading because of the lingering grief issues and relationship problems the couple have because of Mila's miscarriage when she was in her six month of pregnancy. Both sets of their parents are also dead, one of the parents from cancer, and Mila struggles with what seems to me to be PTSD. She fell walking down stairs which led to her miscarriage.
SPOILERS and CW's only notes:
I read about half of this story. I did not look up any reviews before starting but I typically enjoy a "marriage in trouble" romance so I jumped in.
While excellently written I personally had an issue wanting to keep reading because of the lingering grief issues and relationship problems the couple have because of Mila's miscarriage when she was in her six month of pregnancy. Both sets of their parents are also dead, one of the parents from cancer, and Mila struggles with what seems to me to be PTSD. She fell walking down stairs which led to her miscarriage.
Since I read both book 1 and 2 back to back, I wish they would have been one story. Everything I Left Unsaid was super compelling, I enjoyed the tension of Annie and Dylan's phone relationship, and gah that cliffhanger. This book felt more repetitive, with lots of little breaks between Dylan and Annie as they try to navigate being in an actual relationship and a lot of stuff with the motorcycle club that I didn't really care about.
I'm really intrigued to read more about Annie's neighbor in her book. Cannot wait.
I'm really intrigued to read more about Annie's neighbor in her book. Cannot wait.
I read a few Johanna Lindsey's stolen from my mother around the age of 11 or 12 (most significantly Prisoner of My Desire and Savage Thunder, omg), and they certainly made an impression on my young psyche. If I would have read Gentle Rogue at that same time, I think I would have loved it way more than I did reading it today.
That said, it was immensely readable and fun looking at it through the context of the time and place it came from. I loved Georgie the most and for a book from 1990 she is a damn delight. She's not afraid of sex, doesn't feel ashamed about wanting sex once she figures out that she isn't actually nauseous (so silly), and she's not afraid to stand up to her brothers and James Mallory when she can.
I didn't like that James didn't tell Georgie that he recognized her right away nor did I like that he made her do things no cabin boy would have ever been asked to do, so that took away some of his charm, not to mention that he's probably a slave owner. Yikes. I did love the banter between James and Georgie, especially once the jig was up.
As having never read any of the other Malory books, I was meh about all the other characters, and I felt the last third of the book was way too long and not enough about James and Georgie's relationship, which felt mostly settled besides them refusing to realize they loved each other.
That said, it was immensely readable and fun looking at it through the context of the time and place it came from. I loved Georgie the most and for a book from 1990 she is a damn delight. She's not afraid of sex, doesn't feel ashamed about wanting sex once she figures out that she isn't actually nauseous (so silly), and she's not afraid to stand up to her brothers and James Mallory when she can.
I didn't like that James didn't tell Georgie that he recognized her right away nor did I like that he made her do things no cabin boy would have ever been asked to do, so that took away some of his charm, not to mention that he's probably a slave owner. Yikes. I did love the banter between James and Georgie, especially once the jig was up.
As having never read any of the other Malory books, I was meh about all the other characters, and I felt the last third of the book was way too long and not enough about James and Georgie's relationship, which felt mostly settled besides them refusing to realize they loved each other.