bandherbooks's Reviews (3.65k)

Laura Kinsale has a beautiful way with words and sentences. She's a brilliant writer. I just wasn't as entranced with the story and characters. Thank you to my buddy reading team for putting up with my lackadaisical approach with FFTS. Maybe I'll try again someday, but I much preferred For My Lady's Heart!

Steamy and a quick read, definitely accomplishing the goals of the Harlequin DARE line, I wanted a bit more connection besides physical and sexual between the two love interests, but overall enjoyed the story. The ending was quite abrupt but those who enjoy the fashion business will appreciate those details.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC

Unfortunately, despite the excellent premise this one fell flat for me. I liked the meet cute, with Rose finding Owen, furniture maker/restorer, sleeping in her bed, the one her dastardly ex is trying to sell under her nose, but the conflict about him being a struggling, independent craftsman versus Rose being an office drone to an IKEA-esque company didn't really work for me. I hated that Owen embarrassed Rose at her work gala after she explicitly told him not to confront her cheating ex. Boundaries?

Both Rose and Owen had money struggles and I was always feeling worried about Rose. Yes, she works at Owen's "enemy" but she does also need to worry about her bills, her future, and shoot, health insurance. I'm glad it all worked out in the end, but me thinking about these things took me out of the story and I felt the ending was too neatly and perfectly wrapped up.

Also, if you find sex toys, even if it is just ropes/restraints, used by your ex with people other than yourself, wouldn't you throw them away? I didn't like that Owen introduced Rose to uber-light kink with restraints they found hidden in her bed, by her cheating ex.

I've enjoyed some of the other books in this series, this one just didn't quite work for me.

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC.

Flaming hot marriage of convenience kinky romance. All the stars for the emotional development and sex scenes and honestly I could care less about the mob bosses and the politics of Carver City. This series is one-handed reading time goodness and it is fun to have the familiar characters in this made up world.

I definitely felt plopped in to the middle of something I didn't quite understand, perhaps because I did not read the second book in the series. The ending was super abrupt, but again, I'm not here for the plot and Roberts' character building shines. For a premise that Hook was not going to have sex with Tink until she said yes to forever, I felt like that promise of edging didn't really pan out haha. Glorious banging all around.

Thank you to the author for the advanced reading copy.

CW for past emotional/physical abuse of a main character, drinking, violence

Reading Work for It sent me down a rabbit hole trying to figure out what Elderflower cordial tastes like because after a particular scene involving the creation of it I kind of need to know. Really bad.

Work for it is absolutely delicious, angsty, and so hot I can't even give justice to a description beyond that. Olu and Griff's chemistry and antagonism is so very palpable my eReader was heavy in my hands. I loved the details of Griff's place in the elderflower business, his recipes, and how absolutely gentle he was with Olu's emotions and heart and how NOT gentle he was when asked.

Definitely a must read, absolutely loved.

CW for forced-outing (off page), sharing of intimate photos (off page), and parental death by suicide (takes place in the past).

I received a free copy in exchange for a fair review.

Mutual pining and a legacy of failed relationship attempts don't stop the sparks flying between two former best friends and lovers who reconnect at the destination wedding of their mutual friends. But can Pris, a NYC detective growing weary of her job, and JuanPa, a physical therapist for the NY Yankees, get over their past to have a future together?

Herrera closes out her Dreamers series with a delicious second-chance romance that reconnects fans with the other beloved couples and closes out with a hard won and well deserved HEA for our jaded couple who both are absolutely gone for each other. As always Herrera deftly weaves social justice, therapy, and culture into her characters' lives without ever losing track of the heart and soul of the romance. And oh the heat. It is real good.

Come for the romance, stay for the seniors learning about b*tt play.

CW for discussion of sexual abuse of a minor - it is a case Priscilla is working on as a NYC detective. All discussion is based on the facts of the case.

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC.

Okay, if you haven't read or listened to the author books in The Walshes series, just stop reading right now. I really don't suggest you pick up Riley's book without having first taken the journey, as it won't work for you.



SPOILERS.


Still with me?

Oh my gosh, Riley. RISD. You bumbling, beautiful, sexy beast.

I've been really worried about Riley ever since realizing he's obsessed with his brother Matt's wife Lauren. Yikes. I love how Canterbary handled the situation without it being gross or skeevy. We've seen Riley pining throughout the various other Walsh books and I had no idea who his love interest would actually turn out to be.

Well this story starts with a bang, with a very explicit sex dream featuring Lauren which did manage to kind of ick me out, but after that we quickly find out who Riley's bumblebee is.

If you don't want to know, don't read behind the spoiler.

Spoiler

Alex, Dr. Nick Acevedo's coworker, formerly known as "Gastro Girl" meets Riley when he's bent over Nick and Erin's table, bleeding out of his back from a rusty nail wound. She stitches him up and they immediately click.
Of course, Riley is still struggling with his feelings for Lauren, feeling like falling for Alex is a betrayal, and Alex herself is dealing with her hangups about always being second choice, being cheated on, being betrayed. They agree to a relationship of mutual benefit, five dates, to help Alex show her boss she's not out to bone other interns and for Alex to accompany Riley to his alma mater's homecoming weekend.
Riley doesn't tell Alex about the girl he's actually trying to get over and I spent the whole story just biting my nails. There were a few moments where I just wanted these two to TALK. And I was little disappointed their first time together was marred by blurry alcohol memory loss and regret. It is by far made up for later, and Riley is one kinky guy.
I was so glad Matt told Riley he always knew about his feelings for Ms. Honey, and that it didn't turn into a big drama fest. I also like how there are no villainous females in this series. Everyone has motivations that make total sense.
It was also great to see this family wrap up their series and I can't wait to read the novella.
Seeing Riley finally getting his HEA and falling for Alex (Aly) myself, I just love this series and this messy Irish-Catholic family.

Reread while I was home sick for a comfort read. Riley and his too big for his own pants c*ck is a total bae and I just adore this entire series. Also getting to see Hartshorn and Acevedo on page with Riley's LI is wonderful.

Beth and Finn loathe each other, barely keeping their simmering tension under wraps during work meetings. But as it turns out hate is as ever far closer to love than both want to admit, especially since Finn is a confirmed bachelor and Beth is on the hunt for a husband and father to her future children. But as they struggle to keep from kissing each other and they finally succumb to their urges for one wild night, can Finn change?

Lots of great sexual tension in this novella from Zoe York, with a great payoff during the night they are stuck in the winery together. I had not read any of the other books in this series but had no problem following along with the characters

I always struggle a bit when one character is dead set against marriage and babies and ends up changing their mind. Ultimately I believed in this HEA for the most part, but Finn definitely had completely change his wants and needs to be with Beth.

I listened to this on audio from Hoopla!

Greg and Tasha were high school and early college sweethearts until they mutually broke up because they were young and the long distance thing just wasn't working out. Flash to fifteen years later, and they are both single and sharing a car ride home for Christmas, until some bad weather and a cold room at shabby hotel bring them together again.

A perfectly sweet "one-bed" holiday novella (with some great steam), I wanted more tension between the two love interests. They are both so very nice and had no baggage between the two of them despite not having spoken for fifteen years that I couldn't believe these two hadn't hooked back up eons ago.

That said, there is a lot to like here and this is a nice low-angst holiday romance, plus sexy snow forts!

I reviewed from a free copy from the author.