bandherbooks's Reviews (3.65k)

Librarian Lauren has the serious hots for fire captain Jake but is not ready to make a move. He's friends with her ex-husband and they basically work in the same office seeing as the library and the fire company share the same building. Jake also has a secret crush on the town's head librarian, but he too is afraid to make a move as he hasn't had a serious relationship since his wife died a few years ago. A few drinks and a girls' night out break down both their barriers, but they get caught by Jake's daughter! Embarrassing! Will their mutual spark turn into more?

Fun little novella and nice to see more mature romance!

I re-read this in honor of the FatedMates podcast about the third book in this series which I had re-read recently. Just as delightful and sexy as my first time, I really love seeing these two fall in lust and love. It was super great too because Jake loved his wife and she was a very different person than Lauren, which gives Lauren some worries, but Jake's handling of her concerns were so sweet and sexy. I also loved seeing these two makeout on the couch like teens and getting caught. Made me laugh.

DNF after first chapter; he accidentally walks into a sex date his uncle had set up (and never showed up for) and he sleeps with her even though he knows she still thinks he's someone else. Nope.

actual rate ⭐⭐⭐.5

I was right about a theory about one of the characters! yay!

I was definitely kept on the edge of my seat as the young, sexy 20 somethings sailed to a deserted atoll off of Hawa'ii in the Pacific. I knew it wouldn't end well for everyone, but I was satisfied with the ending we did get.

Lux is a whole Sagittarius mood, even if she is a bit of a ding dong. Anyway, trust your guts and not beautiful strangers friends!

The narrator was super great, especially doing all the various characters and their accents. this is a super white book, but because they are all ding dongs who fuck around and find out, i didn't mind at all.

Content notes: trauma from a parent's terminal cancer (in the past, discussed/flashbacks), murderrrr, blood, scary ocean stuff including sharks, poison fish, a storm. gun violence, drinking & drugs, cheating.

Recently dumped and recently unemployed, Vanessa head's to her grandmother's to heal her wounds and apply for news-reporter jobs. She isn't expecting to find out her grandmother believes her house is haunted, by her grandfather, and that she's hired a band of brother ghost hunters to help her figure out what the ghost wants.

Ever a skeptic, Vanessa is not about to let these brothers scam her granny, but the oldest and cutest brother is intent on showing Vanessa they have nothing but her grandma's best interests at heart; and that ghosts are very real.

This was super fun, I love the premise so much. Also, Dion being a blue collar man with his side hustle ghost busting business was so lovingly explored, and I really loved how neither Vanessa nor Dion had to sacrifice their career wants for each other! Great category, perfect for spooky season.

“Constellations tell a story. Lines connecting points, making a picture. Your freckles do too. Your body does. Anne-Marie, I like your story.” He didn’t look away. He didn’t even blink. He meant it. Every word. And looking in his eyes, she felt it. She nearly shook with need.  “Make love to me.” “Yes, ma’am.”

So I've had Stardust languishing on my TBR pile for way too long. Way too long. BUT I guess it was waiting for me when I truly needed it because wow, I absolutely loved it. My entire jam. A golden boy, a scoundrel who is so confident in his looks and merit, is completely bowled over by the jaded divorcee next door.

Not only is the romance absolutely swoonworthy, the 1960s setting was a refreshing change of pace. Commander Kit Campbell's desire to go to space, the mission itself, and the cast of characters at the NASA-esque project, and the exploration of the role of women and the problems they ran against during this time period, all added depth and an immersive reading experience.

I FINALLY read an entire IPB book! One of my romance secrets that I hadn't actually read through one of our famous blue, spurred, and purring alien books.

I had the best time discussing this bananas book with my library romance book club (and we made snow globe not-hoth's, so fun). I read the opening chapters from both my eBook original copy and the newly issues (and edited) Berkley paperback release to see the changes RE: rape/sexual assault. IMO I wish the rape had been completely edited out, versus the mildly fade-to-black edit it gets. Isn't being kidnapped and experimented on enough of a violation? I mean, it was certainly shocking, and I did give the content notes to my book club members as much as I could before hand, but that was a rough opening sequence.

Also, we still have Vektal and Georgie's first meeting as him eating her out before they even speak, so yeah. I am glad she rolled with it and liked it but lol wowsers. what a cultural exchange right there!

That said, this series is a phenomena that I'm glad to have experienced, especially with being able to discuss with fellow romance readers.

Content notes: rape, on page first chapter (slightly fade to black in edited paperback), dubcon, illnesses, danger from elements/sickness, worm implantation, discussions of pregnancy

I have so many thoughts! Mainly, there are really good bones in this twisty, PNR with its daddy kink demon and witch. Really great consent, truly funny in dare I say a charming way, evil beings who are in fact evil and don't give a fuck about it, but do deeply love and care for their people, and awesome steam.

My quibbles come down to pacing, and length. Overall this book felt long; I thought it had ended about four times before it finally got there. While the magical world was nicely explored, there was a whole lot going on, and some editing down would really help make this a firey, erotic read. There are three major plot lines—Dax and his pals trying to find the demon who is hurting others by possessing them, what Blair's mom is trying to do to Blair and her witchy powers, and Blair's revenge plot on her cheating ex—and they sort of took away from the central romance for me, especially as the revenge plot fizzles out and Blair starts to feel bad about deceiving Dax, and actual demon from hell lol. Also screw his son, I didn't care about Dax becoming a good actual daddy. Just be a good "daddy" to Blair!

BUT, I will absolutely read the next one featuring Lucifer and Lilith, and am overall glad I found this on KU. Dax as a demon was just the best, as he has gray in his beard, an excellent Satan gifted

i'm sorry this was so boring

i was rolling along with this funny, sexy short story (it is only 23 pages) but my ebook cut me off at 22 pages and while we got to the orgasm, that was it?! cruel and unusual punishment.

Overall I was very much enjoying the voice of this new to me author, I'm just grumpy that there wasn't a bit of a HFN/HEA beyond them climaxing.

content notes: blood drinking, wax play, one main character is white, butch human, the other is a Black femme vampire

I'm inducting a new novella to my annual re-reads list. A Duke Worth Falling For is an exquisitely wrought Fall/Autumn novella that captures the crisp air of the season along with the "we should enjoy every second of this time because soon it will be over" nature that imbues Octobers (at least for me). So achingly romantic, as photographer Lilah Rose stumbled over a sheep into the path of supposed English farmer Max who is actually the reclusive Duke Rupert Maximillian etc.

Max in his knits, his boots, collecting fresh eggs and cheese for your breakfast after serving you up a platter of decadent orgasms, damn, what's not to love. Also the scene where Max serves Lilah some loving at the art opening, worshipping her bare breasts under her tuxedo jacket, DAYUM.

A perfectly paced novella, and I adore it so much.