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bandherbooks's Reviews (3.65k)
an excellent cook book to have on your kitchen keeper shelf. gluten free and dairy free based on the indigenous ingredients used in all of these recipes, Sean Sherman's collection highlights modern ways to use these ingredients that still honor the traditional foods. I made the squash soup with cranberry topping and it was SO good.
you ever have a moment where a whole romance book just blows up before your eyes, sort of in slow motion and then BANG wow WHYYYY? That was Flawless for me. I was successfully riding this bull--an age-gap she's his publicist/babysitter romance--for almost 80% and then it bucked me right off into the atmosphere.
The landing didn't hurt as it could of, so all-in all three solid stars. I will definitely read more of this author's work as the voice, characters, and setting are so dynamic and strong. I was just MAD about some of the character choices! ! ! Also whew the chemistry between the two leads was FIRE and so were the sexy times.
Content notes: Summer is a white, cis woman in her early to mid 20s. she is a publicist/lawyer at her father's publicity firm. Rhett is a 31 year old white cis man. He rides bulls professionally and is nearing the end of his career due to various injuries but is on a hot streak. bull riding, injuries (on page and described; secondary character is hurt rather badly but is okay), drinking, troubled family dynamics, grooming of a minor leading to a secret relationship of a barely legal (18yo woman) woman-heroine, described but in the past.
Spoilery thoughts
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still with me?? Okay, so what threw me off this bull was Summer's past 'relationship' with her heart surgeon, who in her words, 'groomed' her as teen when she had a not secret crush on him. I felt so awful for Summer, this man was a complete and utter ASSHOLE who hurt and used her - including jumping on her the minute she was 18 and making her keep their relationship secret. I appreciated how the author handled this, never once blaming Summer. Summer has big regrets, and is finally coming to terms with that what happened was wrong. She does disclose this to Rhett as well, who i thought handled it well in the moment but THEN THEN there's horrible reveal where we discover, at the hospital in time of crisis, that Summer's stepsister/half sister?? is MARRIED to the surgeon AHHHH and Rhett get's so angry he calls him out, reveals her secret, and then summer gets mad that the surgeon's career could be jeopardized!? i dunno, it was all very messy and i just didn't like anyone's choices or how that plot was also sort of left dangling.
any way, still a lot to like, just not a perfect read for me and it left me a bit yelly. thankfully i was unintentionally buddy reading with my pal Leigh Kramer!
The landing didn't hurt as it could of, so all-in all three solid stars. I will definitely read more of this author's work as the voice, characters, and setting are so dynamic and strong. I was just MAD about some of the character choices! ! ! Also whew the chemistry between the two leads was FIRE and so were the sexy times.
Content notes: Summer is a white, cis woman in her early to mid 20s. she is a publicist/lawyer at her father's publicity firm. Rhett is a 31 year old white cis man. He rides bulls professionally and is nearing the end of his career due to various injuries but is on a hot streak. bull riding, injuries (on page and described; secondary character is hurt rather badly but is okay), drinking, troubled family dynamics, grooming of a minor leading to a secret relationship of a barely legal (18yo woman) woman-heroine, described but in the past.
Spoilery thoughts
.
.
.
.
still with me?? Okay, so what threw me off this bull was Summer's past 'relationship' with her heart surgeon, who in her words, 'groomed' her as teen when she had a not secret crush on him. I felt so awful for Summer, this man was a complete and utter ASSHOLE who hurt and used her - including jumping on her the minute she was 18 and making her keep their relationship secret. I appreciated how the author handled this, never once blaming Summer. Summer has big regrets, and is finally coming to terms with that what happened was wrong. She does disclose this to Rhett as well, who i thought handled it well in the moment but THEN THEN there's horrible reveal where we discover, at the hospital in time of crisis, that Summer's stepsister/half sister?? is MARRIED to the surgeon AHHHH and Rhett get's so angry he calls him out, reveals her secret, and then summer gets mad that the surgeon's career could be jeopardized!? i dunno, it was all very messy and i just didn't like anyone's choices or how that plot was also sort of left dangling.
any way, still a lot to like, just not a perfect read for me and it left me a bit yelly. thankfully i was unintentionally buddy reading with my pal Leigh Kramer!
a perfectly sweet and steamy holiday novella about an injured navy fighter pilot taking care of his young nephew while his sister (a combat nurse) is off on deployment. his nephew finds an injured kitten which leads them to the lovely, and sexy, town veterinarian who patches up both the kitten (and his heart).
more of a christmassy setting (christmas is the epilogue) but i spent a great afternoon reading this.
read as part of the #ShopYourShelvesBingo challenge by LoveInPanels. I'd been sitting on this one for a long time.
more of a christmassy setting (christmas is the epilogue) but i spent a great afternoon reading this.
read as part of the #ShopYourShelvesBingo challenge by LoveInPanels. I'd been sitting on this one for a long time.
okay hear me out, but this felt like what if Maxim from [b:The Master|22471007|The Master (The Game Maker, #2)|Kresley Cole|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1403895236l/22471007._SY75_.jpg|41912217] was a submissive who lived to serve? so yeah basically i really love it.
my minor quibble was i felt a bit thrust (he he he) into Mikhail Volkov and Kate Pasternak's lives in the first chapter; she's been working at his company, struggles to make ends meet, and is aware of him as the owner but hasn't met him. He meets her just the once and is ready to proposition her and senses her domme-ness. ehhhh, okay? I wish there was a little more buildup on the front end but whatever, once we got going it was hot as fuck and really fun.
Loved that Kate is a midwestern girl from ANTIGO WISCONSIN lmao (personally hilarious), and that she was finding her way as a domme, but wasn't a total beginner either. also i felt this treated sex work in a far better way than a lot of similar books (including the Cole).
There's so much imagery of Mikhail as a shuddering, worked over stallion and well. that appealed to me as well lmao.
my minor quibble was i felt a bit thrust (he he he) into Mikhail Volkov and Kate Pasternak's lives in the first chapter; she's been working at his company, struggles to make ends meet, and is aware of him as the owner but hasn't met him. He meets her just the once and is ready to proposition her and senses her domme-ness. ehhhh, okay? I wish there was a little more buildup on the front end but whatever, once we got going it was hot as fuck and really fun.
Loved that Kate is a midwestern girl from ANTIGO WISCONSIN lmao (personally hilarious), and that she was finding her way as a domme, but wasn't a total beginner either. also i felt this treated sex work in a far better way than a lot of similar books (including the Cole).
There's so much imagery of Mikhail as a shuddering, worked over stallion and well. that appealed to me as well lmao.
just as charming on a re-read, i didn't cry this time because i was more prepared. loved being able to discuss with the BDTB crew for 2022 #Bangittarius Sagittarius Season Romance Challenge.
Jones Haelstrom was only supposed to fly to NYC to attend her father's funeral. Jones only spent that one summer with her father as an intern at Haelstrom Media, but now it seems she's set to helm the company, take on the care of her 6 year old half-brother, and try to get the talented, funny, and absolutely slightly infuriating lead puppeteer of the network's hit kids' show Fangley Heights to sign her new contract.
Elsie Webb is ready to walk and willing to walk off with her puppet and her talent, but something about new temporary head of Haelstrom Media keeps her coming back to work. Everything about Jones screams sexy, uptight, and starchy, and Elsie would love to unravel her.
But as Elsie gets to know Jones and Jones' half-brother, maybe she won't want to stick around for just Fangley Heights anymore either...
This damn book with a puppet mouth cover made me cry. Very tender, yet hilarious and snarky, I loved the way grief for someone you barely had a relationship with was handled.
Delightful - more from this author please.
On KU as of the time of this writing 3/4/22 bg
Jones Haelstrom was only supposed to fly to NYC to attend her father's funeral. Jones only spent that one summer with her father as an intern at Haelstrom Media, but now it seems she's set to helm the company, take on the care of her 6 year old half-brother, and try to get the talented, funny, and absolutely slightly infuriating lead puppeteer of the network's hit kids' show Fangley Heights to sign her new contract.
Elsie Webb is ready to walk and willing to walk off with her puppet and her talent, but something about new temporary head of Haelstrom Media keeps her coming back to work. Everything about Jones screams sexy, uptight, and starchy, and Elsie would love to unravel her.
But as Elsie gets to know Jones and Jones' half-brother, maybe she won't want to stick around for just Fangley Heights anymore either...
This damn book with a puppet mouth cover made me cry. Very tender, yet hilarious and snarky, I loved the way grief for someone you barely had a relationship with was handled.
Delightful - more from this author please.
On KU as of the time of this writing 3/4/22 bg
she's his secretary and DARES to ask him to bring her mother's wedding ring so she can conveniently marry someone that is NOT HIM to obtain an object (don't worry about that part) and HE WILL NOT HAVE THAT.
You are put right into the story at peak exasperated man; truly delightful, steamy, and a great one sitting read under your holiday lights (OR the aurora if you are lucky enough to have them near you). The hero and heroine get to enjoy the northern lights and discuss the phenomena AND some Scottish lore regarding it which especially made me happy.
Read for #Bangittarius Sagittarius Romance Challenge 2022.
You are put right into the story at peak exasperated man; truly delightful, steamy, and a great one sitting read under your holiday lights (OR the aurora if you are lucky enough to have them near you). The hero and heroine get to enjoy the northern lights and discuss the phenomena AND some Scottish lore regarding it which especially made me happy.
Read for #Bangittarius Sagittarius Romance Challenge 2022.
alas, dnf. too sex-work shamey for me. He's a gigolo not like those other sex workers. eye roll, especially when they jump into bed right away anyway.
truly the narrators and the friend group carried this Hanukah romance novella audio original for me.
Eight Winter Nights is sort of a Cyrano-esque retelling mixed with "I've always loved you and met you first, but you then met my bestie and got with her, but now you've broken up with her and have asked me to help you win her back." Not my fav trope setting tbh, and with a mere 2.5 hours to accomplish it I wasn't sure how that could possibly work.
All in all Maverick did a pretty good job of convincing me, but it made me uncomfy in an otherwise warm and fuzzy story about finding one's person, family, and hanukah light.
Oz is a ding dong, Tamara the best friend is a jerk for ghosting out and refusing to just say "hey we broke up I'm done, go get your girl," and Rachel is sweet but far kinder to her friends than maybe she should be.
a fine listen, if you enjoy the friends-to-lovers trope. also there is some mild horniness but this is a end-kiss only story, which felt right for the story.
Eight Winter Nights is sort of a Cyrano-esque retelling mixed with "I've always loved you and met you first, but you then met my bestie and got with her, but now you've broken up with her and have asked me to help you win her back." Not my fav trope setting tbh, and with a mere 2.5 hours to accomplish it I wasn't sure how that could possibly work.
All in all Maverick did a pretty good job of convincing me, but it made me uncomfy in an otherwise warm and fuzzy story about finding one's person, family, and hanukah light.
Oz is a ding dong, Tamara the best friend is a jerk for ghosting out and refusing to just say "hey we broke up I'm done, go get your girl," and Rachel is sweet but far kinder to her friends than maybe she should be.
a fine listen, if you enjoy the friends-to-lovers trope. also there is some mild horniness but this is a end-kiss only story, which felt right for the story.
sorry it was the lying for me. i could never forgive a friend for taking my mom's side lmao.