The main character was just too immature considering she is supposed to be an adult. I just hated the whole “I’m in love with this guy I don’t know who is a jerk” storyline.

 Thank you to the author for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. 

Just Don’t Fall by Emma St. Clair is a sweet and humorous hockey romance. 

Emma St. Clair is one of my favorite authors, so when she announced that she was writing a hockey romance, I was super excited! 

This book contains so many of my favorite tropes (fake dating, brother’s best friend, grumpy x sunshine, & hockey romance). If you like any of these tropes, then I think you should give this book a try. 

Unlike most popular hockey romances, this is a closed-door book (meaning there’s no on page intimacy). One thing that this author is great at is having so much sexual tension and chemistry without the spice. 

The characters were relatable and charming, and I loved all of the funny and sweet moments throughout. 

I definitely recommend this book, especially if you enjoy rom coms. 

Too spicy

Thank you to NetGalley and PRH Audio for the complimentary copies of this book. All opinions are my own. 

Love, Holly by Emily Stone is a book full of hope, reconciliation, and family. This emotional story follows the lives of Holly, Jack, and Emma as their paths cross in multiple seasons. All three characters, having experienced loss, realize their need for each other and for forgiveness. 

While this book is marketed as a romance with a focus on Christmas, I don’t think those elements play a very big role in the story. I still enjoyed it, but I would classify it as more of contemporary fiction with a focus on character growth. 

What really made me enjoy this story was the characters and the relationships between them. I loved seeing them forgive and grow to love one another. 

While this book is filled with hope, it is quite a bit sad at times and deals with some heavy topics such as cancer, death, grief, and infertility. 

I would recommend this book to someone who enjoys a focus on characters over plot, second chances, the importance of family, and England as a setting. 

Also, if you’re a fan of audiobooks, I really enjoyed listening to the narrator for this book. I think she did a great job with the voices and had a British accent, which fit the setting. 

 Thank you to Bethany House Publishers and NetGalley for this gifted ARC and finished copy. All opinions are my own. 

A Beautiful Disguise by Roseanna M. White takes place in early 1900s England, which is a time period that I’m not super familiar with but was excited to read about. 

The things I loved most about this book were the sibling relationship between Marigold and Yates, the circus aspects, and the interesting premise of a secret investigative agency. 

Because of Marigold’s and Yates’ past experiences, they were quite close as siblings in both personal matters and in their jobs. I loved their interactions and just how obvious their affection was for each other. 

The unexpected circus elements were such a fun part of the story. I loved the animals (especially Leonidas) and the circus troupe that was more like an extended family. Also, the acrobatic scenes were so good! 

The Imposters were so fascinating to me since most spy content I’ve seen has been in movies. I loved seeing how Marigold, Yates, and the others worked together to uncover the truth in ways that don’t involve modern spy equipment. 

The romance was sweet, but I do wish there had been a bit more to it. I could see the friendship slowly building, but then the romance seemed kind of sudden once it happened. 

I am very excited to read the next book in this series since I’ve come to enjoy these characters and this setting. 

Overall, I would recommend this book if you like mysteries involving spies, early 20th century England, and found family. 

 Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC and Penguin Teen and Penguin Random House Audio for the complimentary audiobook and hardcover copy. All opinions are my own. 

House of Marionne by J. Elle is a book full of deadly secrets, magical boarding schools, debutantes, and forbidden romance. 

This is the first book in a new trilogy by the author of The Wings of Ebony duology. This story follows Quell (pronounced kell), a girl with a deadly secret that takes refuge at her grandma’s magical school. While most chapters are told from Quell’s point of view, some chapters are told from a mystery character named Yagrin. 

I loved the atmosphere of this book and the world the author created. The private magical schools are very elite and full of etiquette. They have to present themselves in a certain way and follow rules in order to become members. 

The magic system is interesting, and I’m curious to learn more about it in the next books since the author left some parts a mystery. 

The romance was so cute, and I loved Quell’s roommate. I hope to see more of them in the rest of the series. 

My least favorite part of the story was Quell’s grandmother because she was so awful and controlling. 

The only major critique I have is that this book leaves a lot of things unanswered, and so many parts of this world are still a bit confusing. I imagine that the rest of the series will help with these aspects though. 

I definitely recommend you give this book a try if you love romantasy, danger, and magical schools.