⭐️⭐️ 2 stars

This was bland and not that great. Ana, I’m rooting for you but this ain’t it. This book wasn’t terrible, but it also wasn’t good. It just existed. Bland as unseasoned rice. Things happened but I didn’t care. No tension, no emotional weight, no spark. Just vibes... and not the good kind.

Our FMC is a model, signed to a shady contract that just does not make sense, collects perfumes (cute!), crochets (adorable), and is conveniently fluent in ASL for exactly one plot reason. That’s it. That’s the character. She starts off semi interesting and then just... dissolves. By the time she finds out Vuk’s been out here unaliving people, she’s doing moral gymnastics that made me dizzy. The kind of surface level rationalizations that only work if you’re a teenager and writing your first Wattpad mafia AU.

Also, I need someone to explain how she and her fiancé are besties? No chemistry, no banter, just plot needs this energy. Justice for fake fiancés.

The titular King of Envy™ is more like King of Unchecked Rage. This man is terrifying. Edgelord energy with a sprinkle of "I go to the gym at 3am because I can’t process emotions." He’s a CEO, gang ex member, boxer, murder hobbyist, and has a rage room in his basement like it’s a normal Tuesday. All that but can’t communicate a single feeling like a functioning adult. Envy? Baby, this was just untreated trauma in a trench coat. Therapy. Please.

He makes Alex Volkov look emotionally stable. That’s how bad it is.

As far as the romance: there... wasn’t one? Vuk sees Ayana on TV and goes “yes, love of my life.” Sir? Be serious. She thinks he hates her but then defends him once and suddenly we’re doing the whole “you ruined me for other men” thing? Girl, no. That’s just basic decency.

No development, no real emotional beats, just forced longing and the occasional spicy chapter, which was... fine? Ana’s written better. The timing felt off. I skipped paragraphs during some.

Ana said this was the darkest book in the series... and it was, but not in a way that felt earned or compelling. 85% of the book was Vuk telling people to investigate things, and them reporting back. Ayana gets looped in at like the 90% mark. The Brotherhood stuff was boring, vague, and read like someone describing the plot of a Jason Bourne movie while half asleep.

The villain monologue? Comedic. The wedding scene? Hilarious (not in a good way). The one bed trope 10 pages in? Painful.

You can almost see Ana’s checklist:
☑️ Introduce trauma boy
☑️ Make FMC quirky
☑️ Insert tropes
☑️ Move on to next book's setup

PSA: blood tastes metallic because of iron, not copper. And Vuk has a chemical engineering degree? Please.

Ayana gave up on her chemistry dreams, but is obsessed with perfume? It would have made more sense for her to give up modeling (which it seems like she does not truly love) and pursue that, but alas, it was a wasted setup, especially with the cover. The "he ruined me for other men" line is so gross. Who let that slide? The ace/aro rep via fake fiancé? I liked the rep, but it was not fully fleshed out like it should have been. Cameos from Dante, Vivian, Xavier, Sloane were a rare highlight.  Still hopeful for Maya and Sebastian because Ana can do better, but she just... didn’t here. I will be reading the rest of the series but hoping for better. 

 🌊 700 Senses of Summer by Maggie Gates 🌊
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5/5) 

What a beautiful surprise this book was! I went in knowing very little; just that it involved a firefighter and a woman fixing up her great aunt’s beach house, but what I found was so much more: a story rich with emotion, mystery, healing, and sizzling chemistry set in a small seaside town that completely stole my heart. 

Aurora is grieving more than just a failed writing career; she’s rebuilding herself piece by piece, tucked away in a crumbling Carolina home full of secrets and stories. Jack is her next door neighbor and a local firefighter who’s far too charming for his own good. Their connection doesn’t start off smoothly because Aurora wants solitude, but Jack? He sees through her walls and gently refuses to let her retreat. Their dynamic was the perfect slow burn: filled with banter, longing, and day by day bonding that made it impossible not to root for them. 

This book delivered on so many levels:
 🔥 Forced proximity + he falls first + grumpy/sunshine vibes? Check.
🏡 Home renovation meets seaside nostalgia? Loved it.
🕵️‍♀️ A thread of mystery woven into the past? Hooked me.
💬 Funny, smart banter and a warm, unforgettable girl gang? Yes, please.
💞 Spice and heart in equal measure? Maggie Gates nailed it.

Jack is the cinnamon roll/firefighter/book boyfriend of dreams: protective, patient, and utterly devoted. Aurora’s arc from broken to brave was powerful and relatable, especially for anyone who’s ever felt stuck or scared to hope again. Their romance wasn’t just a fling. It was healing, transformative, and such a treat to read.

This is not my first read by Maggie Gates, and her writing never ceases to amaze me. Lyrical, emotional, funny, and warm. Even with a longer length, the pacing never dragged. It flowed with purpose, every chapter revealing something new; whether about the house, the town, or the characters’ pasts.

If you’re in the mood for a funny, steamy, heart tugging summer read with charm, depth, and a bit of mystery, 700 Senses of Summer is the one. A perfect beach companion that will make you laugh, swoon, and maybe even shed a few tears.

Highly recommend!

📚 Tropes:
 

 

Learning Curves absolutely filled my heart to the brim, and I am so happy! Rachel Lacey has delivered a sapphic academic romance that is as emotionally rich as it is delightfully sexy.

Michelle and Audrey? Adorable. Smitten. Utterly irresistible. Their chemistry leapt off the page, and their communication was refreshingly mature and there was no third act breakup or unnecessary drama, which I loved. In fact, one of the most standout aspects of this story is how much the characters respect each other, personally and professionally.

The spice? So hot. There’s a particular pottery scene that lives rent free in my head and is one of the hottest I’ve read in a while. Let’s just say... I may have blushed and needed to pause to catch my breath.

Plot wise, the story was solid and beautifully descriptive. You see everything from campus life to wardrobe details to the art history woven throughout. I could easily envision everything, and I really appreciated the depth it added to both setting and character development. The dual POVs were balanced and engaging; Michelle’s journey from burnout to rediscovery was especially compelling, and Audrey’s enthusiasm and maturity made her more than just a lovestruck younger woman. She was her own fully realized person with dreams, talent, and backbone.

Was the dialogue slightly clunky in a few spots? Yes, particularly for Audrey, but it didn’t distract from the story or the joy of reading. This was such an easy, enjoyable read that had me smiling, swooning, and rooting hard for these two.

This book is perfect if you’re craving:

F/F sapphic romance

Professor x former student turned colleague

Age gap (30/42)

Grumpy/sunshine dynamic

No third act breakup

Emotional growth and second chances

Steamy, art inspired scenes

Strong communication and mutual respect

A cozy academic setting with heart

This book was like a warm hug with a spicy twist. Highly recommend if you love slow burns, sapphic stories, and emotionally rich romances.

Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel Lacey, and Montlake for the eARC of this book. 

Play You For It has a lot going for it. It's a fast paced, engaging read with a compelling plot centered around a sapphic romance between a sports journalist and a trailblazing college basketball coach. I especially appreciated the strong LGBTQ+ representation and the empowering message about women holding their own and excelling in male dominated spaces. It’s refreshing and important to see stories like this getting told.

The romance between Beck and Jordan is both sweet and full of tension, with plenty of chemistry and moments I really loved seeing. I loved reading about two ambitious, passionate women navigate the pressures of their careers while slowly letting down their walls for one another.

That said, I did find the writing style a bit difficult to follow at times. The third person perspective, while consistent, occasionally made the emotional depth and internal thoughts of each character feel distant. Since each chapter tended to focus on either Beck or Jordan, a first person dual POV might have helped the story flow more smoothly and made the characters’ inner worlds more vivid. With that being said, I still had a great time reading this and appreciate any sapphic romance I can get my hands on. 

Overall, I really enjoyed the story and its themes of perseverance, love, and professional ambition. With a bit more structural polish, it would have been a five star read for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, Samantha Saldivar, and Dell for the eARC of this book. 

I’ve never read an Annette Chavez Macias book, but I was pleasantly surprised by Everything She Never Knew. ✨

This story kicks off with a gut punch: Claudia’s marriage is over, her best friend has betrayed her in the worst possible way, and she’s left to pick up the pieces for both herself and her young daughter. Add in a complicated relationship with her mother, and Claudia’s journey to healing becomes even more layered and real.

I appreciated the depth Annette Chavez Macias brought to Claudia’s story, like how it centered on reconnecting with oneself, taking risks, learning to trust again, and ultimately finding strength and independence. Even though it’s a shorter book (and I definitely would’ve loved to spend even more time with these characters!), it wrapped up with an uplifting, hopeful tone that left me smiling.

ACM has such a gift for weaving stories with so much heart, grounded in intergenerational family dynamics and rich Mexican-American culture. It’s always so comforting to see cultural representation done authentically, and Everything She Never Knew was no exception. Claudia’s journey felt personal, emotional, and deeply relatable.

While the romance is very subtle here (don’t expect a full blown love story), the hints of chemistry between Claudia and Nick were a sweet touch. At its core, this book is about healing and not just falling in love, and I loved it for that.

A beautiful, heartfelt read from Annette Chavez Macias. I’ll be first in line for whatever she writes next. ❤️

Thank you to NetGalley, Annette Chavez Macias, and Montlake for the eARC of this book. 

WHAT am I supposed to do now that the Sullivan and Kings series has officially ended?! 🥲 Somebody hold me.

Just Say Yes gave me EVERYTHING I could’ve asked for and more. MJ and Logan’s story was the sweetest, steamiest, most swoonworthy goodbye to this world. 🥹💕

The youngest King finally got her story!

Olympic rugby player with the thighs of dreams? ✔️

Nurse FMC who has been keeping herself guarded? ✔️

Ex boyfriend’s best friend trope? ✔️

Age gap spice? ✔️✔️✔️

Logan Brown just walked into Outtatowner like a wrecking ball of charm and masculine energy. I fell just as hard and fast as MJ did; every smirk, every lingering touch, every “no strings attached” promise they absolutely couldn’t keep. Watching MJ come into her own, rediscover her confidence, and learn how to live for herself (not just for everyone else) was so emotional and so worth it.

And of course, Lena Hendrix gave us the quirkiest of quirky towns, a giant family that makes you want to be adopted into it, and a big ol' teary "see ya later" to a world I've absolutely loved being in. 😭

If you love: 🏉 Forbidden chemistry 💖 Tender, supportive MMC 🔥 Slow burns that light all the way up 🌻 Small towns that feel like characters themselves then you’ll be obsessed with Just Say Yes too.

I’m not ready to leave the Kings or the Sullivans behind, but honestly, Lena gave them a perfect sendoff. MJ and Logan’s story felt like coming home one last time. 💕

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (and a million little hearts)

I absolutely loved everything about this book. From the moment I saw the cover, I was hooked because it’s absolutely stunning and fits the story so well. B.K. Borison’s writing style is just so good: warm, vivid, and completely captivating. I felt immediately drawn in, like I was living inside the story right alongside the characters. I was so enthralled from beginning to end, completely rooting for them the entire time.

This book was beautiful, even if it played a little fast and loose with realism (okay, a lot, but who’s complaining when it’s this good?). B.K. Borison crafts a story that’s heart tugging, whimsical, and full of steady, slow burn character development. I wasn’t sure how it would all wrap up, but the ending left me with a full heart and happy tears.

It’s got that bittersweet, enchanting atmosphere where you feel every emotion right alongside the characters. Harriet and Nolan's journey is so gentle and meaningful because it asks the question, “Can we really be together and have everything we want even though we are from two different worlds?”

Also, can we talk about Nolan??? Obsessed with him. Their relationship grows in the most patient, tender way, and watching them peel back each other’s layers was perfect.

I’m so thankful to NetGalley, Avon, and B.K. Borison for the ARC. Truly one of my most anticipated reads this year, and it didn’t disappoint. Good Spirits is like a warm hug on a cold winter night; a little magical, a little heart-wrenching, and entirely unforgettable.

If you love soft magic, a broody ghost who is Irish and has a hot moustache, holiday warmth, and slow, genuine character growth, you NEED to pick this one up.

The way the tension, emotion, and chemistry were woven together kept me flying through the pages, and the story struck such a perfect balance of heart, humor, and depth. It felt like every moment mattered, and I genuinely didn’t want it to end.

I’m already counting down the days for the next book, especially with the reaper now on the loose! It gave me major The Grim Reaper’s Lawyer by Mea Monique vibes (which I loved), and I cannot wait to see what B.K. Borison does with it. If this book is any indication, I know it’s going to be absolutely fantastic. I’m so excited to stay in this world a little longer! 

I really wanted to love this one, because I love paranormal romance and I love this cover too. Charlotte Stein’s voice, humor, and emotional depth are still so present here, and there’s a lot about this story that pulled me in. Sadly, it didn’t fully live up to my expectations.

The setup is fantastic: Nancy, a bookstore owner who’s lost faith in love, is enlisted to help Jack, the town’s terrifying but weirdly charming outcast, improve his romantic skills. Jack’s secret? He’s a cherry red demon in a thick human suit, complete with obsidian horns and fangs. He’s got one month to win his fated mate, or Satan (who also happens to be his dad) will drag him back to Hell.

The opening really hooked me. Nancy being scared of Jack felt a little off putting at first, but I loved the turning point where she catches him lurking shyly in the romance section. Her brave gesture of rounding up her favorite romance books and delivering them to his cabin was quirky and cute and gave me high hopes for their story. Plus, the idea of coaching Jack on how to be a good boyfriend had a lot of potential for fun and tenderness.

Jack’s character is incredibly endearing. His "soft, mushy demon who just wants to be loved" vibe absolutely shined. His struggle with toxic masculinity (or toxic demonicity?) felt relatable and sad in a way I wasn’t expecting. I loved how he tried so hard to better himself, even if the execution felt repetitive after a while.

The snappy dialogue, emotional undercurrents, and some genuinely funny, charming moments reminded me of what I love about Charlotte Stein’s writing.

I loved the story spell element, like Nancy unknowingly giving Jack his human form was such a great twist, and could have been a truly magical reveal if it had been explored more fully.

The fact that Nancy doesn’t even find out Jack is a demon until halfway through the book was really frustrating. She questions his weird phrasing ("normal human stuff," etc.), but never pushes hard enough for answers until the big reveal. It made her seem a little too passive for too long.

Jack calling Nancy "kid" throughout the story, even during spicy moments, really pulled me out of the romance. It felt uncomfortable and diminished the chemistry between them.

Nancy’s witch identity was so underdeveloped. I was desperate for her to dive into her spell books, to embrace that side of herself, but it was mostly brushed aside for the romance. She didn’t even read the books she picked up!

We barely got any of Nancy’s backstory. She's a compelling character; she is vulnerable, resilient, and kind, but huge parts of her life remain vague. How did she cope after her parents died? What happened between her mental health struggles and her mid thirties?

Hollow Brook itself felt very one dimensional. Besides a few side characters (shoutout to Popcorn and Steve), the world didn't feel as lived in as it could have.

The ending was extremely rushed. There were so many threads (Nancy’s financial struggles, Jack’s deadline, their bond) that could have been tied together more satisfyingly.

In the end, I loved the concept and adored Jack as a character and Nancy was okay, but I just wanted more. More exploration of Nancy’s magic, more time building their relationship beyond lust, more fleshing out of the world they live in.

I hate to rate this lower, because Charlotte Stein’s writing is still delightful, but Dealing With A Desperate Demon ultimately felt like a beautiful rough draft that needed another round of polish to fully bring out its magic.

Thank you to NetGalley, Charlotte Stein, and St. Martin’s Press/St. Martin’s Griffin for the eARC of this book. 

“There are always options. Nothing is hopeless.”

Sara Cate saved the best for last. The Prodigal Son is an unforgettable, emotional finale to a series that has held my heart from the very beginning. I’ve been waiting for Isaac’s story, and it did not disappoint. It exceeded every hope, every expectation, and left me absolutely breathless.

Isaac Goode, known to the world as Theo Virgil, is a country music star drowning in loneliness. After fleeing the shadows of his childhood and the weight of his father's judgment, he’s created a life filled with noise, but no peace. That is… until Jensen Miles. Until one look across a crowd. Until everything changes.

“I want to scream from the rooftops how I feel about him. I want to love him without guilt or shame in my heart. I want to love him out loud.”

Jensen and Isaac’s connection is instant, powerful, and so much more than just a whirlwind romance. It’s hurt/comfort, it’s healing, it’s forbidden and raw and real. A preacher and a country music star? It shouldn’t work. But it does. So perfectly. Their bond, which is built in quiet moments backstage and whispered confessions, feels like watching two souls come home to each other.

Isaac’s trauma has echoed through the entire series, and finally seeing things from his POV broke my heart and healed it all at once. His pain. His strength. His capacity for love. Jensen, too, is such a beautiful character, who is haunted by religious trauma, desperately trying to reconcile his faith with his identity. Their journeys, both individually and together, were written with incredible care and depth.

“Isaac changes me. He changes the fear and shame into faith and pride. He’s giving me back what was taken so long ago.”

Sara Cate nailed the emotional nuance in this book. She didn’t shy away from difficult topics such as family estrangement, religious trauma, self-worth, but instead approached them with grace and authenticity. As someone who carries my own wounds from organized religion, this book felt like a balm. It reminded me that healing is possible, love is holy, and everyone deserves a safe place to land.

And the epilogues. 😭 They were everything. Just everything.

If you’ve been on this journey with the Goode brothers, this finale will absolutely wreck you in the best way. If you haven’t, you can read this as a standalone, but do yourself a favor and read the full series. You won’t regret it.

Sara Cate, thank you for giving us Isaac’s story. For writing a love that feels revolutionary, but also deeply, achingly right.

This isn’t just my favorite book of the series; it’s my favorite read of 2025. Hands down.

What an absolute gem of a romcom! Isn’t It Obvious? is heartfelt, witty, and delightfully queer in all the best ways. I fell head over heels for Yael and Ravi from page one. This is one of those romances where you just know they’re meant to be together, and the anticipation is half the fun.

The writing sparkled with charm and authenticity. Katz has such a knack for witty banter and emotional nuance and it felt like the characters leapt right off the page. Yael and Ravi’s dynamic had me smiling, swooning, and even tearing up. And don’t even get me started on the queer book club scenes; they were pure serotonin. 🥹🌈

I also loved the layered diversity woven throughout the book. From queer representation to the cultural identities and mental health conversations, it was all handled with so much care and respect. It never felt tokenized; it just felt real.

This book flew by, and I already can’t wait to read more from Rachel Runya Katz. If you love the You’ve Got Mail trope, emotional depth, and swoony romance with a side of found family, you need this on your TBR.

Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel Runya Katz, and St. Martin’s Press/St. Martin’s Griffin for the eARC of this book.