I have mixed feelings about this book. While I did like certain aspects, there are more things I didn't like than things I did. I had high hopes, because it reminded me of Meet You In Middle by Devon Daniels, which I adored, and I thought this would be similar to that book. First of all, I don't think it's very well written. It seemed very basic, almost like a fanfiction or even a young adult novel. Some of the dialogue and interactions between Isadora and Karim were very basic, and somewhat cringe, and could have been a lot better. The book opened with a 'meet cute' that I really liked, but then it fell flat and was dull. It took WAY too long for these two to follow up regarding their initial meeting. I highly disliked that Karim called Isadora beautiful every other sentence - it's cute and hot at first, but then quickly loses its meaning and validity if used so often. Both Karim and Isadora made way too many sex jokes, and it felt childish, especially because they are both supposed to be these prim and proper professionals working in politics. There was a LOT of political lingo, and yes, that drove the plot, but if it's not your thing, then here is your warning. I do appreciate that this book featured an interracial couple, and the MMC was going through a divorce during a bulk of the book. I also liked that emotiomal abuse, trauma and mental health were discussed and handled well. Borderline personality disorder is mentioned, but I don't like how the author chose to have that character with BPD be abusive - not everyone with BPD is abusive, and I think it sends a bad message, indicating that people with BPD are automatically abusive. I did like that complex PTSD was also discussed, as pointing this out helped one character grow and realize that they too had been a victim/survivor of abuse. I think the spice/smut was done really well, and I definitely enjoyed those parts. Overall, it was a cute and fun read but leaves a lot to be improved upon.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Dell for providing me an electronic copy of this ARC.

Although I don't think this is her best and definitely different than her previous books, I thought it was pretty good. This book is in third person, which differs from Lucy Score's usual first person POV/dual first person POV. Maybe that's what threw me off? I think I would have liked it more if it were dual first person POV. I also think it was little far fetched that Silas was so instalove/instalust and kept reminding Maggie that she was his "future wife" from basically their very first interaction. I think it was a bit much. Also, the book was somewhat boring and flat, but did get better towards the last third of it. I do like Maggie's relationship with Cody and the influence she has on him, plus the relationship that Cody develops with Silas and even Kevin and the cats too. There were definitely some heartwarming and entertaning moments, plus some great spice sprinkled throughout. It was a cute and fun read, just not what I expected, especially from someone like Lucy Score, who I hold in such high esteem.

I debated even leaving a review, because these are her own words, and I really don't like to review someone's memoir because it's their story and I would never truly want to assign a rating to that. However, I knew this was an automatic five stars from the get go because it is just SO well written. I've never read a memoir that had such great writing that you just immersed yourself in the words and were enthralled by the story that was being told about the own author's life. I knew that Jennette had suffered from some abuse in her life, and has been through traumatic events in her childhood and into her adulthood. But, I had no idea the depth and level of the things she suffered from. I felt deeply for her, as someone who has been through a traumatic childhood and adulthood as well, and it resonates with me. If you're looking for scandals and tea about actual celebrities, she really doesn't talk about that. She hints and insinuates, but the bulk of this is about her relationship with her abusive mother. The book is riddled with triggering content, so please be mindful of this when reading. It really makes you think about just how much these child actors and child stars have to go through and the impact that carries into adulthood; mentally, physically, and emotionally. It's such an impactful and poignant book, and certainly something everyone should read.

I thought this was such a cute story! I've never read any of Pippa Grant's books, but someone recommended this to me because of the small town romance trope, which I adore. The writing style is definitely different, but once you get into it, it really flows. There is a LOT of world building, different scenarios and supporting characters, so you have to follow along closely. This totally reminds me of a Schitt's Creek retelling and it's awesome. Phoebe and Teague have such a great chemistry and you could just feel the tension between them. Phoebe's growth is outstanding! She goes from a vapid socialite who wants her riches back in the big city, to a girl who falls in love with small town life and the people in it. Kudos to the author for the great LGBTQ+ aspects (Teague's speech about his daughter was beautiful!). There is a significant twist that happens towards the last third that leads to a third act breakup, and I did NOT see that coming at all! I love a good plot twist that's done well and doesn't feel like a soap opera. I definitely recommend checking this book out and I cannot wait for the next one!

Holy crap! I cannot believe that this is a debut novel. IT WAS SO GOOD. You have your typical bad boy, playboy lead male, and a good girl female lead but she's feisty and strong and not one to be messed with. Tristan and Remy have known each other for years, because of their mutual friend, Jax. Remy becomes in need of a place to stay briefly before moving to her new place and Jax offers her his room because he has to go out of town for work. Well, Jax's roommate is Tristan... who Remy hates, and who hates Remy as well. This is a great enemies to lovers book! It's refreshing that these two have a shared passion, which is MMA and the gym and fighting. I also loved that they had such great chemistry but truly tried to conceal their feelings for each other. Their insulting banter and back and forth tug of war with each other was unmatched. I just love the alpha male, arrogant man Tristan is but the level of growth he experienced with Remy was amazing. That third act breakup was brutal but worth the journey to get to their happily ever after. This is definitely a sports romance you shpuld be checking out!

I really loved Nikki Castle's debut novel, 5 Rounds, so I was super excited to read Hailey and Jax's story. Let me just say, this book did not disappoint! Dare I say it, I loved it even more than the first book. Hailey and Jax have known each other since they were kids, but they have only ever been friends, never more than that. Flash forward to adulthood and Hailey leaves a very toxic and tumultous relationship with an abusive boyfriend. Hailey was pretty blind to this situation, not really realizing that her boyfriend was "that bad". When she does finally leave, she turns to her longtime friend Jax for support. This is her story of rebuilding her self esteem, discovering her own self worth again, fighting for herself and finding love with Jax.

I was blown away by the way this material was handled. The first part of the book shows us that Hailey is still with her abusive boyfriend and details their dynamic, particularly how Steve treats Hailey and her inner monolgue and thoughts about his behaviors. While Steve is not physically abusive, he is emotionally manipulative and mentally and emotionally abusive, to the point where Hailey becomes a shell of the person she once was. Her friends, in particular Jax and her sister Remy, know this and try to tell her but Steve has warped Hailey's mind to the point that she believes him and believes that she cannot be without his love. When push finally comes to shove, and she leaves, she does so successfully but not without her trials and tribulations. When she does strike up a relationship with Jax eventually, it's hot and steamy and cute and heartwarming and very clear that they love each other BUT it's also clear that Hailey is not ready for a relationship and needs time to work on herself, to rebuild her self esteem and self worth and to rewire her brain to not believe Steve anymore, and that takes its toll on her relationship with Jax. I love the way Nikki Castle told this story, because we really see how domestic abuse (while not physical, still debilitating) can affect someone's mental health and the health of the relationship they enter into after. Haily had to learn proper communication as well. Her need to heal caused friction with her and Jax and I particularly liked that Jax made the difficult decision to let her go for a period of time, knowing it was in her best interest to heal on her own, despite loving her and truly wanting to be with her. He did what we do when we are in love; do what's best for your partner, even at the expense of your own heart.

Overall, I loved Hailey and Jax's chemistry, and their unwavering love for another in friendship and eventually in a relationship. I love Nikki Castle's storytelling and how she dealt with very difficult topics and themes, as I think it was so well done and got the poignant message across in a great way. It was such a great read and I highly recommend checking this and 5 Rounds out.

I truly loved not only the concept, but also the execution. Remy and Maria grew up together, were high school sweethearts, then broke up. They didn't see each other again until twenty some odd years later when they get trapped in an elevator together, both single. But that's not the weird part... Maria is pregnant. And then... it gets even weirder. Maria is actually pregnant with her sister's baby, goes into labor, and Remy delivers the baby that she now has to raise all by herself. Cue all the craziness that inevitably ensues.

If you love single parent, main characters in their 40s, second chances, close proximity, friends to lovers romance, then this is for you! I really loved just how involved Remy was from the get go. From the minute that Izzy was born, Remy was there every step of the way. He really stepped into that father role, despite not being biologically related to Izzy at all. It really is a testament to how much he not only loves Izzy but Maria as well. It was very clear how not over her he really was, despite always pleading the contrary. Their dynamic was incredible and it was obvious how meant to be they were. Remy is just such an amazing man! Cleo the psychic was just so entertaining and I loved how the role she played in Remy's love life and the influence she had on him and Maria. I absolutely ADORED the speech Remy gave Maria before they had sex again, about how he loved her body just the way it is, even after having a baby and time passing and them aging. It was EPIC. I swooned.

I laughed and cried and boy, was there some great spice in this one. I actually did not read any of the other books in this series or any of the author's books as a matter of fact, but I truly really enjoyed this book.

I know that many of us adored and loved and fawned over Ali Hazelwood's first book, The Love Hypothesis, but I was worried about how I would feel about her sophomore novel, especially after reading her novellas.

This book DID NOT DISAPPOINT. All of my fears quickly dissipated as I was transported into the story and remembered just how well Ali writes and how good she is at world building, her secondary characters, STEM and slow burn. Yes, it's kind of reminiscent of The Love Hypothesis - a quirky girl working in science and a tall, brooding big guy who wants nothing to do with her except that he's secretly in love with her and has been for years - but it had its own story, its own vibes, its own details that made it unique and independent of her previous novel.

I will admit, it took me some time to get into it. Bee spent a LOT of time in her inner monologue going into detail about how and why we got to the present. But after that, I was EATING IT UP. The plot was definitely something I was invested in; you'll want to stand by for the twist that inevitably ends up occurring later in the book. I truly enjoyed the fact that this was spicier and steamier than her previous novel. Like, there were MULTIPLE scenes and each one was greater than the last. I think the chemistry between Bee and Levi was so palpable and I was waiting for bated breath for them to finally get together. I am absolutely in love with Levi; he's the epitome of book boyfriend. I loved all the science lingo and the fight against pointless standardized testing. I *may* have just loved it even more than The Love Hypothesis - yes, it was THAT good!

This might be my favorite MZ book to date. There's something about the single parent trope and funny kids featured in a book, but MZ really took it to the next level. As always, it's a slow burn but the payoff is so worth it. Diana is a hero in and of herself, just for taking on the task of being in her early to mid twenties and raising her two nephews after the death of her brother. That alone makes me admire her so much. Diana is selfless and always putting Josh and Louie's needs over her own. I absolutely LOVED Josh and Louie, particularly the latter; he was so cute and funny and adorable. So many precious moments between Diana and Josh and Louie and even Dallas as they slowly become a family unit, even if they don't know it at first. There were so many heartfelt moments, like Diana telling Louie stories every night about her brother (his dad). They certainly made me tear up! And Dallas Walker?! What a man, what a mighty good man. The way he was there for Diana and two boys that aren't his was just a punch to the gut, in the best way. He and Diana had such a wonderful relationship, especially because he was there to support her and lend a helping hand, even when she didn't ask for one or felt like she didn't need one. Shout out to all the cameos and mentions of other characters from other books too - I love that MZ does this and everything is interconnected!