It's the definition of a TikTok book but I loved it. It was fun and cute and I loved that Derek just adored and was down so bad for Nora. The tattoo? The secret planned proposal? The messing with her to try to get her to quit? ALL OF IT. I really didn't expect the marriage of convenience/accidental marriage trope, but I thought Sarah Adams pulled this off and it worked so well because it was clear that these two truly still loved each other and had to find their way back to each other like this. I also appreciated the level of spice in this because Sarah Adams usually writes closed door romance, but this had more and I LOVED that! 

First of all, this cover is absolutely gorgeous and drew me in immediately. I love seeing ADHD accurately represented in books, and Andie Burke did her character justice when it came to his struggles with ADHD. Derek and Dylan both have struggles, from mental health to family, but I enjoyed reading about them and their dynamic. This is an enemies to lovers, forced proximity book and I think the author did so well with these tropes. I like that these characters had flaws, and could easily be misjudged but under the surface, they were so much more. I would say that the pacing was a bit off, and it seemed as though some things were just thrown in there for the plot and to shake things up, but overall, this was a really good read that I enjoyed. 

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Andie Burke for the eARC of this book. 

A great debut novel from Rufaro Faith Mazarura! This is a book about Black love and I love this representation! Zeke is the fastest man in the world and is in Athens for the 2024 Olympics, where he is trying to win a gold medal . From the outside, he is calm and collected but he suffers from severe anxiety. Olivia has had a dream since she was a kid to work for the Olympic Games Committee and now she has earned an internship to Athens for the 2024 Olympics. When she arrives, she discovers that she has lost the position to another candidate who is healthy and has a connection. However, that doesn't stop her from making her dream come true and she works as volunteer, where she ends up meeting Zeke. When Zeke and Olivia meet, the sparks fly! They keep bumping into each other during the games, and while they have a connection, they both are focused on their own endeavors. They have to decide if it will be just for the summer, or if they are in for the long haul. I loved that both of the main characters were kids of Zimbabwe immigrants and they wanted to make their families proud. This was such a cute and fun read, with a lot of representation. It's a fantastic debut novel!

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin, and Rufaro Faith Mazarua for an eARC of this book!

This is an amazing debut novel! This the <i>perfect</i> summer read and I just loved everything about Sidney and Zach and the entire Murphy family. Sidney has accepted a job in LA, and is attending her family's annual summer vacation before moving cross country. Zach is a tattoed lifeguard and aspiring chef, and when they meet, the sparks fly! They have an instant connection and even though they have limited time together, it's clear how much they are invested in each other. Zach is such a sweetheart, but he is so hot and is a GIVER, if you know what I mean! The spice in this is so good, and had me hot and bothered for sure. I also loved the LGBTQIA+ representation, as both main characters are bisexual. The author also includes a map and family tree so you can really get to know the characters and the setting. The dual POV was awesome because I really got to see what Sidney and Zach thought of each other and their journey from each of their perspectives. This was so well written and I still cannot fathom that it's a debut novel because Kayla knocked it out of the park. I also love when authors include a playlist in a book because it really helps me connect with the characters and the setting, and I really enjoyed Kayla's picks for ATS. There's so much to love about this book and it's perfect for fans of Carley Fortune, Chloe Liese, Abby Jimenez and Emily Henry. A huge thank you to Kayla Martin for an ARC of this wonderful book! 

Fans of Ali Hazelwood, this is the book for you. I'm always a sucker for a good STEM romance and this did not disappoint! Dr. Reese is a 28-year-old genius with a Ph.D., and is the head of research and development at Mercer Robotics. Her job is her life and something she loves so much, until she's told she will now be mentoring and babysitting Thomas Mercer, the heir to the company, who knows next to nothing about the company or what Reese does, and nor does he really care... or so it seems. I love Reese because she is so independent and loves science and does not make herself smaller in the presence of men in a male dominated field of science, or around hot men. She holds her own, and she is brilliant and it's obvious how much she loves what she does. Thomas is a sweetheart and as it turns out, he actually cares more than people think and wants the best. I also loved the droid, K-2P! This robot was the perfect addition and was hilarious throughout the book. This is the book for you if you love STEM, forced proximity, billionaire, one bed, slow burn and a rom com that will have you smiling and kicking your feet. 

Thank you to NetGalley, Camilla Isley, and Boldwood Books for the eARC of this book. 

This is a wonderful debut romance! What drew me to this book was the baseball aspect of it, because I am a huge fan and love the sport. So, a romance centered around baseball? Sign me up! The book is about Maggie and Tommy Mikals. Maggie, a sports photographer for the Chicago Cougars baseball team, has steered clear of romantic relationships for four years. Tommy Mikals is the Cougars' new shortstop with a reputation for being a playboy. Joining the Cougars represents Tommy’s final shot in the league, and he is determined to prove himself as a dedicated baseball player to both himself and his family. Despite both of them not wanting a relationship, an accidental photograph of them together by the paparazzi leads the Cougars' PR team to present them with the only option: enter into a fake relationship. The book's trope is fake dating, but honestly, it didn't feel fake at all. Maggie and Tommy are seriously into each other, making the whole setup feel pretty real to me. It's clear how much both of them liked and cared for each other, and the fake dating evolves into something so much more between them.

Thank you to NetGalley, 8th Note Press, and Ally Wiegand for the eARC of this book. 

Unless It's You by Chrissy Hopewell is the second book in The Hart Series. I haven't read the first in the series, but I will definitely be checking out the first one because this was really good. Stella Hart is an American living in London and works at an ad agency, while Ethan Fraser is a former professional rugby player and who is on a sabbatical from his job as a brand manager and is spending his time working for a youth charity. His charity is merging with another and to promote the merger and to hopefully get corporate sponsors, they are hooking up with an agency to make some commercials. Stella and Ethan are stuck working together, much to their initial chagrin. They have somewhat of a past, but never really pursued anything. Stella ended up dating Ethan's best friend and just thought that Ethan didn't like her. Both think that the other has feelings they don't, angst within the family and a great aunt who leaves a bucket list that Stella has to complete in 28 days or lose it all to a cat charity. This was so fun and such an enjoyable read for me. I'm excited for the eventual third book! 

Thank you to NetGalley, Fox Hollow Publishing, and Chrissy Hopewell for ther eARC of this book. 

I STRUGGLED to get through this. Five hundred pages of just them arguing, mad at each other for a misunderstanding and both of them trying to further their careers by using each other. I truly love Meghan Quinn but this just wasn't good like her usual stuff is. It was boring and repetitive and I got SO tired of both of them. They are both supposed to be adults (Maggie in her twenties and Brody in his thirties) but neither of them acted like it. Like, grow up, tell each other you like each other, and deal with your problems. The whole "her brother would hate me if he knew I liked his sister" was so ridiculous in this book, given that Gary was such a cool, goofy guy that I don't know what Brody was so worried about. The jokes weren't funny like they usually are, the spice just wasn't as good and I really didn't feel as much chemistry between them at all. This felt forced, and I just didn't enjoy it. I hope the next book is better. 

Wow, this was an incredible book and a total emotional rollercoaster in the best way. I really feel like you should go in blind, because SO MUCH happens and anything I put in this review may be considered a spoiler. Just know that this was such a great book, and I truly cannot believe this was a debut novel. This was so well written and has a great pace. It's broken up into two parts: the past, when Tyler and Brynn were children/teenagers, and then the present, when they are both in their late twenties. I really think everyone should read this and I cannot wait for the next one in this series. 

I love Abby Jimenez's books because it's about more than the romance. There's always much deeper themes and the characters are always really fleshed out, and very human with trauma and things that they have been through and need to overcome in order to find the love they deserve. This was no exception, and I just love what the author did with this story. Justin and Emma both have their own stuff, and it's a LOT but at the core of it all is that they both gravitate toward each other because they share the same curse: after each person they date, that person goes on to find the love of their life. So, Justin and Emma decide to "date", then break up, in an attempt to break the curse and both go on to find their own soulmates. But what begins as a just an adventure to break their fate leads them down the path they're actually supposed to be on. I loved Justin and his Golden Retriever energy and how sweet he was with everyone. He always let Emma and his siblings know how important they are to him, and never hesitated to step up to the plate. Emma was someone I related to, because that avoidant attachment is so hard to heal from, but Justin was there for her every step of the way. I absolutely LOVED the connection with Briana, Jacob, Alexis, Daniel and others from previous books by Abby Jimenez. It made me SO happy to see everyone again! It was like coming home and seeing your family, and Yours Truly is one of my favorite books EVER so I was ecstatic that it all tied together. I just love this book so much and enjoyed every minute of it.