danadoesbooks's Reviews (954)

Thank you to SMP Romance and NetGalley for the gifted ebook and audiobook of Lizzie Blake's Best Mistake!  All opinions in this review are my own.

Unfortunately, Lizzie Blake's Best Mistake is a DNF for me at 27%.  I have never been drawn to the accidental pregnancy trope.  To be fair, the author warns that this trope is used before the book even begins.  I was curious so I decided to keep listening, but this isn't going to work for me.

Also, I think the audiobook misses the opportunity to use an Australian narrator for Rake's point of view.  The narrator for Lizzie gives him an Australian accent when speaking for him so it felt like I wasn't listening to the same character when it was point of view.

Thank you to Grand Central for the gifted copy of THE SPORTY ONE!  All opinions in this review are my own.

I cannot even begin to describe how excited I was when I received this book in the mail!

Growing up in the 90s meant that I lived through the meteoric success of The Spice Girls.  Melanie C, or Sporty Spice, was always my favorite.  She wore her hair in long brown pony tail like I did, made it cool for a girl to be athletic, and her birthday was only one day before mine.

Reading this book, much like listening to the lyrics as an adult, I realized that I had no idea what was going on as a kid.  It's heartbreaking to read about Melanie struggling through during successful years of the group, especially when it came to the group's dynamics.

I learned so much from this book.  I hadn't realized that the Spice Girls were only a group for a few years and that Melanie C went on to make many successful solo albums after the group disbanded.

If you were ever a Spice Girls fan, you need to read this book!

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for the gifted ebook of One Night Only!  All opinions in this review are my own.

Sarah is only committed to one night stands.  So when she picks up a hot Irishman who won't take the hint, she doesn't know what to do.  Luckily, she is leaving for her friend's wedding and she can forget all about him while she spends a few days in Ireland.  Unfortunately, Declan is also attending the same wedding.  Now what is Sarah supposed to do?

What I liked about this romance:
☘️ between his accent and how sweet he is, Declan is an excellent love interest
☘️ the hilarious situations Sarah gets herself into
☘️ the backdrop of Ireland

What didn't work for me:
I don't think I'm a fan of the one night stand trope.  I felt like there wasn't as much build up to Sarah and Declan finally being together because they had already been together in the very first chapter.

Thank you to Dutton Press and NetGalley for the gifted ebook of The Making of Her!  All opinions in this review are my own.

I really liked both the dual narration and timelines in The Making of Her.  By showing both timelines of Joan, I think the reader is more sympathetic to her rather than if we had only seen part of her story.  Hearing Emma's side of the story only deepens the complexity of their relationship and history.

I recommend this as a book club read because there is a lot to unpack and it would provide material for some great discussions!

Thank you to Ballantine and NetGalley for the gifted ebook of The Family Game.  All opinions in this review are my own.

I am 50 pages into The Family Game and I am giving up.  I like thrillers because they usually grab my attention right from the beginning and I can't put them down until the end.  Unfortunately, this didn't happen with The Family Game.  I love the cover and the opening chapter, but then not enough happened to keep me invested.  I heard it does pick up at about 40%, but I'm only at 15% and I don't want to skim read to get there.  Also, the

accidental pregnancy

was the official stopping point for me.  I don't like it in romance books, and I don't want it in thrillers.

Thank you to the author for the gifted ebook of REMY VS. ROME!  All opinions in this review are my own.

Remy arrives in Rome determined to heal her broken heart.  She falls for the first hot Italian man she finds and she quickly realizes he is not what she bargained for.  Now Remy is wrapped up in an international crime and under police protection.  As she works with Detective Lorenzo Rossi, she must also try to hide the feelings that she is starting to have for him.

Poor Remy has the absolute worst luck, but it's hilarious to read about her adventures.  I like that this book isn't just an American going to Italy to fall in love with an Italian man.  The mystery adds a sense of adventure to Remy's rom com that I really enjoyed!

I recommend if you are in the mood for a funny romance set in Italy!

Thank you to Hachette, Libro FM, and the author for the gifted audiobook of The Door of No Return!  All opinions in this review are my own.

At this point I will read anything Kwame Alexander writes, so when I saw his newest release was available through the educator ALC on Libro FM, I had to grab it!  Once again, Alexander's beautiful verse clearly creates the world his characters inhabit.  

Fair warning that this novel is heartbreaking, but I enjoyed the tension that was created because the reader can figure out what is happening before the main character can.

I have previously only read Alexander's other novels, but I highly recommend the audiobook.  Hearing the free verse read aloud is a completely different experience than reading it yourself.

Thank you to Avon, the author, and NetGalley for the gifted ebook of THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!  All opinions in this review are my own.

When her acting career is cut short, Sewanee begins to work as audiobook narrator.  Starting off in romance under a pseudonym, she quickly builds a flourishing career.  Now Sewanee is an award-winning narrator for other genres under her own name.  Sewanee is asked to return to romance one more time and despite hating the genre, she knows she has to do it.  Not only will the money help her grandmother, but she is paired with the mysterious Brock as the male narrator.  No one knows who he is, but she knows that together, they will be successful!

What I liked about this book:
🎧 the juxtaposition between Sewanee hating the romance genre but also starring in her romance novel
🎧 the quotes from the fictional interview at the beginning of each chapter defending romance as a genre
🎧 how Brock's secret identity is eventually uncovered
🎧 the skillful blending of heavier topics mixed with humorous moments
🎧 the author is a highly successful audiobook narrator in her own right!!

Also, I have heard that the audiobook is fantastic for this book and I can't wait to listen to it as my reread!

Thank You For Listening is available now!  I cannot recommend it enough!  Go read it!

Thank you to By The Book VBP and the author for the gifted copy of A CRIME THROUGH TIME!  All opinions in this review are my own.

What I liked about this mystery:

⏳️ short chapters helped to really draw me into the book

⏳️ multiple suspects that kept me guessing until the end

⏳️ no spoilers but I really liked how the ending came together!