dermkat's Reviews (2.11k)

This was another pretty quick and enjoyable read from Carrie Elks. This is book 3 in the second gen series, this one about the other twin from the previous book. Marley drums in their band, works construction with his brother, and is very involved as a volunteer firefighter. His best friend and former Chief died two years ago right in front of him and he promised to take care of the family left behind. Kate is trying to keep it together as a grieving single mom of a 15, 8, and 6 year old and doesn't want any help. She and Marley haven't been in a lot of contact because she withdrew from the department people but she knows he's always around checking on them. They end up spending more time together and both realize their attraction and developing feelings can't be ignored. Right when things are starting to go well something traumatic happens and then the guilt, accusations, and fear star flying. Overall, I loved how gone he was for her even after denying it so long, and how wonderful he was with the kids. The third act breakup was rough in a way that made complete sense and like it needed to happen. I enjoyed being back in the small town with the Hartson family and others, and look forward to the final book about the youngest brother when it comes out next year cuz he's always been a bit of a mystery. 

I've never read an A.J. Truman book but have loved Matt's so I was excited for this first cowrite from them and it was so lovely! It's second chance that starts six months after Marshall (Marsh), an aspiring comedian, broke up with his boyfriend of either years, Marshall (Data), an accountant with a talent for wood carving. Data was somewhat blindsided and  heartbroken when their relationship ended after eight years together, but when Marsh asks him to go to their co-owned cabin in the mountains for a weekend to pack it up and get it ready to sell, he goes. Both men are big guys and loved each other for it (the fat rep here was well done, I love how hot they are for each other's bodies), and it's like no time has passed. First it's "breakup sex" but then they're snowed in and things go from there, all while both men still secretly love the other and think once they get back to the city it's all over for real. There's chronic illness rep (asthma), a family member with dementia, childhood trauma from growing up without much to get by on, fears about being almost forty and not knowing what you're doing in life, and more. I really really enjoyed it and am looking forward to the rest of this series as it's released in the next couple of years. Also, I've read all of Matt's books but now I want to dig into A.J.'s extensive backlist. I've said it before with Matt's books and also earlier this month with another author's, but even though I'm always here for queer rep, anything written own voice (in this case MM written by gay men) has a wonderful sense of authenticity to it that I just love. 

Every time I read a Jen Morris book it reminds me how much I love Jen Morris books and this was no exception! I really enjoyed this "age gap, ex-boyfriend's dad who she actually knew first and liked more but didn't realize their relationship until too late" romance. We met Daisy in the first book in this series, as the barista at Joe's coffee place who helped the two MCs get together bad became friends with them. She's now been at the shop 7 years and realized she's stagnated in her life. She came to New York after high school, left her awful family after experiencing intense loss, and wanted a new life but feels stuck. Weston has been going to the shop for about a year and seemed sad so she tried to cheer him up. He still wears his wedding ring since his wife passed three years ago, but she doesn't realize she's a widower so she ends up dating a guy she meets who she figures is closer to her in age and more appropriate. Then they figure out who each other is, the son is an ass and dumps her (already was strained with his dad) and Daisy and Wes try to avoid their feelings but eventually end up together. Chaos ensues later. The way they both were dealing with grief and allowed each other space to feel their feelings, miss their people, and also being light back to their lives together was lovely. The spice was good and for some reason the pet name "babygirl" wasn't ick like it has been for me in other books so that was nice, especially considering the virginity aspect (which was well done in my opinion). The connection to the other series was fun and now I want to reread those books. I think I know who one of the MCs in the next book in this series was set up to be so we'll see what happens!

Cozyverse indeed! This is book one in a four book series by Omegaverse authors Emilia Emerson and Eliana Lee (starting here with Emilia). They promoted this series as low-angst, cozy Omegaverse and it definitely followed through. It is simultaneously the comfiest, sweetest fall in Stars Hallow-esque read and the spiciness expected of Omegaverse with all the regular aspects. Olive Autumn Harvest has moved to small coastal town Starlight Grove to be their new lighthouse keeper. She is an omega who has experienced the loss of family and lives with chronic illness, so she believes she's better off alone. But right from chapter 1 in this multi-POV story we find out that Easton, the first of the three alphas who eventually pursue her, is already obsessed (very specifically not in a creepy way, he'd like you to know). Things fall into place with the help of the meddling town cat, Felix, so that he and his pack brothers, Lars and Finn, are working every day to restore the lighthouse.
Olive is fiesty and sometimes cranky, but is timid and vulnerable under it all. She hates socizliing but the town, including her new instant friend group (the other three ladies who will have books in the series), won't let her keep herself hidden. But even with her eventual pack, her friends, and other townsfolk (including a Taylor Dosey type pushy older man in charge of the town's many festivals), Olive is unsure that people will continue to want her around when they find out about her physical and mental health conditions that other people have said are "too much" before. 
I absolutely loved life in this little town, trying to catch all the Gilmore Girls references, and Felix the seemingly sentient cat. Don't be fooled by the cute cover (which is super adorable by the way and I love both covers I've seen so far), the spice in this book is spicy (and excellent) and follows pretty established alpha/omega tendencies (knots, heats, ruts, etc.). I myself just got into reading Omegaverse earlier this year and these two authors were some of my favorites, so I was pumped when I found out they were creating this series together. The first book did not disappoint and I look forward to the next book when it is released in December. But first, you can read A Pack for Autumn when it's out Nov 13/24. Thank you to Emilia for the arc!

Got this for the first story because I'm looking for more time loop stories. This kind of fit but the rest of the graphic novel was just whatever and I didn't care about it. 

Congrats to Chelsea Curto on another excellent new release! I loved Face Off and the most recent Camera Chemistry book but there's something about this one that grabbed my attention and I just LOVED. I am always on board for a grumpy goalie and Liam came through on that. Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes, and teach me feels special because it shows the reality that people have different levels of sexual experience and that's okay. Piper, having been hurt during her divorce and not treated well throughout the marriage, is working to regain confidence by asking for what she wants. In exchange for acting as his girlfriend at his sister's wedding to get the family off his back, he's going to be her sex and intimacy coach. It's supposed to be casual otherwise and only in the bedroom, but as they bond and become best friends (whilst in denial about what else it could be) it becomes much more. I loved their flirty, banter-y back and forth and I think "I tolerate you" is the new "I can't say I like you" standard now. The spice in this was also great and obviously not as much of a slow burn because of the whole sex lessons thing. As usual, it was so fun to see the friend group and the hockey team again, and see more of what women in sports deal with (check the CW at the start of the book because Piper deals with sexism and blatant harassment). I tried to catch bread crumbs and teasers for future books and while I think I may have caught some, the list of upcoming books and their tropes also surprised me in the best way (learning who Hudson's love interest will be!!!). I know I've said this for the last two or three books, but I think this one is my new fave, and I have a feeling that'll just keep happening because Chelsea's writing keeps getting better and better! Well done!

Wow. This story was a wild ride. Being a fan of One Tree Hill and now the Drama Queens podcast, and knowing what I've learned about cults/high control groups through research (hyperfixation), I'm choosing to believe Joy's story. I remember hearing when she was on the show that she was a Christian, eventually married a pastor's kid, and as someone who grew up religious and a PK myself, I remember admiring her for that. This is a huge example of you never know what people are dealing with unless you're in it with them and sometimes not even then. Finding out that she was in a high control religious group that started as a bible study, and now that another actor I know of (and possible another) were also involved at on point was just mind blowing. I'm glad she's telling her story and even though she changed all names and adjusted some timings and things to protect the children of former members and other victims, that more people involved will speak out and that if this group is still practicing, people will see the truth about them. Yikes. 

This short story was originally a bonus in a special edition of another book but has been released on its own now. It was cute and sweet but I wanted more and was not satisfied by the ending. It's the story of how two side characters (Maddy, Emma's friend from Just For the Summer, and Doug, Daniel's friend from Part of Your World, etc.). She's grumpy and sarcastic and mean but he seems to like it and is his genuine nice, honest, a little over the top self. The end felt really abrupt, and I know it's a bonus story and we technically know what happens for them because of the Just For the Summer epilogue, but it still felt incomplete somehow. 

Just as I've come to expect from a Kayla Grosse book: a quick and dirty romance with a plus size female lead (Morgan). This time she's a logger in the woods along with her high school sweetheart (Fox), married since they were 18. They're poly and have had relationships before but were hurt when the last one ended. But then they save a man (Nathan) who crashed his car during a blizzard and gets snowed in with them. His life is changing but he didn't realize how much. Turns out he's never allowed himself to acknowledge or explore that he's queer, but that's blown to bits when he's attracted to both of them. It leads to a kinky weekend and then a 3rd act distancing after feelings come into things. This novella is both kinky and sweet, and I don't know that it will be a series but I'd read more about the little town nearby where Nathan's sister lives. She's a divorcee...... Just saying ;) Well done again, Kayla Grosse!!

This is one of the last few books I got for the 12 Days of Bookmas basket I got last December, and I'm pushing to get them done before the end of the year. I read a lot of Sarah Dessen in high school but haven't for years since they're YA. It was pretty much what I expected from her: girl with family issues makes new friends and is figuring out life near the end of high school. In this case, Mclean has moved with her dad to the fourth new town in 2 years because of his consultant job, leaving behind her mom's new family. She changes her name (variations of her middle name) and persona in each new place, not making attachments. But the people in this new town get under her skin and she's more herself than she's been. This was fine, not my cup of tea anymore but can definitely see why I liked her books as a teen. The ending was too realistic in a way I didn't love because things felt rushed when they were left so open ended. I won't be keeping the print copy of this, I'll donate it or swap it for something else at the next book swap.