endless_tbr_list's Reviews (537)

Fast-paced and music-based, this was such a sweet romance! Allie Andrews spent her teens touring in a punk band, but ever since their disastrous break-up she's been working in her aunt's café in Brooklyn. Life is no longer the crazy adventure it once was, and Allie is mostly okay with that, but she misses the music. When a chance encounter with a fan from her former life kick-starts a surprising and significant new relationship, Allie is finally forced to deal with the past she's been avoiding all these years.  

Filled with autumnal vibes, holiday parties, and café romance, this is a cozy and cute read. Allie and Ryan's love for music comes across so clearly and adds so much heart to the book. And when it comes to the romance, although their chemistry was a bit faint at the start, I do think it got there eventually and I adored the ending. Overall I'd say this is a story about finding your passion, finding your place, and finding your family. 

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada, DoubleDay, and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

A sweet holiday romance featuring small town, second-chance love - what more could you want? From the start I loved how real both Arden and Caroline felt as characters. YA novels can sometimes struggle to find the balance between immature and mature, leaning too heavily towards one or the other resulting in characters with a voice that doesn't *fit.* Make My Wish Comes True suffers from no such problem, and instead gives us two flawed yet lovable young women who are attempting to navigate a broken friendship, and possibly more. I also want to note my appreciation for the fact that Arden's fame was not always glorified, but rather shown through the lens of the struggles so many young actors and actresses face when suddenly thrown into the spotlight. 

Filled with hot cocoa, Christmas tree excursions, snowy days, and more, this is exactly the holiday romance that I wanted it to be! Overall, a wonderfully cozy novel that would pair perfectly with a cold day and a hot drink. 

Thank you to Simon Teen and Goodreads for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Although I was expecting a bit more of a rom-com, I definitely wasn't disappointed with this read! Sasha is a divorced mother of two who is really trying to nail this parenting thing the way she used to. But between missed Silly Sock days, last minute permission slips, and judgemental stares from administrators and parents, drop-off and pick-up have become more chaotic than Sasha would like. Then there's Ethan, aka Demon Dad, who somehow keeps swooping in and taking the last one of everything Sasha needs, be it a hoodie or an after school spot - and he's not even apologetic about it! So when a dream job opportunity falls in her lap, and she steps off the plane on to the private island she'll be calling home for the next few days, the absolute last person Sasha wants to see is the "perfect" dad who seems to do nothing but make her life more difficult. 

I wasn't quite sure what to think of the multiple POVs in this one, especially since only two of them seemed to make sense, but in the end I loved that Dahlia made the choices she did! In terms of characters, Sasha was delightfully messy, a wonderful mother, and so easy to root for. Whereas Ethan was a bit less fleshed out, but it didn't detract from the story for me, because he still came across as caring and charming, but with his own messes as a fellow divorced parent. Overall this was a fun and unique romance, and I'm so happy I got a chance to read it!

Thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Anna Appleby is a divorced mother of two and that's okay with her. She loves her children and her job, and she's perfectly happy single - just because her ex is dating again doesn't mean she needs to. Yet when her office rival, Will, starts making moves to take over her column, Anna knows she has to do whatever she can to keep it, and apparently that means dating. Pitching her idea was a bit of a desperate move, and the inclusion of her children choosing all her dates was not quite ideal, but the bosses love it so there's no going back. Through a series of first dates that range from awkward to disturbing to honestly not that bad, Anna slowly starts to do the one thing she never though she would, put herself back out there. But if she does find herself in love's path once more, will she be brave enough to give it another shot?

I really enjoy Sophie Cousens' writing and her ability to make her characters and their chemistry feel real. Anna is exactly who I wanted her to be, loving, intelligent, a bit frazzled by life, and damn good at her job. Following her through her dating adventures was delightful, her banter with Will was always a highlight, and the wonderful cast of side characters added so much charm to this already charming novel. Is She Really Going Out with Him? is a humorous and heartwarming read, and I already cannot wait to see what Cousens has in store next.

Thank you to Putnam Books and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.