endless_tbr_list's Reviews (537)

Humor Me is 50% friendships new and old, 30% workplace grind, 20% romance, and 100% a love letter to New York. 

Living with her best friend, hoping for a promotion that's long over due, and sticking exclusively to business casual hookups, Presley Fry is a wonderful balance of jaded and hopeful - essentially what you'd expect from a woman working in the city's comedy scene. While still working through the grief of her alcoholic mother's recent death and trying to ignore her feelings for Adam, her Late Night Show co-worker, Presley suddenly finds herself spending time with Susan, her mother's childhood friend who is dealing with her own recent familial issues.

This is not your typical romance, and there's arguably not much that actually happens in the story, but I think that's why I liked it so much. It felt real. There's the office politics of a male-centric field and the nods to MeToo, but then there's also the solid female friendships and the warmth of a new relationship that comes when there's no need or desire to be anyone but yourself. In the end, Presley is a 20-something woman just living her life and taking us along for the ride. Humorous yet heavy at times, this was such a joy to read.

Thank you to Celadon Books and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

An wonderfully fun and entertaining novel, Taking Initiative is a beautiful debut! In search of a fresh start after her breakup, Jo has moved to small Kansas town and finds herself the only attendee at the local library's first ever Monsters and Mythology (MnM) game night. When it quickly becomes clear that the librarian, Felix, is woefully unprepared to be a Game Master (GM), Jo finds herself agreeing to teach him everything he needs to know. What ensues is a absolutely delightful (and spicy) romance filled with overly formal emails, heartwarming friendships, and plenty of TTRPG.

I enjoyed every moment of this story, from the heavy to the laugh out loud, and wish so badly that I could watch GM Jo do her thing. Felix is so sweet and I loved watching him go on his MnM journey, especially when he realized how much it means to Jo. This was a romance that felt genuine to me - the pacing was perfect and the character growth was front and center. A sort of love letter to TTRPG, Taking Initiative was a pure joy to read and I can't wait to see more from Elle M. Stewart.

Thank you to Elle M. Stewart and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are my own. 

Hydie has been in love with her best friend's brother for years - a fact which she confessed and then spent the next ten years avoiding him as a result of. When a (thankfully) failed attempt to RSVP 'no' to Frannie's wedding places Hydie firmly in the middle of the Flores family once more, she is finally forced to confront her past. Though, this time, both Hydie and George are adults and approach the idea of a relationship with new eyes.

Through weeks of wedding prep and bridesmaid duties it was so lovely to see Hydie reacquaint herself with the family who helped raise her when her own fell short. Frannie is such an incredible friend, and the flashbacks with George made me love him even more - Hydie truly has some wonderful people in her corner. A quick, sweet read, You're On Your Own, Kid is a tale of growing up and the growth that comes with it.

Thank you to Cora Dalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are my own. 

A quick and fun romance filled with crazy TV antics, awesomely wild adventures, and of course, love. After a disaster of a year, Emmy is the owner of a totaled food truck, a mattress on the floor in her parents' laundry room, and some not so great online PR #EmmyTrashTruck. When her assistant shows up with a bottle of sambuca and a reality TV application, Emmy soon finds herself a contestant on Big Wild Love Adventure, a new reality TV dating-adventure (think Survivor meets Are You the One?). Over the coming weeks, Emmy and her fellow contestants will battle it out to win cash prizes and maybe even a shot at love.

First off, Julianna Keyes perfectly captured the truly insane nature of adventure and dating reality shows, and I could absolutely see someone pitching BWLA. Although it took a bit for me to really develop any feelings towards the other contestants, I was impressed by how invested I was in the outcome each "week." The relationship/dating aspect of the story was entertaining, but I also love that Emmy never forgot why she was really there - to fund her dreams. Overall, a delightful read, perfect for the summer!

Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, NetGalley, and Julianna Keyes for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are my own. 

"I guess something rose from my ashes, after all. Makes me wonder if maybe those phoenix stories were never really about birds in the first place."

Witches are long gone from the cities and towns - wiped away by fire and those who felt threatened by women with power of their own. Many years later, James Juniper, Agnes Amaranth, and Beatrice Belladonna, the Eastwood sisters, find themselves in New Salem, a city seemingly on the brink of...something. When Juniper sets her sights on joining the suffragist movement, only to realize their goals are not enough for her, the Eastwood sisters set in motion a movement of their own. Witches might not exist - but they will. All they need is the words, the ways, and the will. 

This is one of those stories that's so beautifully written that I could tell I'd needed to pace myself. Separated for years, the Eastwood sisters have finally found one another again, as if by fate, or perhaps by magic. A tale of love in many forms, I was mesmerized. When I finally turned the last page my emotions were all over, I felt wrung out yet happy. Proud. The world-building was incredible and the use of the rhymes and songs - many I remember from my childhood - was perfection. 

When I find a good standalone fantasy novel I feel like screaming from the rooftops, but since I can't do that, I'll scream here instead! Though it's a long story, and may take some patience, if you choose to pick up this book, I hope it's as magical for you as it was for me.

A drunken bet between rivals leads to a whole lot of spice and feels. Edwina has finally arrived in the land of fae, and even better, she's there to lead her own book tour, things are looking up! Or, they were, until she's informed she'll now be CO-leading the book tour with William, a poet who makes it clear he thinks very little of her writing. Forced to compete for a new publishing contract, Edwina realizes she can't leave this decision up to fate and her books sales, and William - confident in both his sales and skills - agrees to a wager. Whoever seduces the most lovers by the tour's end will win the contract. 

This is a fun, flirty, rivals-to-lovers tale that gave me Pride & Prejudice vibes. I found the cast of characters to be charming and the bet was entertaining - overall an enjoyable read!

Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

A Rivalry of Hearts is out June 2024!

For all those like me who really only know one King Henry, Henry VIII, this book was a wonderful way to delve into the lives of the first seven - a crash course, of sorts, on the all eight Henrys that have sat on the throne during England's 1,000-year monarchical history. 

Although relatively short, this novel is not a quick read. Dense with dates, names, and facts, there is a wealth of information contained within these pages. While definitely a beneficial resource for those who know little about the kings, it can also be a bit overwhelming at times. Each Henry's life is it's own chapter, but there is no further separation within those chapters, resulting in 20+ pages of solid text. Overall, a comprehensive work and an interesting look into the lives of early English monarchs. 

Thank you to  Pen & Sword and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are my own. 

I learned so much about TV script writing while watching two people fall in love! From page 1 I really was not sure how this was going to work, but I ended up absolutely loving Helen and Grant's journey. 

Helen Zhang is a bestselling author whose work is being turned into television show, and the one person she hoped never to see again - Grant Shepard - is going to be joining her in the writing room. It's just 20 weeks and then Helen will move back to New York and they'll never have to see each other again. Easy.

However, Helen soon learns a writer's room is nothing like the quiet writing she's used to, it's loud, crowded, and spending all that time together means everyone is going to know everything about each other. Not ideal for trying to pretend someone doesn't exist. To make it worse, Grant is being nice, trying to help her settle into this new routine, but Helen has hated him for the last 13 years and that's  never going to change. But as the weeks march on, secrets come to light and Helen and Grant are forced to face the events of that past that have tied them together ever since that fateful day. 

Definitely one of my favorite romances so far this year!