You, with a View by Jessica Joyce is one I picked up based on some early promotion and I'm really glad I did. Contemporary is always hit or miss for me. I really don't know why...I love a good romance but for some reason I lean toward fantasy or historical genres instead. Well...let me tell you that I'm super happy to have picked this one up and I can't wait for the next book by Joyce.

Noelle Shepard is the fmc and a lot has happened over the last few months. Her beloved grandmother passed away, she lost her job, and is now living with her parents. Noelle is in this place where she's not really sure what to do - she doubts her photography skills and doesn't know what to do. When she comes across a letter and some pictures while going through her grandmother's things, she is immediately intrigued about who this man Paul is and why she never heard of him while her grandmother was alive. When she creates a TikTok to put the image out there and see if she can find anything out, she's surprised to hear back from someone stating that the man is his grandfather...and he wants to meet her.

When Noelle goes to her meeting with Paul and his grandson, she's surprised to see that the grandson is none other than her high school rival, Theo Spencer. While digging into her grandmother's relationship with Paul, a map comes to her attention and she decides it would be great to do the roadtrip that her grandmother and Paul were going to take. Paul decides to join her and Theo is coming too.

I thought the relationships in this book were well done. From Noelle and her family (loved her brother) to Theo and Paul. It was so great to get the backstory of Noelle and Theo's competitive high school days and see how it translates into who they are together now. This story is about more than just their relationship and the roadtrip. It was also about Noelle figuring out who she is and what she wants to do with her life...and not letting one opinion derail her from the dreams she has for herself. Theo is going through a pretty big thing in his life and he has to determine who he is going to trust and be vulnerable with. I loved how Paul was the balance between the two characters to get them to look at everything with open minds vs just defaulting to how they've always reacted.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I found myself flipping through the pages to see how things were going to turn out for everyone. The characters are well developed and the story is interesting...and there are steamy bits too. If you like contemporary romance, consider picking this one up when you can. I'll definitely be looking forward to the next book by Joyce, whatever it is.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Gentleman's Gambit is the fourth and final book in the League of Extraordinary Women series by Evie Dunmore and I'm a little sad this one is done but Dunmore did a great job wrapping this one up.

This installment follows Catriona, the group's introvert and I was happy to learn more about her character. She's always been in the background or referenced in the earlier books but it was great to see who she is and understand her history and what's made her who she is.

Elias Khoury is our mmc and he's wheedled his way into Oxford and Professor Campbell's circle with ulterior motives. While he tells everyone he's there to classify ancient artefacts, he really wants to take them back to his homeland in the Middle East. When he's introduced to Catriona, he sees an opportunity to use her to get what he wants but he didn't expect to lose himself in his feelings for her and even though he knows it can't really go anywhere, the seduction he planned actually falls to the wayside and they find themselves becoming more.

When Catriona finds out what Elias is up to (and she does pretty quickly), she's determined to help and by pulling in her friends to help, she pulls off something no one would ever have expected of a lady scholar. The one thing she does have to figure out though is how much is she willing to put her heart at risk knowing that in the past she has been burned.

I loved that we got to see more of the prior characters and not just as random snips. They were there for each other even though their lives are all changing. I also loved how patient and observant Elias was with Catriona. She's a private person and she doesn't really speak up for herself so it was important for him to pay attention.

Overall this was a solid ending to the series. Even though the pacing felt a bit slow at times, I found myself pushing on to see how everything ends up for these two. The epilogue was also well done and I look forward to more books from Dunmore in the future.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second book of the Twin Crowns series and if you haven't read book one yet, definitely go pick this one up. I was looking forward to this book from the moment I turned the last page of the first book and I'm happy to report that I am happy with how this one went. Admittedly I had to go back and read the last few chapters because I couldn't remember everything after so much time but I'm actually happy I did it. It truly helped get me back up to speed with ALL the things.

This book dives right into the story and keeps things moving well. I thought Doyle and Webber did a good job of balancing out the characters' stories and keeping the momentum for both Wren and Rose as well as all the other characters involved.

If you're looking for a YA fantasy to pick up and haven't yet read this series, consider doing so and if you have read book one, definitely pick up this book so you can read what happens!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

Earls Rush In is the first book I've read by Jennifer Haymore but it won't be the last. She has written a solid story with some interesting characters that kept me turning the pages.

The fmc is Charlotte and she is trapped in the carriage with her dead brother’s most beloved friend. When he decides to sweep her away during a terrible snowstorm without a clear explanation (she only know it relates to her betrothal plans), she doesn't know what to do.

The Earl of Trevelyan is determined to rescue Charlotte from her disastrous engagement. He promised his best friend that she and her sister would be looked after so he will do whatever it takes to make sure she doesn't marry someone he doesn't believe she should.

When their carriage flips and they are stranded at an inn in the country (which only has one bed by the way...) they find themselves facing the desires they never admitted to before but when Charlotte learns Trevelyan's secret, the question is whether that budding relationship will survive.

Definitely check this one out if you're looking for a new historical romance. As I mentioned, I thought this was a quick and easy read that hits some of the usual romance tropes. The writing is well done and I'll be checking out this author again!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

I actually read this series a while ago and was excited to hear that they were getting a bit of a makeover! A Bride by Morning is book 3 in the Private Arrangements series by Katrina Kendrick and while my recommendation would be to pick up books 1 and 2 in this series as well, if you can't I don't think you will have any trouble diving into this one and getting into the story.

Gabriel St. Clair, the Earl of Montgomery, was the third son and never supposed to inherit. When he goes off to be a diplomat, he asks Lydia (our fmc) to wait for him. Little did he know that he would quickly become a British spy and his enemies would be everywhere. Due to his transition to Earl, Gabriel comes back to London and that's where the story picks up.

I couldn't help feeling all the feelings for Lydia. She's not had things easy and after committing herself to waiting for Gabriel, she's become a companion to her elderly aunt as she wasn't willing to give up on him. When Gabriel returns, she does whatever she can to reconnect with him but he pushes her away based on his ridiculous thoughts of protecting her from him and his enemies but that only serves to put them both in a position where neither are really happy.

When Lydia witnesses Gabriel and his spy skills, she is not only surprised but she starts to understand. Gabriel, having put her in danger, is now determined to marry her to provide protection...and nothing else.

As I mentioned, Lydia is one of those characters I couldn't help feeling for. She loved / loves Gabriel and he does everything he possibly can to push her away instead of talking to her. In the end, they find their way back to each other and need to find a way to live. There are definite ups and downs in their marriage. She's looking for answers and he's unwilling to talk about things which doesn't really work well but they do eventually figure it all out.

Kendrick has written a page turning story with great characters and I definitely recommend picking this one up when you can. I'll definitely be looking for more books from this author in the future.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

Loved this!

Loved this one!