francineh98's Reviews (278)

Beach Read

Emily Henry

4.0

emotional funny reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Beach Read surprised me—not with sun-soaked scenes or lighthearted escapism, but with its emotional depth and vulnerability. I'm someone who gravitates toward stories with neatly tied, happy endings, and yet I found myself moved by Emily Henry’s more realistic approach. She reminds us that not all endings are perfect, but a “happy-for-now” can be just as meaningful. It's a beautiful reminder that healing, growth, and love often come in imperfect but powerful forms.

Content Warnings

The Situationship

Abby Jimenez

3.0

funny lighthearted fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Loveable characters: Yes

Highball Rush

Claire Kingsley, Lucy Score

3.5

emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Content Warnings

Hidden Nature

Nora Roberts

4.0

emotional hopeful mysterious slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Hidden Nature follows Natural Resources police officer Sloan Copper as she returns to her hometown to recover after surviving a gunshot wound. While healing, she becomes intrigued with the case of a missing woman. What begins as a single abduction soon unravels into a deeper, more chilling pattern of serial disappearances. But this novel is about more than just solving a mystery—it's also a story of personal healing, family bonds, and unexpected love.

This was my first time reading a Nora Roberts novel, and I am truly in awe of her storytelling. She has a gift for immersing readers into the book, making you feel the atmosphere and genuinely connect with the characters. I appreciated the slower pace of the plot, which allowed time to get to know everyone and see how their relationships naturally evolved. The romance was woven seamlessly into the story, unfolding in a way that felt authentic and earned, rather than rushed.

At times, it felt like I was watching a compelling TV series unfold—especially with the layered character development and suspenseful pacing. Even though the plot centers around a criminal investigation, I was particularly drawn in by the dramatic irony. Knowing more than the protagonist added a thrilling edge, and I found myself eagerly waiting for Sloan to piece things together.

While I truly enjoyed the story and Roberts’ writing style, there were a few scenes that felt a bit unsettling, which kept me from giving it a full 5-star rating. Still, I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys small-town mysteries with a touch of romance. And if you’re an audiobook fan, I highly recommend the audio version—January LaVoy does a phenomenal job bringing each character to life.

—————————————————-

A huge thank you to the author, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the ALC. All opinions are my own!

Content Warnings

Bourbon Bliss

Claire Kingsley, Lucy Score

4.0

emotional funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

Sidecar Crush

Claire Kingsley, Lucy Score

3.0

lighthearted reflective fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

Whiskey Chaser

Claire Kingsley, Lucy Score

3.75

funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

The Knight and the Moth

Rachel Gillig

4.25

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Spice: 🌶️.5

Rachel Gillig is officially on my auto-buy list.

The Knight and the Moth was one of my most anticipated releases of the year, and it absolutely lived up to the hype.

Gillig crafts some of the most original magic systems I’ve ever read in romantasy. The worldbuilding is rich and dark, but it's balanced beautifully with humor (shoutout to the gargoyle—he completely stole the show).

The tension between Rory and Six/Sybil was everything I wanted—no cringe, no excess. Just the perfect amount of friction and chemistry.

And the Diviners… my heart still hurts.

They were given false hope—manipulated, used—and for what? Just so the abbess could keep playing god. I’m still not over it.

Although I really enjoyed this book, it didn’t quite hit the 5-star mark for me—some parts felt a bit repetitive or underwhelming, particularly when

defeating with the Omens.

I still strongly recommend this book to anyone who appreciate the rich world-building, an intricate magic system, a strong FMC, and a thoughtfully developed romantic arc. I truly have no idea how I’ll endure the wait for the next installment.

Content Warnings

Faking Ms. Right

Claire Kingsley

3.0

lighthearted fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

🌶️🌶️🌶️

A fun fake dating romance with a frustrating third-act breakup.

I love a good fake dating trope, and this book definitely delivered on that! It had the fun, the chemistry, and all the things I look for in a rom-com. That said, the third-act breakup felt totally unnecessary. Everly explained the contract situation pretty clearly, and it was frustrating that Shepard just didn’t listen. I think the story would’ve had a lot more emotional depth if they’d actually talked it through instead of going the predictable drama route.

Also, the part where her sister asks her for her boss to be a sperm donor? Kind of outrageous and took me out of the story a bit.

Still, there’s a solid HEA and everything wraps up nicely. Not perfect, but enjoyable overall!

Content Warnings

Obsession Falls

Claire Kingsley

3.0

funny mysterious fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Spice: 🌶️

Obsession Falls follows Audrey, who’s back in her small hometown after being laid off, and Josiah, who just wants to be left alone. Their first encounter is painfully awkward, but despite his efforts to keep his distance, the two keep getting pulled back together. Toss in a sleazy ex, a goofy dog, and some creepy messages, and you've got a light mystery wrapped in a small-town romance.

While this isn’t a groundbreaking story, I still found it enjoyable. The mystery was fairly easy to figure out, but I stayed interested just to see how it would all play out. Max, the lovable and derpy dog, added a great touch of humor and warmth. That said, Josiah definitely tested my patience—his lack of communication was painful at times. I get the whole "strong, silent type" thing, but wow, a conversation here or there wouldn’t have hurt. I also wish the story spent more time exploring their pasts; it could have deepened their connection and made their romance more believable.

All in all, this was a quick, entertaining read. A good choice if you're looking for a palate cleanser between heavier books.

What to expect:

✅ grumpy x sunshine

✅ small-town romance

✅ MCs in their 30s

Content Warnings

More...