hollyenchanted's Reviews (60)

How to End a Love Story

Yulin Kuang

DID NOT FINISH

Library book!
emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious medium-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

I went into this very worried because I LOVE Sarah's writing so much but was thinking "how much am I going to be able to deal with a controlling and manipulative tech billionaire's decisions impacting those around him at this moment in history." But of course, I shouldn't have worried about that at all. I should have known that Sarah would find a way to tell a story about knowing yourself and finding yourself and grief and family secrets and unexpressed need for connection that's happening to characters we share virtually nothing in common with feel so relatable and compelling. I was so moved by how ultimately hopeful the Storm siblings became, despite their issues and despite their parents (yes, definitely both). 

Romance lovers will also not be disappointed! There's really three solid love stories happening throughout the book. All of which I loved.
Emily and Claudia are an incredible couple, right from the jump. Greta and Tony absolutely killed me. And of course, Alice and Jack, our two main lovebirds. I never thought they wouldn't work, because, hello, Sarah is an HEA expert, but I did worry that Alice would be too pigheaded about it all.
Sarah walked the line of deep emotion and humor perfectly and ultimately this book just brought me so much joy.
adventurous funny hopeful inspiring 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

I cannot BELIEVE how much I loved the world that Rebekah created for this book! Not only were the romance and the heat perfect, but every single side character was fleshed out and compelling, and it was just a truly wonderful novel absolutely filled with joyful Christmas Spirit (iykyk).
challenging emotional hopeful medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes

War and Peace

Leo Tolstoy

DID NOT FINISH: 7%

Need to be honest with myself after having this on "read" for three years hahahah

Witch of Wild Things

Raquel Vasquez Gilliland

DID NOT FINISH

Just a little slow. Would try again.

The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels

India Holton

DID NOT FINISH

Prose wasn't for me! Would try again though.
dark reflective medium-paced

I love short stories, and this was a really solid compilation.

The Hot Girl-3.5, sardonic and compelling
The Next Husband Game-3, not fleshed out as much as I'd like
The Reclamation- 4, sure, a bit like 9 Perfect Strangers but I could have easily read 200 more pages of this
Lemon Boy- 3.5, ended abruptly but otherwise good
Greensleeves- 4, unsettling and REALLY well done
Heat- 3, the pacing was off for me and some of the assertions (stretch marks = motherhood among others) made it surprising that this was written by a woman. The idea was great though.
A Spell for Disappearing- 4.25, I wanted more!!! 

The Duke's Virgin Spinster: A Steamy Second Chance Regency Romance Novel

Claire Devon, Claire Devon

DID NOT FINISH: 14%

The formatting was so infuriating 
emotional funny lighthearted medium-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: Yes