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636 reviews by:
kellygillespiewv
***Full review at https://wildandwonderfulreads.com
ACTUAL RATING: 4.5 stars
A fun, swoony read with amazing characters…this is what I’ve come to expect from Kendall Ryan, and Boyfriend for Hire is no exception! There are dashes of humor, sweetness, sass, and steam, making the perfect recipe for all the feels! This book is binge-worthy!
I didn’t even question that it involved an escort (which, quite frankly, isn’t what I normally reach for) because IT’S A KENDALL RYAN BOOK! The characters are always my favorite part about her stories. Nic and Elle’s chemistry is intangible and Nic’s arc is perfection.
And, yup, Nic is everything! He is genuine and caring and — obviously — sexy! I felt his struggle between wanting to do what’s right, both by Elle and his job. Despite being hired to be her date, unbeknownst to her and at her friend’s request/expense, once Nic meets Elle, he only has eyes for her.
Overall, I would recommend Boyfriend for Hire, especially to romance readers wanting that quick, sweet read that’s oozing sexiness!
*Thanks to the author and Inkslinger PR for providing me with an advanced copy of this book. Please note that it, in no way, had an effect on my opinion or review.
ACTUAL RATING: 4.5 stars
A fun, swoony read with amazing characters…this is what I’ve come to expect from Kendall Ryan, and Boyfriend for Hire is no exception! There are dashes of humor, sweetness, sass, and steam, making the perfect recipe for all the feels! This book is binge-worthy!
I didn’t even question that it involved an escort (which, quite frankly, isn’t what I normally reach for) because IT’S A KENDALL RYAN BOOK! The characters are always my favorite part about her stories. Nic and Elle’s chemistry is intangible and Nic’s arc is perfection.
And, yup, Nic is everything! He is genuine and caring and — obviously — sexy! I felt his struggle between wanting to do what’s right, both by Elle and his job. Despite being hired to be her date, unbeknownst to her and at her friend’s request/expense, once Nic meets Elle, he only has eyes for her.
Overall, I would recommend Boyfriend for Hire, especially to romance readers wanting that quick, sweet read that’s oozing sexiness!
*Thanks to the author and Inkslinger PR for providing me with an advanced copy of this book. Please note that it, in no way, had an effect on my opinion or review.
Full review at Wild and Wonderful Reads
Runaway Road is sweet, sexy, uplifting, and unputdownable!
I am such a fan of Devney Perry! Her writing is evocative, her stories are beautiful and emotional, and her characters win me over time and again. I was so excited when I discovered the queen of small town romance set Runaway Road in West Virginia (hello, home state)!
This is a small town, contemporary romance with a little insta-love told in the dual POV of our leads, Londyn and Brooks. It’s book one in the Runaway series but can be read as a standalone. This story is really about letting go in order to find yourself; how sometimes running is the only way to discover where you belong.
Londyn’s life has been far from easy, but her experiences have shaped her into a strong, independent woman, despite her tendency to use running away as a bit of a security blanket! AND I JUST LOVE HER SO MUCH! Brooks made his life in rural West Virginia, and he is everything! These two have loads of chemistry! Their relationship actually moves pretty quickly, but the way the story is written gives it the effect of a slower burn. I really couldn’t get enough of them, and really, that’s my only “complaint” — I wish this book was longer!
The Epilogue set up the next book in this series, and I cannot wait to see what Devney gives us for Gemma’s story!
Overall, you’re nuts if you think I won’t recommend Runaway Road! In fact, pick up this one then after you finish and adore it, hit up her backlist!
*Thanks to the author for providing me with an advanced copy of this book. Please note that it, in no way, had an effect on my opinion or review.
Runaway Road is sweet, sexy, uplifting, and unputdownable!
I am such a fan of Devney Perry! Her writing is evocative, her stories are beautiful and emotional, and her characters win me over time and again. I was so excited when I discovered the queen of small town romance set Runaway Road in West Virginia (hello, home state)!
This is a small town, contemporary romance with a little insta-love told in the dual POV of our leads, Londyn and Brooks. It’s book one in the Runaway series but can be read as a standalone. This story is really about letting go in order to find yourself; how sometimes running is the only way to discover where you belong.
Londyn’s life has been far from easy, but her experiences have shaped her into a strong, independent woman, despite her tendency to use running away as a bit of a security blanket! AND I JUST LOVE HER SO MUCH! Brooks made his life in rural West Virginia, and he is everything! These two have loads of chemistry! Their relationship actually moves pretty quickly, but the way the story is written gives it the effect of a slower burn. I really couldn’t get enough of them, and really, that’s my only “complaint” — I wish this book was longer!
The Epilogue set up the next book in this series, and I cannot wait to see what Devney gives us for Gemma’s story!
Overall, you’re nuts if you think I won’t recommend Runaway Road! In fact, pick up this one then after you finish and adore it, hit up her backlist!
*Thanks to the author for providing me with an advanced copy of this book. Please note that it, in no way, had an effect on my opinion or review.
Neanderthal Seeks Human is a fun and pleasantly awkward read!
This is the first book in Penny Reid’s contemporary romantic comedy Knitting in the City series and can be read as a complete standalone. Neanderthal Seeks Human is told from the quirky POV of the leading lady, Janie Morris.
I am a big fan of quirky characters, but I began to get burned out on how smart yet oblivious to the obvious Janie was. She has a phenomenal group of friends in her knitting club, who absolutely MADE the ending! I also really liked Quinn and wish we got to hear his thoughts (A+ for the epilogue coming from him).
I enjoyed this book, but I wasn’t crazy about it. The steam level is low, I think it would have benefitted from having dual POVs, and in general, I am not the biggest fan of stories that have conflict that arise or drag on due to miscommunication. But, it is really sweet and hilarious!
Overall, Neanderthal Seeks Human is well loved and rom com fans who can embrace the awkwardness will surely enjoy it!
This is the first book in Penny Reid’s contemporary romantic comedy Knitting in the City series and can be read as a complete standalone. Neanderthal Seeks Human is told from the quirky POV of the leading lady, Janie Morris.
I am a big fan of quirky characters, but I began to get burned out on how smart yet oblivious to the obvious Janie was. She has a phenomenal group of friends in her knitting club, who absolutely MADE the ending! I also really liked Quinn and wish we got to hear his thoughts (A+ for the epilogue coming from him).
I enjoyed this book, but I wasn’t crazy about it. The steam level is low, I think it would have benefitted from having dual POVs, and in general, I am not the biggest fan of stories that have conflict that arise or drag on due to miscommunication. But, it is really sweet and hilarious!
Overall, Neanderthal Seeks Human is well loved and rom com fans who can embrace the awkwardness will surely enjoy it!
Full review at wildandwonderfulreads.com
actual rating: 4.5 stars
Devney Perry is such a brilliant story teller! Gypsy King is a fantastic series starter full of mystery, suspense, and sizzle!
I cannot say enough good things about Devney Perry as a writer. Her writing is captivating and her stories are evocative. I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book as it seemed a bit different than others I’ve read by her, but it did not disappoint!
Gypsy King — book 1 in the Tin Gypsy series told in dual POVs — is primarily an enemies to lovers, small town, contemporary romance. There are MC elements and the plot involves a murder mystery, but I — personally — would not categorize it as either. The banter is on point, the mystery is intriguing, the suspense is intense, the chemistry is undeniable, the romance is hot…this book has a lot to offer and is absolutely unputdownable! The pace is slow and steady, but I had to keep reading.
By the end, I adored the characters, but they took a minute to grow on me. I’m not even sure I can pinpoint what I wasn’t fond of at first with Bryce because her character is everything I usually love in a female lead — feisty, determined, not afraid to stand her ground, but has vulnerabilities — but I just didn’t click with her right away. Dash is gruff and sexy! I was missing a bit more grit with him, but I still really liked him. AND THEY ARE SO GREAT TOGETHER!
Some things are left hanging, but I hope that means the overarching storyline will continue into book 2…which I need…now!
Overall, Gypsy King is another amazing book from Devney Perry! Fans of swoony, mysterious contemporary romances definitely want to pick this one up!
*Thanks to the author and Wildfire Marketing Solutions for providing me with an advanced copy of this book. Please note that it, in no way, had an effect on my opinion or review.
actual rating: 4.5 stars
Devney Perry is such a brilliant story teller! Gypsy King is a fantastic series starter full of mystery, suspense, and sizzle!
I cannot say enough good things about Devney Perry as a writer. Her writing is captivating and her stories are evocative. I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book as it seemed a bit different than others I’ve read by her, but it did not disappoint!
Gypsy King — book 1 in the Tin Gypsy series told in dual POVs — is primarily an enemies to lovers, small town, contemporary romance. There are MC elements and the plot involves a murder mystery, but I — personally — would not categorize it as either. The banter is on point, the mystery is intriguing, the suspense is intense, the chemistry is undeniable, the romance is hot…this book has a lot to offer and is absolutely unputdownable! The pace is slow and steady, but I had to keep reading.
By the end, I adored the characters, but they took a minute to grow on me. I’m not even sure I can pinpoint what I wasn’t fond of at first with Bryce because her character is everything I usually love in a female lead — feisty, determined, not afraid to stand her ground, but has vulnerabilities — but I just didn’t click with her right away. Dash is gruff and sexy! I was missing a bit more grit with him, but I still really liked him. AND THEY ARE SO GREAT TOGETHER!
Some things are left hanging, but I hope that means the overarching storyline will continue into book 2…which I need…now!
Overall, Gypsy King is another amazing book from Devney Perry! Fans of swoony, mysterious contemporary romances definitely want to pick this one up!
*Thanks to the author and Wildfire Marketing Solutions for providing me with an advanced copy of this book. Please note that it, in no way, had an effect on my opinion or review.
Full review at Wild and Wonderful Reads
Stone Princess is a completely unexpected story — Devney Perry is unparalleled!
This is book 3 in the Tin Gypsy series. At its core, it’s a small town, contemporary romance with MC elements. It has a lot of backstory with more layers to the overarching plot being revealed with each book, so it should be read in order. I love seeing the growth in the entire cast of characters throughout the series; learning more of their histories and watching their bonds get stronger.
I have never felt that this series was very gritty, but Stone Princess seemed less so. I don’t view this as a bad thing, though.
Presley was a bit of a mystery to me before this book, so I really enjoyed getting to know her more in Stone Princess. After being abandoned on her wedding day, she is definitely a force to be reckoned with! AND DON’T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON SHAW *swoon* He is undeniably charming but not your average movie star. I love the protective nature that is firmly ingrained in him! The early banter is on point, then there is a little something soft and sweet mixed with an irresistible heat that I couldn’t get enough of!
Overall, Stone Princess delivers all the feels! This series! …READ IT! I am wholly invested in these characters, and I will be counting down the days till the release of book 4, Noble Prince!
*Thanks to the author for providing me with an advanced copy of this book. Please note that it, in no way, had an effect on my opinion or review.
Stone Princess is a completely unexpected story — Devney Perry is unparalleled!
This is book 3 in the Tin Gypsy series. At its core, it’s a small town, contemporary romance with MC elements. It has a lot of backstory with more layers to the overarching plot being revealed with each book, so it should be read in order. I love seeing the growth in the entire cast of characters throughout the series; learning more of their histories and watching their bonds get stronger.
I have never felt that this series was very gritty, but Stone Princess seemed less so. I don’t view this as a bad thing, though.
Presley was a bit of a mystery to me before this book, so I really enjoyed getting to know her more in Stone Princess. After being abandoned on her wedding day, she is definitely a force to be reckoned with! AND DON’T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON SHAW *swoon* He is undeniably charming but not your average movie star. I love the protective nature that is firmly ingrained in him! The early banter is on point, then there is a little something soft and sweet mixed with an irresistible heat that I couldn’t get enough of!
Overall, Stone Princess delivers all the feels! This series! …READ IT! I am wholly invested in these characters, and I will be counting down the days till the release of book 4, Noble Prince!
*Thanks to the author for providing me with an advanced copy of this book. Please note that it, in no way, had an effect on my opinion or review.
Full review at Wild and Wonderful Reads
Agnes at the End of the World paints a vivid picture of a grim landscape featuring a fundamentalist cult and a pandemic that is devastating the Outside world while still delivering a message of hope.
Kelly McWilliams is staking her place in young adult literature with this debut novel! I cannot even begin to fathom what it’s like for authors, especially debut authors, to release a book during the current world situation, let alone a book about a pandemic during an actual pandemic — Kelly has the unique experience of doing both with Agnes!
The writing is simply beautiful and the story is so thought-provoking. The world-building and character development are both phenomenal! This YA genre mash-up (dystopian with cult and pandemic themes) was hard to put down and even harder to stop thinking about!
Agnes at the End of the World is told in the dual POVs of Agnes and Beth — sisters raised in Red Creek who couldn’t be more different from one another — which allows for a lot of depth, especially once more settings and secondary characters are introduced. AND OH WHAT A MARVELOUS CAST OF CHARACTERS WE GET! The leads are inspiring, the prophet (and cult, as a whole) is perfectly villainous, and I was rooting for so many of the side characters as they battle through each conflict they face.
There is a lot of faith-based dialogue given one of the main settings is Red Creek — a cult town — and one of the main characters is prophetic. Although religion is often a hot topic in real life, it is handled with a lot of care in Agnes. Regardless of your beliefs (or non-beliefs), I don’t feel that that should be a deterrent.
Overall, I highly recommend Agnes at the End of the World! You need to add this one to your list if you enjoy YA Dystopians or stories where characters find themselves in impossible situations with nothing but hope and determination to help them through.
*Thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this book as a member of the street team. Please note that it, in no way, had an effect on my opinion or review.
Agnes at the End of the World paints a vivid picture of a grim landscape featuring a fundamentalist cult and a pandemic that is devastating the Outside world while still delivering a message of hope.
Kelly McWilliams is staking her place in young adult literature with this debut novel! I cannot even begin to fathom what it’s like for authors, especially debut authors, to release a book during the current world situation, let alone a book about a pandemic during an actual pandemic — Kelly has the unique experience of doing both with Agnes!
The writing is simply beautiful and the story is so thought-provoking. The world-building and character development are both phenomenal! This YA genre mash-up (dystopian with cult and pandemic themes) was hard to put down and even harder to stop thinking about!
Agnes at the End of the World is told in the dual POVs of Agnes and Beth — sisters raised in Red Creek who couldn’t be more different from one another — which allows for a lot of depth, especially once more settings and secondary characters are introduced. AND OH WHAT A MARVELOUS CAST OF CHARACTERS WE GET! The leads are inspiring, the prophet (and cult, as a whole) is perfectly villainous, and I was rooting for so many of the side characters as they battle through each conflict they face.
There is a lot of faith-based dialogue given one of the main settings is Red Creek — a cult town — and one of the main characters is prophetic. Although religion is often a hot topic in real life, it is handled with a lot of care in Agnes. Regardless of your beliefs (or non-beliefs), I don’t feel that that should be a deterrent.
Overall, I highly recommend Agnes at the End of the World! You need to add this one to your list if you enjoy YA Dystopians or stories where characters find themselves in impossible situations with nothing but hope and determination to help them through.
*Thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this book as a member of the street team. Please note that it, in no way, had an effect on my opinion or review.
Full review at Wild and Wonderful Reads
Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
Headliners is ridiculously charming!
This is book five in the interconnected London Celebrities series from Lucy Parker. Each book can be read as a standalone. However, spoilery reasons would have me suggest that you start with book four, The Austen Playbook, if not from the beginning of the series because it lays out more of the history and the big conflict of the main characters in Headliners.
Lucy Parker has the ability to make me smile from cover to cover. This enemies/rivals to lovers, office romance is everything I love about contemporary romance! The story is sweet and funny with a lot of great banter, and the characters are simply amazing and have an undeniable, natural chemistry.
Nick and Sabrina are an A+ couple! They made me feel E V E R Y T H I N G! I felt the dislike. I felt the tension. I felt the uncertainty. I felt their relationship slowly changing. I felt their connection. I felt it all right alongside them!
Overall, I absolutely recommend Headliners. Contemporary romance fans will love this book, and Lucy Parker is a solid author if you’re a newbie to the genre.
*Thanks to Harlequin Publicity Team, Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this book. Please note that it, in no way, had an effect on my opinion or review.
Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
Headliners is ridiculously charming!
This is book five in the interconnected London Celebrities series from Lucy Parker. Each book can be read as a standalone. However, spoilery reasons would have me suggest that you start with book four, The Austen Playbook, if not from the beginning of the series because it lays out more of the history and the big conflict of the main characters in Headliners.
Lucy Parker has the ability to make me smile from cover to cover. This enemies/rivals to lovers, office romance is everything I love about contemporary romance! The story is sweet and funny with a lot of great banter, and the characters are simply amazing and have an undeniable, natural chemistry.
Nick and Sabrina are an A+ couple! They made me feel E V E R Y T H I N G! I felt the dislike. I felt the tension. I felt the uncertainty. I felt their relationship slowly changing. I felt their connection. I felt it all right alongside them!
Overall, I absolutely recommend Headliners. Contemporary romance fans will love this book, and Lucy Parker is a solid author if you’re a newbie to the genre.
*Thanks to Harlequin Publicity Team, Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this book. Please note that it, in no way, had an effect on my opinion or review.
Full review at Wild and Wonderful Reads
Four Days of You and Me just missed the mark for me.
I have a lot of love for Miranda Kenneally — her Hundred Oaks series is a fantastic YA Contemporary series! This book, though, lacked the same easy feeling that I experienced with her prior work. The nonlinear timeline and timehops often make it difficult to follow. There are also several times where I feel elements were added for the sake of having “X, Y or Z” versus actually being necessary to the plot.
I think the concept for Four Days is fun! It’s cool to revisit the class each year for their field trip and see how each character has grown and which relationships have changed. I also liked to see what events led to each character’s development, but, again, I think the execution fell short.
When you’re a character-driven reader and you don’t like a main character, it makes it difficult to connect or truly invest in a story. I don’t want to harp on every little thing that bugged me about Lulu, so I’m simply going to say that she annoyed me. Alex has a much better character arc but it stretches a bit too far by the end. I loved the secondary characters, though! I was there for Ryan, Grace, Max, and Caleb!
Overall, I wanted to love Four Days of You and Me but just didn’t. If you’re a fan of Miranda’s, you might still want to pick this one up! I just feel that the confusion caused by the timeline of the story may cause similar issues in a lot of readers so I’m hesitant to recommend it widely.
*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this book. Please note that it, in no way, had an effect on my opinion or review.
Four Days of You and Me just missed the mark for me.
I have a lot of love for Miranda Kenneally — her Hundred Oaks series is a fantastic YA Contemporary series! This book, though, lacked the same easy feeling that I experienced with her prior work. The nonlinear timeline and timehops often make it difficult to follow. There are also several times where I feel elements were added for the sake of having “X, Y or Z” versus actually being necessary to the plot.
I think the concept for Four Days is fun! It’s cool to revisit the class each year for their field trip and see how each character has grown and which relationships have changed. I also liked to see what events led to each character’s development, but, again, I think the execution fell short.
When you’re a character-driven reader and you don’t like a main character, it makes it difficult to connect or truly invest in a story. I don’t want to harp on every little thing that bugged me about Lulu, so I’m simply going to say that she annoyed me. Alex has a much better character arc but it stretches a bit too far by the end. I loved the secondary characters, though! I was there for Ryan, Grace, Max, and Caleb!
Overall, I wanted to love Four Days of You and Me but just didn’t. If you’re a fan of Miranda’s, you might still want to pick this one up! I just feel that the confusion caused by the timeline of the story may cause similar issues in a lot of readers so I’m hesitant to recommend it widely.
*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this book. Please note that it, in no way, had an effect on my opinion or review.
Full review at Wild and Wonderful Reads
Christina Lauren won me over many books ago, and I happily continue to auto-buy each new release! The Honey-Don’t List is a solid read but definitely not my favorite from this writing duo!
This is an interesting book because it has one couple’s relationship imploding, kind-of leading to the main characters getting together. The story is told in the dual POVs of Carey and James; assistants to reality TV design stars, Melissa and Rusty. I like the idea of this book and can appreciate that it didn’t paint everything as flowers and butterflies, but it also left me wanting.
There just isn’t a lot of romance on paper. I feel like we get a lot more of Melly and Rusty’s unraveling and behind-the-scenes of their business than we get of the romantic build-up between Carey and James. Their banter is fun, but the chemistry lacked for me. The ending also comes on quickly and is rather abrupt. I didn’t get nearly enough of Carey and James as “Carey and James.”
Carey is a bit all over the place! As scattered as she is, I did mostly like her! She suffers from a disability that has affected a lot of her life choices; it’s great to see her develop with James’s help and to see the disability rep. James has a casual nonchalance for much of the book, and I generally enjoyed his character. The secondary characters, though…meh!
Overall, The Honey-Don’t List is a good read, perfect for contemporary romance fans who also like a dash of reality TV drama!
*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this book. Please note that it, in no way, had an effect on my opinion or review.
Christina Lauren won me over many books ago, and I happily continue to auto-buy each new release! The Honey-Don’t List is a solid read but definitely not my favorite from this writing duo!
This is an interesting book because it has one couple’s relationship imploding, kind-of leading to the main characters getting together. The story is told in the dual POVs of Carey and James; assistants to reality TV design stars, Melissa and Rusty. I like the idea of this book and can appreciate that it didn’t paint everything as flowers and butterflies, but it also left me wanting.
There just isn’t a lot of romance on paper. I feel like we get a lot more of Melly and Rusty’s unraveling and behind-the-scenes of their business than we get of the romantic build-up between Carey and James. Their banter is fun, but the chemistry lacked for me. The ending also comes on quickly and is rather abrupt. I didn’t get nearly enough of Carey and James as “Carey and James.”
Carey is a bit all over the place! As scattered as she is, I did mostly like her! She suffers from a disability that has affected a lot of her life choices; it’s great to see her develop with James’s help and to see the disability rep. James has a casual nonchalance for much of the book, and I generally enjoyed his character. The secondary characters, though…meh!
Overall, The Honey-Don’t List is a good read, perfect for contemporary romance fans who also like a dash of reality TV drama!
*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this book. Please note that it, in no way, had an effect on my opinion or review.