lylesgirl2020's Reviews (350)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARL!

The Thrashers absolutely delivered. This book had me hooked from the first page and didn’t let up for a second. The friend group dynamic was everything—messy, complicated, and full of secrets. No one is entirely innocent, and yet I found myself rooting for every single one of them while constantly second-guessing their motives.

The pacing is razor-sharp, keeping the tension high and the twists unpredictable. I tore through it in less than a day, and then couldn’t stop thinking about it for weeks. The love interest surprised me at first, but the development totally won me over. And the main character’s arc? Easily one of my favorite parts—watching them grow, fall apart, and rebuild was so satisfying.

If you love dark secrets, intense friendships, and unrelenting suspense, don’t read too much ahead—just dive in and let The Thrashers pull you under.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of All We Lost Was Everything is set to be published on May 6th 2025.

All We Lost Was Everything was a compelling and emotional read that kept me turning the pages late into the night. The writing flows smoothly, and the pacing builds a great sense of intrigue, making it easy to get swept up in the characters’ world.

That said, I found myself occasionally unsure of the book’s intended audience or genre. At times, it felt like a YA novel, but then it would pivot into themes and scenes—especially the steamy moments—that felt more appropriate for an adult audience. The mix of romance, mystery, and women’s fiction kept the story unpredictable, but it also made the tone feel a bit uneven in places.

One aspect that stood out to me was the use of dual POV and the interwoven "letters from mom." These additions offered emotional depth and helped layer the narrative, though the timing of the letters sometimes felt abrupt or unclear—especially when they seemed to appear after texts from River. I imagine the formatting may make more sense in the final print version.

Harlow does a strong job of tackling difficult themes—grief, abandonment, addiction, responsibility, and first love—in a way that feels both sensitive and impactful. There's a lot of emotional weight in this story, and I appreciated how thoughtfully each plotline was resolved. The theme of forgiveness, in particular, was handled with maturity and realism.

Overall, this is an intense, twist-filled read that balances emotional growth with romantic and suspenseful elements. I recommend it—but for a more mature YA audience, ideally 18+, due to the presence of sex, violence, and emotionally heavy content.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this beautifully written and emotionally layered YA romance!

Wow—what an unforgettable read! From the very first pages, I was hooked by the charming, feel-good vibes. It’s the kind of book that feels warm and fun, but then completely surprises you by diving into deeper, more meaningful territory. With a clever twist on the Groundhog Day trope, this story kept me flipping pages, eager to see what would happen next.

This book does a fantastic job exploring grief—how it lingers, resurfaces, and subtly shapes us over time. The portrayal felt raw, real, and incredibly relatable. It reminded me that grief doesn’t just disappear; it evolves with us. I really appreciated how thoughtfully this was handled, especially in a YA setting.

But it’s not all heavy. There’s laughter, romance, and those sweet, swoony moments that make your heart flutter. Syd and Marcus are wonderfully complex—perfectly imperfect—and their flaws and insecurities made them feel so real. Watching their growth felt genuine and satisfying.

One of my favorite parts? When they finally break the time loop and don’t remember each other. It crushed me for a second—but the author delivers a beautiful, satisfying payoff that ties everything together with a perfect, emotional bow.

This was my first Charlene Thomas book, and it definitely won’t be my last. Her writing is compassionate, smart, and totally immersive.

A heartfelt, funny, and emotional ride—5 stars all the way!

Thank you NetGalley…I LOVED this!! A fresh, fun take on friends-to-lovers with all the drama I crave!

This book was an absolute blast from start to finish! It follows Miz and Kal, childhood besties from Ethiopia now living in Canada. Miz is firmly anti-marriage… until Kal’s visa is in jeopardy and he’s about to be sent back home. So what does she do? Marries him, of course! Just a casual best-friend-wedding-to-save-your-immigration-status situation—what could possibly go wrong?

Spoiler: so much. And I loved every minute of it.

This story gave me everything I want in a romcom: a playful twist on the friends-to-lovers trope, a fake marriage full of real feelings, and just the right dose of messy, glorious drama. The plot was fun, fast-paced, and kept me totally hooked. I lived for the scene where Miz tries to set Kal up with multiple Ethiopian women in Toronto… only for all of them to show up at the same time. Pure chaos. I was cackling.

Miz and Kal are the kind of characters that make your heart ache in the best way. Reading from both of their perspectives? SO satisfying. Watching them tiptoe around their feelings, each thinking the other doesn’t feel the same? Ugh, my heart. Also, Kal is such a soft, sweet cinnamon roll—I adored him. Miz really scored with that one.

Now, the only thing that didn’t fully hit for me was the Daniel drama. It dragged on a bit, and I kept waiting for some kind of satisfying takedown that never quite came. Miz being hesitant to tell Naomi the truth about Daniel? Girl… no. If I found out I was the side chick and the guy was about to propose? Oh, I’d be yelling it from the rooftops. And when Daniel slithered back at the end like, “we can still hook up tho”? Absolutely not. I needed more justice there!

But overall—what a fun, swoony, messy-in-the-best-way romcom. I tore through this in three days and had such a great time with it. Highly recommend if you love heartfelt tropes, lovable characters, and a little chaos sprinkled on top.

Who wants that perfect love story anyway?

Shvonne? You ATE with this one. Straight flames.

Now let’s talk Khari Compton. We met him in The Marriage Favor—wild, reckless, and straight up outta pocket. I wasn’t even checking for him to get a book, but whew… I was WRONG. He grew TF up. Ten years later, he’s a rap star. Couture? Entertainment lawyer bossin’ up. And when their paths cross again? It's game over. The love, the tension, the growth—yeah, I was locked in.

Couture deserved the world and Khari knew it. He fumbled hard back in the day, but grown man Khari? Patient, persistent, and all about redemption. That man said “it’s always been you,” and me and Couture both melted.

Now let’s drag the delusion crew: Marley, Kéa, Leland. Clown energy. Struggle central. Audacity on sale. Destiny’s Child motivational playlist type of persistence—but not in a good way. That ending with Kéa? Embarrassing.

Bottom line? This book delivered. Love, drama, redemption, real life mess. 10/10. Khari and Couture forever. Period.

This was a whole vibe!

Definitely a different spin on a vampire story, but I was here for it! Khan and Choice? Yeah, they were it for each other. Chemistry on lock. I also gotta shout out Khaza—Khan’s sister had me wanting more! I need her and Tank’s story next, for real.

I really liked the worldbuilding too. Vamps walking in daylight? Needing just a little rare meat or a taste from their mate to stay good? Fresh, creative, and super dope. Loved that twist on the usual vampire lore.

Now let’s talk about my favorite part: A vampire with locs, a gold grill, diamond-fanged out, and serving major big energy—all wrapped up in Black romance? Say less. From the name Khan alone, I was sold. He gave main character vibes all day long.

Cute, quick, and had me wanting more. Job well done!

Happy reading!

This was such a cute little love story that had me hooked from the start. The way they met, and how he courted her? Pure love. He may have come in with bad intentions, but her energy and presence completely changed his heart.

I really thought he was going to follow through with his plan, but that twist? It was everything. It gave the story exactly the spark it needed, and I was genuinely so happy for her in that moment.

As for Gianni—I don’t feel bad at all. That self-hate caught up to him, and in the end, love still came out on top, like it always does.

Even though it’s a fictional story, it offers real hope. It reminds you that love and transformation can happen in real life too. I’m hoping she finds her way back to him, but I respect that she’s taking time to figure out where she truly wants to be. Knowing Ashley Antoinette this journey isn’t over, and I can already tell the next part is going to take us on a ride.

I devoured this book! TAT, you raggedy mess of a whore. And DOM!!? Trifling doesn’t even begin to cover it. Wheeeeew child! I knew book one felt too good to be true—and in true Ashley Antoinette fashion, she had me questioning everything, cussing at the pages, and fully stressed out.

That damn ending!

Still, with all that said, I cannot wait to see what happens next. Ashley always knows how to stress me out!

Ashley, you snapped with this one! Every part of this series got harder, but Love Burn 3? Straight pressure.

Noni’s still fighting for her man, blind to the bigger storm coming. Dom’s slipping, and Tat? A whole mess—desperate and delusional. The drama, the emotions, the twists? . All hit.

And Meri?! Whew, where do I find one of those? Because, Merci had me in my feelings.

But that cliffhanger? Ashley, why would you do us like that?!

This book was a full ride, had me about to shake the table. This series? Fire. No skips. Highly recommend!

Whew! These four books had me on a whole emotional rollercoaster. Ashley didn’t miss—she had me in it like I was living every scene. The way she brought these characters to life? Too raw, too real. I laughed, cried, stressed out, and felt every single word deep.

I’m so glad Noni got the ending she earned, because baybeee, my heart would've been shattered if she didn’t. Sis went through the fire and came out shining. She needed that win. And Merci? Yeah, that man is the definition of clutch. Steady, loyal, and always popping up right when she needed him most. He was built different.

Now Dom... he tried to spin the block, but he was too late. That’s what happens when you don’t cherish what’s yours. Once it’s gone, it’s gone. And then you stuck wanting what you couldn’t protect. Classic case.

If you want a series that grabs your heart, twists your gut, and keeps you flipping pages like your rent depends on it? This right here is the one. Ashley ATE. Highly, highly recommend