mollyreadsandcrafts's Reviews (978)

•spoilers• 

Quaid and Aslan have returned to the normal status quo after their previous case, even if neither of them can get their last night together out of their head. This all changes when Quaid's ex ends up the victim of an attempted murder. Quaid and Aslan work together once again to figure out who targeted Jack and why, uncovering more lies and deceit while trying and failing to suppress their growing feelings for one another. 

Quaid is a stoic, no nonsense detective but underneath his hard-ass attitude he's vulnerable and just wants to be loved and respected. This case is difficult for him because it shows just how deep Jack's betrayal goes. I don't even know why Jack was with Quaid, besides probably having some sort of narcissistic personality disorder. But you know who is entirely enamored with Quaid? Aslan. The bad boy player is absolutely intrigued with every facet of Quaid's personality. He sees the good, earnest man beneath the hard exterior and wants to show Quaid how amazing he really is. Quaid understandably has some trust issues after Jack, and while he's hesitant on starting something new so quickly, he can't resist Aslan. Not only do they respect each other personally and professionally but their chemistry is off the charts. There were many sweet moments where they so naturally opened up to each other, sharing their pasts and more personal moments about their lives. I know their relationship isn't going to be easy, there's like 6 more books, but I have a really good feeling about their future. 

I mostly liked the story just for Quaid and Aslan's relationship development. The case seemed like it should be really interesting, but it never really gripped me. For all the drama, it actually felt slow paced. And this never happens - but I was actually able to guess what happened pretty early on, or at least who the unsub was, so that kind of took the excitement out of it. Also as a generally anxious person, I was so impatient waiting for Quaid to call Eden back and figure out what was going on with the missing child! I knew somehow it connected back to Juniper, and was like Quaid! Stop putting it off! The book ended on a happy note with their relationship, but also a mini cliffhanger with what Eden and Quaid found. I liked the missing persons case from before more than this homicide story, so I'm really looking forward to what's next. 

Read if you like: 

• work rivals to lovers 

• mystery/crime  

• opposites attract 

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After a two year long hiatus Nico reenters the dance scene with the London Ballet Company, much to the chagrin of his rival and star of the LBC, Felix. Felix is determined to keep his status as the top ballerino and to not let Nico get too comfortable at the company. As they are forced to spend time together training for the potential roles of their lives, they forge a connection that only mutual respect, dedication, and sizzling chemistry can create. 

Nico and Felix are so well written that I immediately fell in love with both of them. Nico is an absolute sweetheart. He's a strong, silent type who has spent his dance career being manufactured for perfection. Once freed from his past, he steps back to reevaluate and figure out what he wants for the future. The one absolute in his life has always been his feelings for Felix. For years he has marveled at his bright personality and natural talent. His admiration for Felix brings him out of his retirement for just the chance to dance and be close to him. Nico is perfect for Felix in that he loves him for who he is and never wants to change him or try to put him in a box. He's protective of Felix's sunshine and wants to lift him to new heights and support him to be the best while being the steady rock Felix can always depend on. 

I adored Felix. He's strong willed with an unapologetic attitude but extremely loyal and caring to those in his circle. He has his own baggage losing his mom and suffering his uncaring father, but has done his best to create his own happiness. After a lifelong grudge against Nico and living in the shadow of his career, he doesn't know what to make of him when Nico turns out to be nothing like he expected. He's defenseless against his changing feelings for the stoic, patient man and the searing chemistry between them. Felix is a romantic at heart and once he realizes his feelings, he makes Nico feel more loved and belonged than he ever has. 

One of the reasons I loved Felix was even though he's sassy and dramatic, he's also mature and a good hearted person. This is best shown in his friendships and his relationship with Christian. Now I'll be honest and say Christian wasn't my favorite - but only because he was with Felix in a way that I wanted Nico to be. Their whole situation was so adult and refreshing to read (even if I was ready for him to get out of the picture ASAP). There was no jealousy, no pettiness, just men who wanted the same thing for a time and are ready to move on when they need to. 

It's always a joy to read a fun and unique setting. I don't think I've ever read a dance/ballet romance and for someone like me, who doesn't have an extensive ballet knowledge, it was the perfect amount. I was able to follow along and appreciate their dedication to their careers. And now I'm absolutely trying to manifest an Achilles/Patroclus ballet. 

This story was such a happy and comforting read. It's full of swoony romance, quick witted banter, sass, and sweetness. There's some angst and drama but it balances out with how charming Felix and Nico are. As always with Scarlett Drake I'm left wanting to read more, not because the book needs it but because I enjoy the story and characters so much. I'm already looking forward to a reread when the audiobook comes out! 

Read if you like: 

• rivals to lovers 

• ballet romance 

• opposites attract 

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This was fine, I wasn't a huge fan of the narration though. It was a cute story though! I got this audiobook for free on a special deal day so I haven't read the others in the series but it seems like a cute small town setting. 

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When Melbourne's RV catches fire, he finds himself sharing the home of one of the town's deputies. Waylon has recently come out in his small town and with the hot older writer now taking up space in his home, he's more tempted than ever to explore his sexuality. Melbourne is more than willing to help Waylon, and they fall into a quick and easy romance. This was a cute story, I liked the premise and the characters were endearing. But the narration was really not great. Thankfully it was a quick listen. I thought the setting was cute and I'd be interested in checking out more of those series! 

Nate moves back to his hometown of Sweetwater to help his family out, but the last person he wants to run into is his ex-best friend Tucker. Tucker isn't the boy he once knew and as Nate sees a new side to Tucker, he starts to understand that there's more than meets the eye.

Nate was an interesting character and, as usual with this series, he's got a big old bone to pick with someone from his past. Nate comes in hot and furious but soon sees that he was wrong about his old friend. Tuck might be a closed off, grumpy as hell cowboy but he has a gentle, patient side when working with horses (and for Nate). Nate is reminded of his fondness of Tuck when he starts to understand why Tucker is the way he is. He appreciates Tucker's strength and determination and even more so, he admires his gentle vulnerability. Tuck has lived a rough life but the one constant has been his secret devotion to Nate. He can't trust himself, but he can put his trust and love in Nate. Nate might not have understood when they were kids, but now he's the steady rock for Tucker to lean on and prove that he will never leave again. 

One thing that bugged me was I never really understood what exactly happened that made Nate and Tucker have a falling out. We got a flashback that went up to that moment, we were told what happened after, but the actual big turning point wasn't really talked about. I would've liked to know what went down to make Nate drop his best friend and then basically turn his back on someone he trusted his entire life and not even try to help Tuck when he was struggling. Weird thing to do to your soulmate, though I will give Nate the benefit of the doubt that he was a closeted kid in a small town. 

I like this series overall but it's not really hitting me with the emotions or grabbing my attention. It's fine but each book has just kinda lost me at some point. This book started strong and had some amazing dramatic one liners. There was also a really exciting 10% in the last bit and a cute ending, but it doesn't really change how just okay I felt about the middle. I did really like seeing Cal and Eli all loved up and getting some closure between Cal and Tucker. The next book looks really promising, and I'm hoping it picks up the series a bit! 

Read if you like: 

• friends to hate to lovers    

• small town romance    

• redemption arc    

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Audiobook reread: 
On the audio reread I wasn't as excited, I think I was a lot more immersed in the world on my first read through. I also didn't absolutely love the narration, it was fine but I was more of a fan when I physically read it. 

Overall: I was excited to figure out that this was Skyler's (from Insatiable) book! A sweet second chance romance between two friends, and all things maple. What's not to love? Loved their story and reconnection, definitely a favorite in the series. 

•minor spoilers•

Characters: I was not disappointed in finally getting Skyler's story. Even with everything he was struggling with and the disappointments he went through, he was still a sunshiney character and I loved it. Second chance romances aren't my favorite, and I know why Judson left but it was still sad. He did need to go through everything to come back though because I don't think they would've had the same type of relationship without what he did for himself in France. 

Plot: This was a book where I randomly checked in to see where I was and was surprised I was already halfway through. The romance is a slow burn for sure, but once it happens it's pretty hot and heavy. I expected the tv show to be more of a plot line but it worked how it was. I thought it could've used more but I always think that with books I like and characters want more of! 

Writing: Loved the style, easy to read and follow, good mix of dialogue and inner thoughts. Definitely going to look into more of this authors works.

Read if you like: 
• friends to lovers 
• second chance romance 
• small town romance 
• maple syrup 🍁

Quaid Valor is a detective in Toronto's Missing Persons Unit. When a baby goes missing, he's forced to work with his work rival and complete opposite Aslan Doyle, a homicide detective lending his help while the MPU is short staffed. They have to out aside their differences and ignore their growing chemistry to work together to sort through the victim's family drama and find the baby before time runs out. 

This is the first book in a long series so what I really appreciated about the story was how much it built up these two main characters. Quaid is the type A, strait-laced, by the book detective with a tragic past who struggles with loneliness and self-worth (sound like anyone we know, Hazardverse friends?). Then there's Aslan, the bad boy detective who flirts his way through everything, but is really using his promiscuity to cover up a bigger addiction he's struggling with. I won't lie, I'm not 100% sold on Aslan yet but I can see how he can be good for Quaid. They are complete opposites but work really well together, whether it's solving cases or succumbing to their hot chemistry. There's a lot of depth to each character and there is so much to explore between them given their personalities and their backstories. I'm really looking forward to how their relationship evolves and how they grow as individuals. 

I liked the case they were working on because it allowed me to think of a few theories myself but I never guessed how the ending would go. The family of the victim is very messy and there were so many ways it could've ended up. With such a short timeline you could feel the stress of Quaid and Aslan to find out what happened while navigating their partnership. I'm curious to how they work together in the future, given the dynamics of their departments, but I can't wait to find out. 

Read if you like: 

• romantic suspense   

• work rivalry   

• slow burn  

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Read to get a little taste and see if I would like the series - yall I'm hooked! Gotta see where this goes 

We meet Quaid and Aslan as their bosses force them to participate in a team bonding activity to clear some hostility between their police departments. They know nothing about the other, other than the rumors around the offices, and it's the first time they really interact. This was a great introduction to the characters, we get some of their backstory and it sets the scene for the first book - and subsequently the series. The "case" they had to solve was fun, lowkey, and showed off their great chemistry. A cool novella to dip our toes into the Valor & Doyle world. Having read the first book, I can say I highly recommend reading this before starting the series!

Cute, I read it after Doom Magnet and in hindsight it's a good setup for the themes of the next book. 

Emery is probably my favorite character of the series so far, deserves the whole world

When we saw Emery and August together in Sem, I did not at all get the vibe of his personality that we see in this book. I thought he was all dark and broody, getting drunk in a bar, but he's actually super talkative and almost bubbly, which was a weird adjustment to make in my mind. It jumped in kind of fast into their relationship, I feel like August's feelings on the road trip came out of nowhere. I just went with it, I feel like for this author you just have to go with the flow and don't question things too much.


April 2023: 📚Reread & Audiobook 🎧 

I love Emery so much and I still agree that he deserves the whole world! He's a sweet baby angel. I just wish that August would have gotten it together sooner and stopped overthinking everything. He absolutely adores Emery and I wanted him to just show the world! 

I would say I still think August's feelings were surprising at first, just because they both seemed so different than the when we met them in the last book. This book is hilarious and adorable, and still holds the title of my favorite of the series!

Read if you like: 
• opposites attract 
• hurt/comfort 
• neurodivergent rep

All of these characters are crazy, you just gotta go with it. I'm pretty sure I've written that in my review for every book in this series. Love them all to death, but they are so over the top and extra. 
Elliot is the most dramatic and Luke is such a sweetie, but if some dude just started showing up and staying at my house after one day I would've thought he was just a homeless creeper honestly. Elliot at the end talking about Lex just coming and taking his stuff and letting him creep around made me laugh. Everyone is so weird, I like it

September 2023: 📚Reread & Audiobook 🎧

Honestly, this was just delightful. Reading my first review makes me laugh out loud because I had the same thoughts this time around. Cora Rose always has wild characters and this is no exception. A fun audiobook with lots of laughing and cute moments.

Luke is such a sweetheart, he meets Elliot and he's like "Yeah he's mine now". Elliot annoyed me a little because he wouldn't open up and I didn't want him to hurt Luke, but after the conflict happened he had me laughing because he was the most dramatic. I loved their dynamic together because they were complete opposites but they still had such a sweet relationship, mostly because I think Luke is the best. 

I loved all the side characters too. Elliot's sisters were so meddling and supportive. We meet Lex, Emery's friend, again and he's just as crazy. But I'm glad he pushes into Elliot's life and Elliot has him as a friend. Excited to listen to his story next and see what shenanigans he gets up to. 

Read if you like: 
• grumpy/sunshine 
• age gap 
• sexual awakening