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mollyreadsandcrafts's Reviews (978)
Connor has spent his whole life focused on hockey and protecting his brothers. After finding out he has caused more harm than good, he's at a loss of who he actually is. Parker is trying to connect to his late father's memory and buys his hometown hockey team. As he comes face to face with the man responsible for his high school bullying, he decides to make his life hell. But adult Connor isn't the teen from Parker's past, and Parker realizes he might want him more than he wants to hurt him.
Connor is overbearing, focused, and protective but underneath it all, he has good heart. He's trying to come to terms with who he is outside of the role he was forced into, finally taking the time to discover himself and his own wants. When he sees Parker again, it's another reminder of who he was and how it's not who he wants to be. Parker is a sweetheart who's just trying to be his authentic quirky self, while also happening to be a tech billionaire. He wants to find his place in the world, especially after losing his dad, and prove to Connor that he deserves more than how he was treated. They might start at odds with one another, but they are both just lost souls trying to figure out their next steps.
Once they confront their past together, they fall into an easy relationship built on support and trust. Parker has a difficult time being social and is a bit insecure, but Connor's possessive tendencies are the perfect reassurance he needs. While Connor is going through this big life change and reevaluating everything, Parker gives him nothing but support and a safe space to be himself. They have a few bobbles but ultimately are great at communicating and giving the other exactly what they need. I wish we got more of their happily ever after, but in looking forward to seeing it play out in the rest of the series.
There were parts that I really liked and found entertaining, but also some parts I thought were lacking a bit. We were introduced to Connor in the last Puckboys but I felt like they took a character we already knew, and didn't add any depth or complexity (or really a great introduction to him, if you hadn't read the previous book you'd be lost). Which also made some of his decisions seem a bit rash. The character could've have been a bit stronger but they had some good moments - Conishkin, the cuddling, the possessiveness. It definitely gave me some laughs. We get a little peek into the Collective at the end, with a new potential member. As a Capitals fan, I'm on the fence if I love or hate the idea but I'm interested to see how it all plays out.
Read if you like:
• opposites attract
• hockey romance
• forbidden romance
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A really great prequel to the Storm Boys series. After breaking up years ago Derek seeks Paul out to get closure, but he quickly realizes he wants the one and only person he's ever loved back. Derek knows he made a mistake and wants to change and be better for Paul. Paul is empathetic, sharing the burden of their falling out and giving Derek the reassurance he was seeking. Also, I'm a sucker for a couple that breaks up and doesn't sleep with anyone else even if years go by. They've always been in love, even when they were apart. I thought they were a really cute couple and I was content with how they worked everything out.
There's only so much you can do with a second chance story in a novella. A lot of their issues weren't fully explored and wrapped up quickly and neatly, but I still feel like we got good insight into their previous problems and character depth. It was a bit cheesy at times but I didn't mind. I did read this at the end of the series though it's technically a prequel. It's a different couple than the main series, even if Paul and Derek do do pop up a few times in those books. It's a good introduction to the distinctive Australian setting, and I recommend it as a companion to the series for sure!
•spoilers•
While the Darwin weather station gets its much needed updates after Cyclone Hazer, Jeremiah is sent to a small remote island station to assess if there's any damage from the storm and why it's offline. When Jeremiah and Tully are on the island, lightning strikes closer to home than either them are prepared for.
Jeremiah and Tully are solid in their relationship, but Jeremiah is still having trouble saying how he feels and it's taking a toll on Tully. Jeremiah is known to be a bit reckless, but his freak lightning accident puts everything into perspective. It's a pivotal moment that makes Jeremiah realize that he has important people in his life he can lose and how being scared of talking about his feelings is ridiculous when anything can happen to them. This gives him the push out of his comfort zone to express his feelings and take his relationship with Tully more seriously. That first "I love you" when one person has been scared to say it is oh so sweet and special, and they didn't disappoint. Jeremiah is truly a changed man and willing to express all the love and devotion he feels right back to Tully. He no longer feels the all encompassing need to study lightning, but rather he just wants to make sure he's safe for those who care about him. He still has the passion and love for storms that brought him and Tully together though, even if now they enjoy them from the safety of inside.
Tully has lived a pretty good life and the accident is his first time dealing with a serious personal situation. It forces him to grow up a bit and expand his perspective beyond chasing storms and living fast. He starts to understand and empathize better with those around him, strengthening his own relationship with his family. He's also the perfect caretaker for Jeremiah, willing to change their lives and do absolutely everything to make him comfortable. It's so endearing watching them together, healing and loving.
The book started a little slow and I didn't know exactly where it was going, but when the action hit I was hooked and flew through the rest of the book. Tully and Jeremiah had perfect hurt/comfort vibes and I loved seeing their relationship mature. I also enjoyed seeing Jeremiah start to mend his relationship with his dad. A lot of how he acts is because of his upbringing, and seeing them both heal those wounds was so heartwarming. I really enjoyed this series overall. Jeremiah and Tully are cute with low stakes relationship drama but high stakes action taking place around them. All the books are easy and captivating reads with a fun and unique setting. I'm excited to dive into more of NR Walker's backlist to see what variety she has to offer!
Read if you like:
• opposites attract
• storm chasing
• hurt/comfort
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A few weeks after being thrown into his new position in Darwin, Jeremiah is facing down an epic cyclone. Jeremiah and Tully have to navigate their new relationship and settle into life in the real world, all while preparing for the storm of the century.
Jeremiah is going through a ton of changes in his life, and Tully is there to support him however he can. Tully is just a simp for his man, falling hard and fast. Jeremiah has big feelings for Tully, loving his support and care even if he has trouble explicitly expressing it. Coming back to reality with these big feelings for one another, they are a little insecure about their relationship. Tully needs reassurance that Jeremiah doesn't know how or when to give, while Jeremiah still doesn't believe his luck that someone like Tully could fall for him. However, they do have great communication and own up to their vulnerabilities, making any tension between the disappear as soon as it arises.
While I think Tully and Jeremiah had some really sweet and swoony intimate moments, I don't think we got a ton of serious relationship development. I expected work Tully vs storm chaser Tully to cause a bit more tension, whether it's with his family or Jeremiah. But actually his family is amazing (I know not every character can have a story but Ellis seems fun) and Jeremiah didn't seem too concerned with the difference in their upbringings and financial situations. While Tully loves how brave and passionate Jeremiah is, there are times when Jeremiah does some truly dangerous things causing friction between them. There are just a few things like that where falling fast for one another is all well and good, but there are some growing pains when forming a new relationship that I expected more of. I hope in the last book we get a bit more of them figuring out how to make their relationship work long term.
I'm a sucker for any type of disaster-type settings in a book, and this one was done so well. I flew through this book in one night and was on the edge of my seat throughout the whole time the storm was coming through. The storm plot line was a big reason why I rated this book higher than the last. The buildup, tension, destruction, and aftermath all felt so real. I wonder if we'll get any of the rebuilding in the next book and what's next for Jeremiah now that the station is kind of destroyed.
All in all, I'm really liking this series. They are easy and exciting reads with two characters who, while ridiculously in love, are also pretty endearing. Excited to see what's next for these two!
Read if you like:
• opposites attract
• storm chasing
• forced proximity
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When Tully agrees to let a science researcher tag along on his storm chasing trip, he doesn't expect the sexy, nerdy Jeremiah. They spend the week in the wild Northern Territory of Australia dodging lightning and living rough, learning to trust one another and stoking the spark of attraction between them.
Tully and Jeremiah were pretty cute. Tully is a sunshiney, what you see is what you get kind of guy. He doesn't hide any of his feelings and it's a breath of fresh air to have such a honest and sincere character. He is one giant goofball most of the time but knows when a situation is serious, switching into protector mode. Jeremiah is passionate about his work but is a little more wary when it comes to people. He's learned to expect the worst and he's a bit stubborn, but even he can't resist the wily charms of Tully. Their crazy interests bring them together, allowing them to be comfortable as their authentic selves with no judgement. Even if they think the other is crazy at times.
One thing I really like was that the setting was really unique and interesting, there's not many books about Australian storm chasers and people studying lightning. All the lingo was easy enough to follow along and I loved the added element of danger from the storms and being in truly wild nature.
My only thing to knit pick about is that it's the first book of three for Tully and Jeremiah and it kind of reads that way too. The ending wraps up the immediate problems nicely but there isn't a deep dive into their relationship yet, more of an introduction to the couple. I still really liked this start, and I'm hoping we get to explore more of their relationship and see it evolve into something more serious in the next book!
Read if you like:
• opposites attract
• storm chasing
• forced proximity
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Tristan wants to escape his past and live a quiet life working as a paramedic in small town Possum Hollow. When he gets a call out to help a friend, he meets the enigmatic Ford and is immediately drawn to the strong, silent, brooding stranger. Ford lives a life of solitude but when Tristan forces his way into his world, neither can deny the spark of chemistry between them.
Ford and Tristan both have tragic histories that have shaped them into who they are now. Tristan is a bit of a bratty loudmouth and Ford is the strong silent type, both with about zero experience with any type of relationship. But as different as their personalities are, Ford and Tristan also have a lot of emotional similarities. They are pretty much idiots when it comes to emotional intelligence so they try to fight their inevitable draw, but it slowly chips away at them until they give in. They both want someone to truly care about them, and they trade off the role of being the protector/caregiver when the other needs it. They learn to read each other so well, and know exactly what role to slip into to support and care for the other. It was heartwarming seeing these two overcome their emotional hang ups to let the other see the vulnerable side they've kept hidden from everyone else.
This book went a lot like the first in the series for me. I really enjoyed the beginning, the characters have really interesting backstories, the chemistry and spicy scenes were done so well, and the plot was intriguing. But as the book goes on it just starts to drag a bit and I'm ready to move on before the book is done. The ending was also left a bit too open ended with the mafia plot. I'm not sure if they are getting another book, but I didn't see anything about it and it felt weird to leave such a large part of the story not wrapped up.
There was lots of good in this book and I do enjoy how the author sets up the story and creates her characters. I liked that there was a lot of Silas and Cade, and seeing them from another point of view really makes me look forward to their second book. Also curious about the mafia spin off now that we've been introduced to the Banna's. But first, going to finish out the next Possum Hollow!
Read if you like:
• opposites attract
• hurt/comfort
• small town
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•some spoilers•
Another murder in Hemlock Harbor, another opportunity for Dash to procrastinate writing by playing amateur sleuth. Things get prickly when Keme becomes a person of interest in this latest case but if there's one thing The Last Picks are good at, it's looking after their own.
Besides the book when Dash and Bobby get together, I think this is my favorite. Keme is struggling with abandonment issues while dealing with being a suspect in this case, and Dash has to use all his character building from the last year to be the person that Keme can depend on no matter what. After all Keme is still just a kid, and Dash and The Last Picks are there to remind him he has people in his corner. Keme has always been a little standoffish when it comes to his feelings and expresses his love through (I assume) damaged teenage boy's ways. With everything happening, he's forced to open up, giving Dash a chance to become more vulnerable as he becomes a shoulder for Keme to lean on. They had some really endearing moments, and I loved seeing this other side of their playful brother/foster dad/feral wolf/mentor relationship. I also can't stop laughing whenever anyone mentions Keme is the older brother, because it's so true.
There are some adorable Bobby and Dash moments too. Even though the focus was on Keme, I feel like this explored more of their relationship and showed how deeply they care for one another. They just get each other, trying their hardest to be brave and vulnerable even when it's difficult. They both put a lot of effort into making sure the other is seen and heard, but that doesn't mean there aren't plenty of shenanigans. Dash and Bobby just have such a lovely relationship and I'm glad we got to see more of it!
The case was pretty interesting because of how much it involved Keme and the whole gang. When that part was resolved though it did fade a bit into the background. I randomly was able to guess who the suspect was pretty early on, but I didn't really know how exactly everything went down. Now, we just need Dash to write his own mystery!
This was so good because we get to see a lot more of the Last Picks! I've kind of missed them in the last few stories and here we finally see how deep their love for one another goes. Vulnerability was the name of the game in this book, and there were so many great heartwarming moments. Once again, I love this crazy murder town. It really is the perfect setting. Looking forward to more shenanigans from Dash, Bobby, and all of The Last Picks.
Read if you like:
• cozy mystery
• found family
• friends to lovers
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