Warning! There are copious amounts of fangirling, sometimes incoherent, in this review.



Y’all this review is hard to write. I dragged out reading this one for a few weeks because I did not want it to end. The Harbinger is one of my favorite Jennifer L. Armentrout's series to date. I love Zayne and Trinity. I love the story that is told within the pages. I love the world-building. I even love the villain. As series finales go, Grace and Glory met and exceeded all my expectations.

Trinity has come so far from the spoiled and sheltered girl we met in book one. She’s strong and confident, willing to do whatever it takes for those she loves. No longer does she put her own needs first, instead she pauses and thinks of others. After the end of Rage and Ruin, I really wasn’t sure what to expect from her. She’d just gone through literal hell and now she has to save the world. But first, she has to save Zayne.

I have loved Zayne since I first encountered him, which for me was when I read Storm and Fury for the first time. Realizing it was a spin off of The Dark Elements, I decided to go back and read those and y’all I just fell in love with him more. I’m also not ashamed to admit that I hated Layla, just like Trinity does, for what she does to Zayne. I know, it’s irrational, but it’s there. Zayne’s arc in this trilogy has been one shock after another. But what happened at the end of book two left me reeling. There is a lot to unpack and process and I could probably write pages about him alone, but I’ll leave it here so I don’t risk spoiling anything. Just know that I still love him

All hail the queen! The Heir by Frost Kay is the final book in her series Twisted Kingdoms, or at least the final story featuring the Jester and Tempest. There will be more stories set in this world which I’m all kinds of excited to read. In this finale, Tempest finds herself at the center of the plot against the king. Walking a fine line between love and hate, she must determine which side to fight on and what her role will be.

Tempest is one of my favorite heroines. She is cunning, brave, stubborn to a fault, and loyal above all else. She risks her life time and again for her chosen family, her friends, and even those she doesn’t know but feels responsible for. At the end of the last book, she felt betrayed by the Jester and her Hounds, and for the first time in our story, Tempest seems lost and unsure of what her next moves should be. It was interesting twist to see Tempest so unsure here. Her path has been certain up to this point, and shaking things up for her adds depth to her story as well as forces her to trust the people who have always had her back, even when she didn’t realize it.

The Jester has dropped all his tricks and the wall of iron he built around himself. Kay dropped a big twist in the story at the end of the last book which explains SO much about the Jester. I already liked this character, but I fell in love with him during this book. He shows vulnerability and his true self to Tempest, and like I said, I fell in love…hard.

The plot focuses on the coming war. As the King’s betrothed, Tempest finds herself at the center. She’s already chosen the side she is fighting for, but the question remains can she do it. She is in a dangerous position, at the right hand of the king. She is both positioned perfectly to execute him, but also the first to be suspected when anything bad happens. Fast paced, action packed, and full of surprises, I was engrossed from page one to the end.

Overall I really enjoyed The Heir. How Kay ties up all the loose ends and answers questions while also setting up the next story in this world is masterful. If you are a fan of enemy to lovers and edge of your seat fantasy, I highly recommend it.

I received an eARC of this book via NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

I adored this one! The Marvelous Monroe Girls by Shirley Jump is a sweet contemporary romance that is as much about the romance as it is about family. Raised by their grandmother, the Monroe sisters – Margaret, Gabby, and Emma – were once a close knit unit. Now they’ve grown apart, concerned with their own adult problems and spending less and less time together. When Gabby notices that their grandmother is a little depressed, she takes it as a sign to get the sisters together and fix the problem. During an attic clean out, Gabby and her sisters discover a folder full of “Dear Abigail” letters and newspaper clippings which lead the girls to discover a whole new side to their grandmother.

This one centers mostly on Gabby, the middle sister. She has spent most of her life living up to a promise she made to her mother’s grave to keep her sisters together and happy. She’s devoted her life to making sure that everyone else is happy, never really focusing on her own happiness. With the discovery about her grandmother, Gabby hatches a plan with her younger sister Emma and best friend Jake to make her happy again. I like Gabby. She has all these good intentions that blow up in her face. Yet she finds a way to make them still work and also grows from them.

Jake is a sweet heart. I love that the author chose to include his point of view for some of the chapters. It is clear from his first introduction that he is madly in love with Gabby. They grew up together, have always been friends, and he is comfortable in that relationship. Seeing Gabby’s grandmother depressed and just not herself however wakes something up in Jake. Does he want to live his life in comfort or does he want to take a risk and live the life he dreams of having? You can guess which he chooses, and y’all I couldn’t be happier with that choice.

In addition to the potential romance, Gabby faces family issues head on. Her elder sister has grown distant and closed off. Emma is flighty and runs from relationships at every opportunity. Then there is their father who was absent after they lost their mother. His absence has left a whole in the Monroe family that could never be filled. Losing their mother so young has affected all the sisters in different ways. Gabby has internalized it and feels responsible for her death. This weighs heavy on her even nearly twenty years later. Add to the fact that their father who she was closest to has moved on with his life, Gabby is angry and mistrusting. It doesn’t help that Jake’s cousin broke her heart a year earlier either.

Overall I really enjoyed The Marvelous Monroe Girls. I found myself cheering them on. I loved the family element in this story. I liked seeing the sisters’ relationship and their relationship with their grandmother. She is the glue of this family element. And then there is Jake. The romance is main plot, and I just fell immediately. Best friends to lovers is my trope, and Jump pulls it off masterfully here. If you are looking for a sweet spring romance, I highly recommend it.

Rebel Rose by Emma Theriault is the first book in a new series from Disney about our favorite princesses and what happens after the credits roll. This one features Belle and starts a few months after the end of Beauty and the Beast. Set during the beginnings of the French Revolution, Belle and Lio, formerly known as the Beast, are trying to mend relations after the curse left Aveyon vulnerable and essentially forgotten by the rest of the country. With revolutionaries coming into their kingdom, they must act quickly if they are to save Aveyon from France’s fate.

Belle is amazing! She is one of my favorite Disney princesses for her intellect and stubbornness. Having always dreamed of leaving Aveyon, she now feels stuck and unsure of her destiny. She refuses the title of princess and subsequent title of queen when Lio secedes Aveyon from France. Even without the title, she is a queen to her people. Lio trusts her above all others, giving her a seat on his council. However she is the only voice for the common people of her kingdom. I love that as she struggles (and truly fights against) her new duties, she is constantly looking to find ways to better all the people of her kingdom.

Lio is the one I struggled to connect with. He is absent most of this book. On the recommendation of his council and word of unrest among the nobles of Aveyon, Lio takes a few weeks to travel the kingdom, visiting the territories under his rule and making assurances. He is not the Beast as we remember him. He cares for Belle and those in his kingdom. He is not quick to anger, and nightmares of his time being cursed still plague him. While Lio is gone, he leaves Belle and his cousin the duc de Vincinnes in charge.

I loved seeing some of my favorite characters, like Mrs. Potts and Cogsworth, fall back into their pre-cursed lives. The author did a good job with this one. It isn’t a straight retelling, but more of a continuation of the story. I loved the historical elements that really drive the plot. Mention of King Louis and Marie Antoinette as well as some of the events that led to the revolution are all present in the story and drive Lio’s actions. There are also new characters, both good and bad. I liked how it all tied together to create a new adventure for Belle.

Overall, I enjoyed Rebel Rose. Belle will always be my favorite Disney princess and seeing her life after HEA was fun. The only thing I took issue with was the predictability of the story. I knew who the villain was almost immediately and knew what would happen in the end. Despite this I still enjoyed the story. If you are a fan of historical fantasy and retellings, I highly recommend it.

Spike and Buffy. Sookie and Eric. Elena and Damon. All favorite vampire and human couples of mine. Now I can add Cat and Bones to that list. Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost is the first book in her series Night Huntress that introduces us to the half-dead Catherine Crawfield and the paranormal world of vampires.

Cat is an interesting character in her own right. She’s half vampire, half human, and jokingly calls herself half-dead. Raised to hate vampires by her mother, Cat spends her days as a college student and her nights killing vampires. One night doing what she does best, Cat comes across a vampire far stronger than any other she’s encountered.

Bones rivals Eric as my favorite vampire (and that is saying something because no one else has come close). He challenges everything Cat has been raised to believe. Bones pushes Cat outside of her comfort zone. He trains her so she won’t be defenseless against the stronger (i.e. older) vamps and makes a deal with her. She’ll quit killing every vampire she encounters and work with him to take down the truly bad ones.

With no real choice in the matter (at least she doesn’t think so), Cat agrees and so begins the story. I loved the dynamic between these two. Banter can make or break a book for me, and theirs is spot on. This made it easy to buy into the romance that buds between them. Now the romance is spicy, but keep in mind that this is more urban fantasy than romance. There is a ton of action mixed between those spicy scenes. The action really drives the plot and kept me engaged from beginning to end. This book can be quite horrific at times with details of what happens to Cat’s mother and others as well as the gory vampiric deaths she encounters, however there is enough humor to offset it.

Overall I really enjoyed Halfway to the Grave. I buddy read it with Berls, Stephanie, and Anne, and it helped being able to discuss some of what was happening as we read. If you are a fan of urban fantasy, I highly recommend it.

I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

The Love Con by Seressia Glass is a sweet and steamy rom-com about two best friends who become more for a reality TV contest. This one was a delight from start to finish. On the urging of her best friend, Kenya enters into a cosplay contest where the winner will receive a big payout and the chance to work in the costume department on the next Hollywood blockbuster. Making it to the final round, Kenya is thrown a curveball by the judges when she is sent home with the task of creating not one but two costumes in a month. The catch is that she can have a partner. Her opponent has his husband. Kenya has Cameron, he just doesn’t know it yet.

I love Kenya. She has a creative mind that never stops dreaming up new ideas. I loved seeing her in her element in this book, but also being pushed outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a lot riding on this contest including her role at Cam’s fabrication shop, one that her parents believe she is taking advantage of. Which let’s be honest is not a fair assumption in the slightest. Kenya makes me laugh, and it was so easy to cheer her as she met each obstacle head on.

Cameron is simply the best! I love that the author included his POV because it adds SO much to this story. Cam is Kenya’s best friend, having met at 13 just after he lost his mother. They have a co-dependent relationship, but also work independently of each other. She has his back and he has hers. They are a team and always have been. But for Cam, he’s always loved her. With Kenya announcing that they are a couple (news to him) on national television, Cam has to decide whether to take a leap of faith, believing that they will be even better as a couple than friends, or go along with it and fake a relationship for the cameras.

I loved the dynamic between Cam and Kenya. They are best friends so it was easy to see a natural, and at times awkward, progression in their relationship from friends to lovers. I loved how they stressed that they are a team. That you don’t get one without the other, and the author does a beautiful job of showing that through their actions rather than just telling us. Friends to lovers is one of my favorite tropes, and it is pulled off masterfully here.

Overall I really enjoyed The Love Con. I think I had a giant grin on my face from beginning to end. This is perfectly fluffy and fun with a heavy dose of sweetness to combat the steam. If you are a fan of rom-coms, nerdy girls and handsome boys, I highly recommend this one.

I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

What a sweet story! How to Love Your Neighbor by Sophie Sullivan is a new romantic comedy about an aspiring interior designer and her sullen new neighbor. Grace Travis thinks she has everything planned out: finish design school, move into her home, get a job in the field she loves. What she doesn’t plan for is her neighbor Noah Jansen. Noah moved to California to make a name for himself, one separate from his dad’s. He buys his dream home, but there is one small problem with it. The yard is too small and the house next door is tiny and falling apart. Maybe he can convince the neighbor to sell to him? A firm no sets the story in motion and pits Grace and Noah against each other at every turn.

I like Grace. Grace is determined to live her own life away from her mother’s influence. She’s driven, stubborn, and loyal to those who love her. Because of her upbringing, she has walls around her that are hard to breach. She lets very few people get close to her. I rooted for Grace. I wanted to see her succeed in her dreams and live a life of her choosing.

Noah is as much like Grace as he is her opposite. Noah is drifting, a little lost at the start of the book. Having left his father’s company on the east coast, he is trying to make a new name for himself in California. Known for being a bit of a playboy and hopping from one contract to the next, Noah wants to prove that he is reliable, can see a job through to the finish, and is able to commit. He wants to get his hands dirty, so to speak, by working on the jobs himself, not just overseeing them. Renovating his own home is his first big project, and he’s hoping a home magazine will pick it up and run the story giving him and the company he is starting with his brother a chance to establish themselves.

Overall, I really enjoyed How to Love Your Neighbor. This frenemies to lovers delivers! The trope can be hit or miss for me, but here it is believable. The dialogue between Grace and Noah is flirty and fun. The differences between them is evident in their misunderstandings and even the things they have in common. I loved seeing how they overcame these. If you enjoy a story that is as sweet as it is steamy and will have you laughing out loud, I highly recommend it.

Satisfying, fully fleshed out fantasy romance in one small package! Stolen Mayfly Bride by Sarah K.L. Wilson is the eighth book in a standalone series called Stolen Brides of the Fae. These books can be read and enjoyed in any order so I decided to start with an author I know and enjoy. Each book has its own world, features a new set of characters, and different types of Fae. With her unique voice and unforgettable world-building, Wilson swept me away for a few hours. I hope that she will revisit the world she created here!

The story follows Vadir, a Fae of Iceheim, an outcast and often mistreated Fae of the king’s court. Vadir is young when we meet him. It’s only been a few years since his own mother was banished from the Fae’s court to live in the human realm as a mortal, stripped of her magic. He is living his life on a tightrope. He must walk a fine line of showing his allegiance to the Fae who embarrass and ridicule him while also keeping himself out of their sights to avoid whatever “punishments” they have for him. On a trip with the king’s favored, he comes across a group of humans off to see their fabled Mayfly seer. Vadir travels with them to meet this human seer who is ensorcelled and entrapped in a cage of obsidian and appears but one day a year to read the futures of the men brave enough to face her.

Elkhana was young when she was coerced into becoming the seer for her kingdom. She’s lived lifetimes in her cage, watched as her family and friends aged and died, yet for her it’s only been a month. She is awake but not during her time in the cage, drifting on dreams though she cannot sleep. I instantly ached for her. Elkhana is living an empty life, one that would make anyone go mad as an entire year passes for each day she lives. Not to mention the Mayflies *shudder* They are her only companions, covering her and coming from her mouth should she try to speak. It’s truly a cursed life she lives…until she meets Vadir.

I enjoyed the bond that forms between these two. She is as much fascinated by this fae prince as he is her even if he won’t admit it. Decades pass in between their meetings, and yet Vadir thinks of her constantly and in his own way falls for her. While he is the king’s spy, Vadir is constantly looking for his way out, preparing a home and looking for a way to free the Mayfly seer. He cannot explain the connection he feels to her, but knows that he cannot leave her as she is.

Overall, I read this one in almost one sitting (hazard of starting the book late in the night is falling asleep while reading). Stolen Mayfly Bride is full of the unexpected, full of dangers that come with any Fae, and full of a sweet romance that builds from an understanding of one another. I really didn’t want it to end and would’ve happily read another 100 pages of their story. If you are a fan of fantasy romance and are looking for a quick read before your next one, I highly recommend it!

I received an eARC of this book via the Author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

I adored this one! The Sweetheart Deal by Miranda Liasson is the first book in her new series Blossom Glen that follows two rivals as they find themselves working together to save their respective family-owned businesses. I don’t know what it is about Liasson’s writing, but she pulls you in to the story and makes you feel everything about the characters and town and businesses featured. Tessa and Leo’s story hits on some of my favorite tropes: nemesis (not really enemies here) to lovers, fake marriage, and business deals. With a Romeo and Juliet set up, The Sweetheart Deal captured my heart and had me grinning through the entire book.

Tessa Montgomery is stuck. She’s never left her home town, her ex-fiancé cheated on her a year ago, and her family’s bakery is barely making ends meet. She has her own dreams but can’t live them out until she knows her mother and sisters will be okay. I hurt for Tessa. She is so misunderstood by her family and the people in her small town. She dreams of being a pastry chef, but her family’s bakery bakes “only bread” and her mother will not budge on that. So she bakes desserts in her free time and gives them to people just so she can at least practice her skills. Tessa is closed off emotionally, has dated most of the single guys in town, and has to face her ex every time he enters the bakery asking for advice on his new lover (seriously, the guy is….just no words). Then enters Leo Castorini with a deal of his own.

I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about Leo at first. I was already super invested in Tessa and wanted to protect her at all costs when he entered the bakery. Leo has lived the life that Tessa wanted. He left Blossom Glen for New York after winning a scholarship they were both up for in high school and never came back. But now he’s back to stay. His father’s restaurant is going under unless Leo does something drastic to save it. The only problem is his dad won’t listen to his ideas, says it’s a “family” restaurant and no one will respect Leo until he is a married, family man. So Leo proposes a trade with Tessa: they get married and save their families’ businesses in the process. Nothing at all could go wrong, right

Please note that there may be spoilers to the previous books in this review.

What an ending!!! Aurora’s End by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff is the explosive final book in The Aurora Cycle. Picking up immediately where book two left off, we see the Squad 312 separated by more than just distance. Tyler is in Syldrathi custody, Auri and Kal are in the Eshvaren weapon with the Starslayer, and Fin, Zila, and Scarlett don’t know where or when they are. With the fate of the entire universe on their hands, the Squad must find a way back to one another if they have any hope of winning this war.

First off, let me just say WOW. This book blew me away. Normally, I will devour a good book, but this one I savored, reading it over two weeks because I did NOT want it to end. I just soaked in all the details watching as all the pieces of the puzzle fell together. One of the things I admire about this author duo is their ability to weave a story together, leaving a trail of clues from the very beginning pointing you to the inevitable end without you realizing it. I went back and looked at the other books as each of these pieces fell into place and again was just in awe.

Now that my fangirling is out of the way, let’s get on with this story. As with the previous books, we get points of view from all the Squad members which just adds to the story rather than distract. Fin is still my favorite character POV to read from, and since he graces the cover let’s talk about him. Fin is a calming influence on the entire team, and this time he isn’t with all of them, only Zila and Scar. His infatuation with Scar continues to develop which I’ll admit I was rooting for from the first time he showed interest in her