I received an ARC of this book via Rockstar Book Tours. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

Amazing conclusion to the series! Curse Undone by Brandie June is the final book in the Gold Spun duology, a YA fantasy that takes the Rumpelstiltskin classic and turns it on its head. Please note that this review may have spoilers to the first book in the series. Read at your own risk. Curse Undone picks up where book one left off with Casper and Nor running from their fae captors. Casper no longer knows if he can trust Nor, but he is left with little choice as they run for freedom. However their freedom is brief, and they find themselves in even dire straits than they began with.

The events of this book are breathtaking. I loved the world building in book one and the subtle foreshadowing to what was coming in this book. It is well done, fully integrated into the plot without having large info-dumps. Nor is faced with heartbreaking truths about her family and their origins. These truths affect how she views herself and all she’s ever known. Now in the heart of the fae court she finds herself in more danger than she realizes and family she never knew she had. With hard choices to make, Nor must decide what she will do for those she loves.

I do not envy Nor and the position she is placed in. I loved seeing the story unfold from her perspective. It added urgency to her plight. I found myself rooting for her and even disappointed at times with her choices. As cunning as Nor is, she is also too trusting. This trust gets her in SO much trouble.

As much as I like Nor, I love the new characters as well. Lorella is a fae princess who cares for Nor as she recovers in the court. She is a wonderful addition to the cast, providing a fae character that you can like and grow to love. Pel is also back, and I loved seeing him here. While he didn’t know much about him in book one, we learn more about his choices and feelings for Nor.

Overall, I really enjoyed Curse Undone. The pace of the plot is unrelenting which means I read this one in almost one sitting. I thoroughly enjoyed Nor’s adventure as well as how she handles all that she learns about herself and her family. Fans of YA fantasy and retellings will delight in this unique spin on the Rumpelstiltskin classic.

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

Wishing on a Cowboy Christmas by Sara Richardson is a charming holiday romance about finding home and opening your heart to all life has to offer. Kyra Fowler, a pediatric NP, has just been offered her dream job in London when she learns that she’s inherited her estranged father’s estate ~ a small town in the middle of nowhere Wyoming. Before she can start her dream, she first has to sell the town, but it isn’t going to be as straightforward as she things. Her father had a list of odd jobs for her to complete before selling, all designed to make her fall in love with the town he called home. Add in a retired Navy SEAL hellbent on convincing her to not sell the town he loves, and Kyra’s got her hands full.

I truly enjoyed this story. Kyra is a great character to follow. She’s faced so much hurt in her life, and now she’s grieving a father who she thought abandoned her years earlier. Not only is she grieving, but she is also reconciling what to do with the town he left her. If she sells, a developer is sure to come in and change all the things she finds charming and unique about Star Valley, but keeping it isn’t an option since she is leaving for London. Kyra’s heart and head conflict as the longer she stays in Star Valley, the longer she falls in love with the town, her newfound friends, and the home her father created for her.

As much as I like Kyra, I adore Aidan. He breaks my heart in more than one way. After losing his best friend and brother-in-law in the service, he suffers from PTSD, shoving down his feelings and putting his sister and nieces first always. Kyra upends his life and makes him feel things he refuses to let himself have. The closer they become, the more his struggles come to the surface before he can no longer hide behind them.

Overall I really enjoyed Wishing on a Christmas Cowboy. Kyra and Aidan are so easy to root for. I loved the dual POV so we experience the story from both their perspectives. My heart broke for them, but the author happily put it back together again. Fans of sweet holiday romance will fall for the town of Star Valley and enjoy the tender moments between Kyra and Aidan. Highly recommend!

Book Lovers by Emily Henry is an anti-trope rom com about two people working in the publishing industry, their rivalry, and unlikely friendship when they find themselves spending time in the same small town. Nora Stephens is known as a cutthroat publicist who will do whatever she needs to do for her clients’ success. Having lost her mom at a young age and becoming responsible for her baby sister has hardened Nora to love. Her sole focus has been on making sure that she, her sister, and now her nieces never want for anything. When her sister suggests an extended vacation in a small town that one of her client’s books was based on, she reluctantly agrees and even puts on a smile for the bucket list her sister has declared they must complete. What she doesn’t expect is to find her nemesis working at the local bookstore.

I adored this book! Emily Henry has cemented herself as an auto-buy author for me. I have yet to be disappointed by anything she’s written. This one is no exception. I absolutely loved the opening and was hooked instantly. This story opens on Nora running late for a business luncheon with our soon-to-be nemesis and love interest. Why she is running late though is what made me laugh. She’s being dumped over the phone by yet another boyfriend who took a vacation or business trip to a small town and found his true love there. Sound familiar? It should because it’s what happens in every small town romance and almost all the holiday Hallmark romcoms. Nora has cast herself as the city girlfriend who all those guys dump in the movies.

This twist on your typical small town romcom makes for a hilarious and often heartfelt novel that feels more true to life than the ones that stick to the trope. I love Nora, her barely there tolerance of the small town, and how much she loves her sister. And then there’s our nemesis turned love interest, Charlie Lastra. Charlie is so great. We don’t really learn too much about him as the story focuses mostly on Nora and her owning up to her own issues. Charlie balances Nora out, he sees her and likes all of her, even the things that have driven her exes away.

Overall I loved Book Lovers. This book was written for those that love books, love romance, and love a good story. Nora and Charlie, Nora’s sister, the small town charm, all of it works together to create a a story that feels real, like I could go visit this town on any given day or run into Charlie or Nora on the street. 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.

All the Feels by Olivia Dade is the follow up novel to Spoiler Alert and features a new couple and one of my favorite characters from the book, Alex Woodroe. I read this one back in March, but am just now getting a chance to share my thoughts on the book. I devoured it in just a few days. The humor, the romance, and the emotional upheaval it wreaked on my heart is unparalleled. I fell in love with Alex and empathized with Lauren as a fellow curvy girl. Fans of heartfelt romantic comedies are sure to be pleased with this one.

We first met Alex in Spoiler Alert as the self-proclaimed best friend of Marcus. He’s known as a playboy, charming and oozing sex appeal. However there is a side to Alex that few see. He’s caring, empathetic, and loves deeply. What truly endeared him to me is his ADHD. Dade does a fantastic job of writing a true to life character with Alex: his struggles with ADHD, how his mind jumps from one thing to the next in no real order, how easily he becomes frustrated, and how he can be slightly obsessive with protecting his loved ones (related to a traumatic childhood experience that drives a lot of what his character does).

Lauren is slightly harder to like, but easy for me to empathize with. She’s an ER therapist, loves what she does and is very good at it. BUT she’s hit burnout. Too many long hours and not enough time to decompress has left her with few options. She’s resigned from her job and trying to decide what to do next in her life when her cousin (who is a douche canoe) offers her a job babysitting Alex who has gotten himself in hot water after a bar fight. Lauren feels she has no choice but to accept (been there!). I love her dynamic with Alex. It doesn’t take her long to figure out that Alex has his own demons, and she takes it upon herself to help him exorcise them.

Overall, I loved All the Feels. As the title suggests, it gave me all the feels from laughing to crying to heartwarming to heartbreak. I loved returning to the same world as Spoiler Alert as well. The cast of characters are familiar, and we get to see them through a new set of eyes. I loved the dual perspective as it helped me like Alex (not sure if I would’ve if I’d only had Lauren’s perspective). Highly recommend for fans of romance.

I received a copy of this book via the publishers. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

I cannot get enough of the Graceling world, and I was so excited when I learned that Kristin Cashore was returning to it. Seasparrow is the fifth installment of the series told exclusively from Hava’s POV. Hava is Queen Bitterblue’s half-sister and spy, a skilled Graceling, and one that I couldn’t wait to learn more about. Following the events of [b:Winterkeep|53624358|Winterkeep (Graceling Realm, #4)|Kristin Cashore|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1600268464l/53624358._SY75_.jpg|83947956], Seasparrow documents the journey back to Monsea and all that Hava learns about herself and her companions along the way.

Hava is a difficult character to like. I liked her because of her bond with Bitterblue and how they watched out for her. However after reading from her perspective, getting to know her and her actions better, I love Hava. She is a straight shooter, meaning she doesn’t pull her punches and she does not tolerate lying in any form. Then again, who would if they had lived through King Leck? Hava doesn’t trust easily, and she comes off as snobbish and a bit bratty to the sailors who are traveling with them. With the newfound relationship between Giddon and Bitterblue still a secret even from her, Hava is lonely and beginning to question where she fits in, where her home is.

In the midst of Hava’s emotional self-crisis, the ship sails into a bad storm and the journey back to Monsea becomes even more dangerous than before. I loved how inquisitive Hava is of the ship, how she wants to have a place on it and contribute as she feels confined and out of place letting them do all the work. It’s easy to see, even through Hava’s perspective, how the crew treat her and admire her, though she keeps them all at a distance. I loved seeing her tentatively trust and put her own life and Bitterblue’s in other’s hands. Her confrontation with her own demons and how she admits to herself that she is lost. The little blue fox she saves is a bit of levity in an otherwise darker tale.

I loved Seasparrow. The conversational narrative makes it easy to empathize with Hava and grow to love her. It allows us to understand the reasoning behind her actions as that is not always obvious. Everything she does, she does for her the safety of those she loves: Bitterblue, Giddon, the advisors, even the sailors she doesn’t quite trust. Hava’s giant, caring heart is the true story here. Fans of Graceling will delight returning to the world in an all new adventure. Highly recommend!

Into the Fire by Jeaniene Frost is the final book in Vlad and Leila’s story and what a way to go out! Picking up almost where the last book left off, Leila and Vlad are looking for Mircea, the necromancer who cursed Leila and is now tied to her. Any harm that comes to him also comes to her and vice versa. To say Vlad is angry is an understatement, especially with Mircea’s identity now uncovered. When Mircea finds himself at the mercy of unknown captors, the race is on to find him before he is killed and Leila along with him.

Leila’s growth throughout this series is something that should be talked about more. This is a girl who wanted to die at the beginning of the series. She was unhappy and just living her life day to day in fear of what her abilities would cause her to see or do. Now she owns those abilities, honing them to fit her needs. Her loyalty to those she loves and her willingness to do whatever she needs to do to keep them safe is admirable.

While I still wish we had more Vlad (like his POV), I loved seeing his own growth. Vlad closed himself off to emotions a long time ago to protect his own heart and those who serve him. He’s slowly allowed Leila to infiltrate those walls until they are gone. He surprised me multiple times in this book with what he was willing to do to stop his stepson and save Leila.

Overall I really enjoyed Into the Fire. I once again listened, and Tavia Gilbert did not disappoint. It was easy to follow the story from her narration, and I was almost instantly engaged in it. Leila and Vlad are my favorite couple in this world, and this book gave them a satisfying conclusion. It also sets up the next series in the world by giving us a better glimpse at Ian and how Veritas becomes intertwined with him. If you are a fan of urban fantasy and paranormal romance, I highly recommend this series, though I do suggest starting with book one

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.

The Sweetheart Fix by Miranda Liasson is a heart-warming contemporary romance about a relationship counselor who is bad at relationships and a small town mayor who is allergic to feelings. Liasson’s writing is like sinking into your favorite treat: sweet and satisfying. The nature of Juliet’s and Jack’s unlikely friendship is relatable to real life, and how that relationship grows is the best part of the story. Returning to Blossom Glen is exactly what I needed to pick me up out of my book funk.

Juliet is the middle of the three Montgomery sisters who we first met in [b:The Sweetheart Deal|54860284|The Sweetheart Deal|Miranda Liasson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1600747500l/54860284._SX50_.jpg|85599870] nursing a broken heart after a failed almost-engagement. A year later, Juliet has completed her master’s program and returned to Blossom Glen as a relationship counselor. Seemingly everything is perfect, exactly how Juliet dreamed, but her clients distrust her after three failed engagements, and her boss has ordered time off to deal with her own feelings about the situation. Then fate steps in.

Jack Monroe is the mayor of Blossom Glen, passionate about his small town but not a good communicator. As a result, Jack has a hard time settling small disputes and relating to the people of the town he loves so much. When Juliet happens to crash one of his town meetings and resolves a couple of conflicts with ease, Jack offers her a job as the town counselor. She will help him solve disputes and communicate with the townspeople which will in turn give her the confidence she needs to go back to her dream job and succeed.

The two together couldn’t be more opposite! Jack is a no-nonsense kind of guy that doesn’t talk about his feelings ever. Juliet wears her emotions on her sleeve, and it is her job to discuss the things no one wants to talk about. Somehow the two complement each other really well. I love the tentative friendship that blossoms between them. The attraction is almost instant so it was nice to see the author focus on building their trust and open communication before any physical involvement.

Overall, I really enjoyed The Sweetheart Fix. Jack and Juliet are easy to root for. The town itself is a main character this time as well. I love Blossom Glen, and its townspeople. They add levity to the story and help to fully flesh out the characters. Highly recommend this one for those that enjoy friends to lovers trope and small town romance.

I am a sucker for the friends to lovers trope so when Peter and Maria’s romance was teased in the first two books, it just upped my anticipation. Ship Wrecked by Olivia Dade is the third book in her standalone romance series about the actors of a popular cable show (think Game of Thrones-ish) and what happens when the show is over. This book takes us back to before the show started, to the day before Peter auditioned for the biggest role of his career and met a beauty in a hotel sauna. That beauty happened to be Maria. Full of angst, heartbreak, and true friendship, Ship Wrecked should be at the top of your wishlist this holiday season.

Peter is a fantastic character to follow. As a fellow awkward introvert, I identified with him on so many levels. Peter struggles with making conversation and initiating small talk with people he doesn’t know. As a result, he is usually on the fringes of his coworkers and only has one or two people he’d count as a close friend. Taking on a role that will leave him on a remote island a majority of the year with only one cast mate and the crew who will be filming them is daunting and lonely for someone like Peter. Then Maria steps in.

Maria is everything Peter is not. She’s bubbly, friendly, talkative, and outgoing. Everyone who meets Maria loves her. She’s one of those people that you can’t help but be drawn too. Unless you are Peter who Maria left with no note and no explanation after a fantastic night in bed

You’ve Got Mail gets a holiday twist in this swoon-worthy novella from Meghan Quinn. Resting Scrooge Face sees Nola moving back home after a bad breakup right at the holidays. As if that isn’t bad enough, her little town is known for its Christmas cheer and is also the home of the boy who she never got over. When she receives an anonymous letter from a fellow Scrooge, Nola finds herself drawn to the mystery penpal and despite her own feelings writing back.

I adored the twist in this little book. Clocking in at under 70 pages, I devoured it in one sitting, just before bed. Nola’s and Caleb’s relationship unfolds through flirty notes passed back and forth anonymously by a matchmaking mailman. When they see each other in person however, the tension is palpable. Neither wants to admit their feelings for each other, or the hurt that is still present years later.

Overall, this novella is a sweet and swoony read. The letters easily pulled me into the story. If you are a fan of romance, Quinn, or just looking for a quick read, I highly recommend it.

The Twelve Dates of Christmas by Jenny Bayliss is a sweet holiday romcom about a woman done with casual flings and ready for either a serious relationship or to say she gave it a serious go and move on with her life. Kate Turner longs for what her two best friends have: a steady, reliable plus one and to start her own family. At this point in her life, she’s willing to go the family route alone if need be as there hasn’t been a guy to really catch her eye. At the urging of her friend, she reluctantly joins a twelve dates of Christmas event through a local online dating service. Thus ensues a story full of ups and downs, twists and turns, and hilarious blind dates that leaves Kate what-if-ing her own life choices.

I really enjoyed this book! It’s a cute story from start to finish, light-hearted and humorous at just the right spots while also hitting on some tough, emotional subjects. Kate is an easy character to empathize with and cheer on as she encounters each of her twelve dates. The cast of characters that support Kate and the main story is wonderful. I love her dad, Lauren, and Matt. They complement Kate and bring out sides that we wouldn’t see with just the dates. I also enjoyed the unique setup of the book. Each chapter is set around one of her twelve dates and focuses on the events leading up to and immediately after them. This gives us a chance to get to know Kate more than just surface level.

My only gripe, and it’s a small one, is that I knew from the first few pages who Kate would wind up with. It’s fairly obvious even if Kate herself is oblivious to it. While it didn’t bother me to have figured it out so early on in the book, it did make for a less exciting read. I found myself frustrated with Kate and the love interest early on at how they avoided the elephant in the room while the entire town seemed to be routing them on in the background.

Overall, The Twelve Dates of Christmas is exactly what you’d expect from any holiday romcom: sweet, cute, and an HEA. The setting of a small English village and the cast of characters really held my interest in Kate’s story. I did pick up the audiobook about a third of the way into the book, and I’m glad I did. Elizabeth Knowelden narrates, and I loved her tone and inflections for each character. It was easy to keep them straight and know who was talking without having to go back. If you enjoy romance, I highly recommend it.