morganthebee's reviews
452 reviews

The Relationship Mechanic, the second book in the Peach Blossom trilogy by Karmen Lee, is youngest sister Vini’s love story. We first met her in The 7-10 Split, but we get even more of the family dynamics here, with Ava’s overprotectiveness, Dani’s quiet support, and their dad’s unquestioning love.  We also meet Vini’s employee, Aiden, who was a great character and I really loved how he supported Vini. We also get a lot more spice. 

Jessica (Grace’s best friend who we also met in the previous book), has rolled into town—or rather, been towed into town by Vini—on a break from her life to let some drama die down. She isn’t the relationship type, but she and Vini find themselves drawn to each other and embark on a situationship that they keep to themselves. Their banter is great, and they definitely have a sizzling chemistry, but of course it’s hard to keep feelings from getting in the way. 

I did find myself wanting a few more scenes of everyday interactions between Vini and Jessica so we could have seen how their relationship developed on a more personal and not just physical level, but it’s a fun, quick read and I’d definitely recommend it. I can’t wait for book 3 and Dani’s turn at love! 

I received a free ARC from NetGalley, but my review is unbiased and left voluntarily.

Eras of Us is a super steamy second chance sapphic romance from Shannon O’Connor. Our MCs, River and Aspen, were together in their younger years, but the relationship ended when Aspen left River and NYC to head off to California, so River is surprised when they run into each other at a concert. Turns out Aspen is back, and their feelings haven’t changed, although River is still hurt over how their relationship ended and Aspen feels a lot of guilt and regret about it. The two have what both expect to be a one night stand, but they just can’t seem to quit each other. 

I really enjoyed the story, the spice was frequent and well done, and the characters and their connection was fabulous. There was some jumping from past to present tense in the writing, sometimes in the middle of paragraphs, particularly in the earlier parts of the story. I did find that a bit frustrating but bearable. There’s not a lot of drama but there are a few triggers so make sure you check those, but Eras of Us is definitely worth a read. 

I received a free ARC from BookSirens, but my review is unbiased and left voluntarily.

Hotshot is my favorite of Clare Lydon’s books that I’ve read, although it’s not without its flaws. Sloane, an American soccer star in a troubled engagement and a strained relationship with her parents, joins up with a UK football team for a year to get some space from her life. She runs into Ella, a former player turned lifestyle coach, on their first day. Lydon spends quite a bit of time building up their friendship and attraction, and when Sloane’s engagement ends they move into their own relationship in a natural way.

Along the way Sloane meets some extended family she has living nearby, and we get to know some of the other players and coaches. This adds some nice dimension to the story and gives Sloane and Ella both a bit more depth by extension.

Sloane is so intent on protecting Ella’s privacy and keeping her old and new lives separate that she ends up lying to her by omission. When it comes out there’s the inevitable breakup that’s part of Lydon’s formula, but for me that’s where the flaw in this book really is. Ella, whose literal job is to get players to open up and talk about things, who up until this point has been all about communication, cuts Sloane off completely. She refuses to talk or listen to her at all, causing tension and strife, which is extremely uncharacteristic of her and just…doesn’t make sense.

My issues with that aside, things resolve themselves as they always do, and overall this is a very enjoyable read.

Here’s the thing: I usually think Harper Bliss’s writing is great. A Breathless Place was one of the best books I read this year. And I probably need to acknowledge that age gap romance, especially one with a gap of nearly 20 years, is not something I particularly enjoy and that probably colors my view of Nothing Heals Me Like You Do. But this...this didn't feel like Bliss.

 

Justine is 54, a workaholic who is shaped by a traumatic past. We get to read all about how much it affected her, how much the community respects her for it, how selfless and dedicated and caring she is, but I didn’t really see it. There’s no explanation of what she went through other than brief mentions that her parents kicked her out when she came out to them as a teen, and that she lived on the streets before founding a homeless shelter for queer teens where she still works. There’s not even an expositional conversation where we find out what she went through with any substance, but we’re supposed to believe that she was impacted by this past to such an extreme that she neglects nearly every part of her life other than the shelter, where she can save kids from the same fate. 

 

Sienna is 20-ish years her junior, a famous actress with famous parents who is as surprisingly down to Earth as every other love interest actress in every other romance novel. She’s playing Justine’s former girlfriend in a biopic film about her life, and…well, that’s all I really got from her character. For some reason when Justine flirts with her the very first day they meet she runs with it and they hop into bed, and then do it again…and again. Other than that I didn’t see any real connection between the two women, and I just did not get what either of them saw in each other beyond their bedroom chemistry. 

 

They have a tiff because Justine isn’t there for Sienna at a crucial time, and she didn’t even tell her because she was so caught up in an emergency at the shelter that she couldn’t be bothered. When Sienna broke up with her because of it I didn’t even care if they got back together. The whole story felt flat and rushed, the characters shallow without any real diving into what made them who they are, and I ended it thinking “what the hell was that?”

Choice of the Winter Wolf is the second novella in the Guardian of the Winter Stone series. With each book under 100 pages, they’re a quick read that feel like a serial novel. 

 

Akira, village outcast but chosen Guardian, is on a journey to find the Winter Stone, an ancient relic that was stolen. She was born with the soul of a wolf, the cause of her ostracization in her home village, but along the way she’s met some other wolf descendants who have abilities that she was taught were long gone. One of those descendants is Ashleigh, her fated mate who she has an immediate and visceral reaction to. Ashleigh and her brother, Aspen, are on a journey of their own, and they decide to travel together—at least for now. 

 

As she navigates secrets, attraction, and her own trauma, Akira struggles to reconcile what she was taught with what she’s seen in the greater world. She’s got a heap of trust issues, but she starts to open up a bit under Ashleigh’s gentle care. Akira is a very sympathetic character, and I definitely found myself cheering for her. I’m looking forward to the third installment! 

 

I received a free ARC from the author, but my review is unbiased and left voluntarily. 

Duty of the Winter Wolf is a novella, but it’s really more like the first installment of a serial novel. It introduces us to Akira, an outcast in her remote and isolated village even among her own family due to having been born with the soul of a wolf. She’s inexplicably chosen as the new Guardian of the Winter Stone (also the name of the series), and is tasked with finding said stone, an ancient relic that’s missing.

Despite never before having left her village, Akira sets off alone on a journey to find the stone. As she travels she comes across some other interesting characters, and discovers that what she’s been taught to believe may not actually be the truth. The installment ends in a cliffhanger, but definitely left me wanting to read on.

I received a free ARC from the author, but my review is unbiased and left voluntarily.

I listened to the audiobook version of Kiley Reid’s Come and Get It and I’m not sure that my review would be the same if I had read the book, although I don’t know that for certain. There’s a lot of very realistic conversation, by which I mean there are things like “yeah no, I mean like, ohmygod, you get it right?” That can be hard to follow, but the way Nicole Lewis reads it is just perfect. 

The story itself is a compelling take on money, power, race, and ethics, and gives a lot of insight into the characters, who are all deeply flawed in their own ways. Our main characters are a lesbian college professor, a Resident Advisor, and the inhabitants of one particular college dorm suite. We get to see them interacting in the dorm, but also get glimpses into their backstories, which gives us insight into their thought processes, how they interact with others, and the (often questionable) decisions they make. 

I’ve seen complaints about the novel not having a plot, or saying that nothing happens. I think that it does take a while to develop and it’s very character driven, but everything does come together in a cohesive way that tells a full story. It’s really an exploration of how a lot of small, dismissible moments on the surface, shaped by experience, can have a big impact on the overall story and where the characters find themselves by the end.

I absolutely adored The Perks of Loving a Wallflower! Thomasina Wynchester, AKA Tommy, is such a great character, both brazen and secure in who she is, but also shy and vulnerable, and so caring toward her family and Philippa. Phillipa is brilliant and beautiful, but feels trapped in a society where she is expected to follow conventions she isn’t interested in, and in which she doesn’t feel loved or valued—including by her own parents. 

Together they’re an amazing team, but the side characters add so much to the story. There’s Tommy’s family, who are quirky and fabulous and obviously love her without reservation. There are the bluestockings of Philippa’s book club, who have their own issues but band together to support each other. 

The connection between Tommy and Philippa develops at a really lovely pace, and the side story was interesting and fun to see develop. There’s a bit of spice here, which you don’t always get with historical romance, but it’s really great here. It’s the second book in a series, each focusing on a different Wynchester sibling, but it can be read as a standalone. 

This was the first audiobook I’ve listened to that was narrated by Moira Quirk, but I loved her voicing (and yes, I’m an admitted sucker for a British accent so that certainly didn’t hurt). I'd listen to more of her any day!