Copy received via Netgalley for an honest review

Every now and again, a book comes along that just blows me away.

Red, White and Royal Blue was one of those. I just adored every single thing about it.

A sweet, fun, wonderful enemies-to-lovers story that enraptured me from the first word to the last.

Alex and Henry have gone from "ugh, why are you here" to "sigh, I wish you were here" and I loved every single up and down of their relationship. I laughed, I cried, and I loved with them.

There are fantastic secondary characters that I would love to see more of in the future.

The last 20% of this book was ah-freaking-mazing, and I found myself having to hold myself back from skipping ahead to find out what would happen to our lovelies.

One of my favourite books of 2019.

 

ARC received via Netgalley for an honest review

When the pirate falls for the tavern wench...

Simon and Emily's story is a slow burn hate-to-love story, where their bickering and sniping is really a whole lotta foreplay.

Emily is kind of at a loss with where to go in her life. Simon is trying to live a life that isn't his, isn't what he really wanted.

And I liked that a Renaissaince Faire into the story - Simon as a pirate had me imagining him as Hook from the TV show Once Upon A Time (and what a lovely vision that is!)

I liked the small town vibe, where as annoying as it is when everyone knows your business (I live in a small town, I get it) I love the sense of community.

Simon and Emily felt real. Their relationship felt real, their issues felt real and it all together felt relatable.

I look forward to reading more by Jen DeLuca in the future.

ARC received for an honest review

Another Sawyer Bennett book on my Kindle - let me at it!

I enjoyed the first book in the Jameson series, but I really, really enjoyed Code Name: Sentinal.

Cruce and Barrett's story is a great romantic suspensy story with so much heat between our lovelies that you know that they are just going to burn up the sheets.

I did get frustrated at Barrett that time she did the one thing she was told not to do, and she had to know it was a stupid thing to do, right? Especially for someone at her genius level. However I know it had to play that way for the story to move forward. I wanted to slap her with my Kindle though!

I love the big, apha-y men of Jameson security. it was great getting more of Kynan and Joslyn, and there are so many great characters that just need to have their story told *cough cough Saint cough cough*

Please don't make me wait too long, Ms Bennett.

ARC received for an honest review

Another super cute story in the Shacking Up universe - and Handle With Care is right up there with my favourites (Linc gave Lex a run for his money though!).

I have adored Wren from when I have met her previously, and now I just love that fiesty woman. I love her snark, I love her strength and how she doesn't put up with anybody's crap.

I feel for Linc, as he gets dragged back into family drama and the family business after running far, far away - and I don't blame him for it either!

And then Armstrong - he really is a complete and utter ar$e, and I hope he gets an STI and his d!ck drops off!

I am glad that our lovelies, though fighting all the way, made their way to their happy. There was one point when I was "oh hell no, don't you do this" but they didn't - so yay for being adulty and sh!t!

There were some great secondary characters that I freaking loved - I don't want to spoil them for you though, but you will love one in particular.

ARC received from author for an honest review

Once upon a time, a blogger read a book called Fighting Redemption by Kate McCarthy, and said "this is the best book I have ever read" and told everyone that would listen that they must read it.

Blogger said that no book could come close to this one in her esteem.

Then Kate McCarthy produces a follow up book called Fighting Absolution, and blogger needs to eat her words.

Fighting Absolution is right along side Redemption with the best books she has ever read.

Jamie and Bear's story is full of heartache and heartbreak, so, so much sadness that I am not ashamed to say that I cried whilst reading. It doesn't glorify war, it throws the read right into the middle of it with the characters.

I also loved seeing Ryan and Fin's story playing out from another person's POV.

This is a book that you need to just dive into and get enveloped in. Just be ready to have your heart ripped to shreds.

This book deserves all the stars. All of them.

Thank you Ms McCarthy for another amazing story.

 

ARC received from Harper Collins Australia for an honest review

The Day We Meet Again has the feel of the movies Before Sunrise and Serendipity to it.

Sam and Phoebe's meet cute had me adoring them right from the get go. Yes, this story is pure fluff, but sometimes that it just what the head and the heart want.

There are many ups and down in their year away from each other, but they are each other's constant. I am not one for insta-love, however I could suspend belief for long enough to get into this story.

But will they still be?

I enjoyed their postcards (wait, they still make postcards) and letters to each other, and makes it feel more real, that they are not just living it as a phone call away.

I did get frustrated in the later part of the story - where is all the communication they have been doing for a year gone?

At times, both Sam and Phoebe felt very immature for their ages - particularly Phoebe. I liked their sense of adventure, but sometimes came across as teenagers away from mummy and daddy for the first time.

So whilst this was a light read that I kept on reading, however I don't think it is one I would race back to read again.

Copy received from Hachette Australia for an honest review

I have read the No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series on and off over the years and have enjoyed them.

However, this one was a miss for me. It was lacking that something that makes these books great.

This installment just felt like it was earlier books on repeat, and it really did not do Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi justice (though I have not really been a fan of Mms Makutsi in the past either)

I did like that Charlie got married (highlight of the book for me, though we didn't get enough of it).

I hope Mr McCall Smith can bring back the great in later books.

ARC received via Netgalley for an honest review

I did not realise that this was book 3 in a series when I requested it, however it can be read as a standalone (and I will go back and read the previous books)

I liked our leading lady Carrie, and the way she gets dragged (or insinuates herself into) local murder investigations, even when she really is trying not to lol

My sister is a librarian, so I could kind of picture the library workers here as some of her workmates (well, without the murderers!)

Smokey Joe is a great additional character too.

I liked the way that the author dealt with the homeless people around town and didn't make Carrie look down her nose at them, however treated them like the human beings they are.

I have to say, I am not to sad and won't miss the character who was killed off, from just this book she was unlikable, and I am sure she was the same in the previous two books.

This book gave off a smaller-town vibe (not sure if it is like that, however the relationships in the town made it feel that way).

I read this story in one afternoon, and look forward to more in the future.

ARC received for an honest review

Before I started reading Finding Storm, I asked myself "do I really need more in the TMS world? Weren't the boys stories enough?"

Nope, they weren't. I didn't know I needed Storm's (remember him, Jake and Tru adopted him when his dad/Jake's band mate died) story until I was reading it.

For a rock star book, this really is a slow burn of a story. Our boy is feeling jaded by the life style, and whilst you expect him to be all wham bam thank you ma'am with the groupies, he isn't.

He was a bit childish the first probably 20% of the book (I mean, yeah, he is only 24), but as his story moved along, I could feel the growth in his character. I loved that he didn't just expect everyone and everything to happen at the snap of a finger.

His girl is just fabulous. I love her and her 80's music loving heart. I love that she doesn't go for any of his rockstar BS. I love the love she has for her family. Gah, she is just the best!

I loved seeing Jake and Tru and their family, Denny and Tom and all The Mighty Storm crew again.

I wanted more of this story. So much more.