sarahsbookstack's Reviews (2.55k)

This was cute. From the way Chrissy and Deacon won the cruise to them picking what they thought was one theme but it turned out to be completely different was such fun. But I don't want to give that away, I laughed when I learned what happened! 

In spite of his proposal gone wrong, Chrissy and Deacon both decide separately to still go on it. They have to deal with staying in the same room while trying to avoid two interlopers that might mess with Deacon's plans to get back together with Chrissy.

I kind of didn't understand why Chrissy rejected the proposal, but it was fun trying to see them not fall back in total love with each other again. I LOVED that at the end they decided to go all in on the theme and continued with it off the ship. 

What a great start to my reading year. A rookie NHL hockey player trying to prove he's more on the ice (and off) than he has been lately and a ballerina who raised her younger brother and who is trying to prove she has the capabilities and the ability to be a principal dancer in state... If only she could get the chance! 

Could Eli BE more perfect?! This guy had me swooning left and right. The way he is with Sage in every aspect is amazing. Sage, who always puts everyone before herself, deserves this man who takes care of her, cooks for her, holds her when she cries, etc.

The slow burn is a SLOW BURN with the rules they put in place for their fake dating scheme but oh so worth it. The tension crackles off the page during it. 

An eerie tale of the "Casquette girls" brought over from France to New Orleans with diaries, or as some suspect (or tall tales?) smuggled in vampires.

Adele had just returned from France after a devastating hurricane (my guess is Katrina.. The one that flooded the city even though it's not said which hurricane it was) and immediately feels uneasy as the devastation is horrible but she's also attacked in her home by a bird... Which feels like a creepy omen of the things to come. 

I could feel the heartbreak but also the love that the city residents Adele is friends with and encounters all try their best with the hand that's been dealt to them. I'm interested enough to want to continue the series.

I find it a bit hard to review essays as each one brings something to the table, but I did find things to relate to. 

Some are funny: I, too, have a cursed set of curls that frizzes and would (and did as much as I could in 8 years) fit into the 80s with it. 

Some are insightful:I was also weekly obsessed with This Is Us. I love to hear another obsessed person's view of the Pearson family. 

And some hit close to home: a cousin of my husband has succumbed to the drug world and was also told (when they asked to come home) by a parent- no. Enough damage had been done to the family.

I'm glad I read there as I got a little something from each of them. 

A beautiful friend to lovers with some heavy issues interspersed throughout. 

Asher and Maeve (plus her brother) met each other 10 years ago in a brief support group and have been best friends ever since. To save Asher from the clutches of a terrible woman at an auction, Maeve bets on him and wins a date to Vegas and comes back as Asher's wife. 

I love that their Vegas affair got out so they had to play up the marriage but it helped them realize they needed each other. The journey to get there is full of fun, spice and an obsession that is heartwarming. Asher really looked out for Maeve and when it became too much, he got the help he needed which was very important. 

This was a fun, wild romp through the Amazon that was so reminiscent of an Indiana Jones film and NatGeo archeology shows I love to watch that it made me really happy! 

Miri is going to lead an expedition for a lost city when she hasn't led one before, but this is a chance for her to prove her worth as an archeologist. But with tensions in her group (and unbeknownst to her, Rafa, the guy she's slowly falling for is trying to sabotage things) and another, scarier group on the same archeological hunt... Things get dicey in the jungle. 

Oh, I could just imagine this on film! There's a lot of action, there's so many moments where things could have gone REALLY bad, and the romance is so tension filled that the pay off is perfection. 

A brother's best friend to lovers read with a Christmas theme? Yes please! 

Chase is back in town after "retiring" from his hockey career and Lucy's heart flutters every time he's near. She always just thought she'd be like a sister to Chase but some tension between the two might change it. 

What I really didn't like was Lucy's brother's fiancee Hillary. She was so mean to Lucy and all we really got was the explanation that "she didn't have a good relationship with her family" like that's an excuse. She tried to change (a bit) near the end but too late, she got a ❌ in my book. 

I love the times that Lucy and Chase went out and people could really see how they were just always drawn to each other, even from across the room.

Cute return to Oakley Island with Izzy, Liam, and their big meddling family!

Izzy thought she was finally over her crush on Liam until he moves back to Savannah and now it's back full force. Now she has to work with him and then her apartment gets fumigated and had to crash at Liam's. 

I loved that this allowed them to grow closer and give into their feelings. The Christmas tree scene with a FRIENDS reference, the raccoon incident at Christmas dinner and how Izzy and Liam got back at their family had me laughing. Perfect read! 

I loved this second chance romance for Henry and Jade. It's filled with a beautiful history (with a theme of "if you love someone, let them go") and a beautiful reconnecting made sweeter by the fact of an adopted kid, Bodhi, that Henry now has.

Henry was such a good dad. He really grew up to be a great man. Jade had a lot of growth too which I love to see  I love how Jade got to know Bodhi outside of her relationship with Henry. Henry had great people in his inner circle from his teammates to Reed, Jade's stepfather. I loved how sneaky Bodhi got and the support he had in his efforts. The relationship that they once again get to is 🔥🔥

This middle grade story has a lot going for it. Stix is in his first year of middle school and with his anxiety and panic attacks, he's not prepared for what he's going to find... Especially when he sees 3 ghosts that no one else can see. They need his help to help them move on.

Stix is a good kid and he wants to help as he can but the biggest obstacle is going to be helping Jesse because his brother is Xander, a bully. I really liked that Stix learned that people may not always be as bad or mean as they seem- sometimes we need to look closer to see the hurt and find the reason someone might be lashing out. Stix also learns that life may take away friends at one time or another but the blame isn't always on one person.