4.5⭐️ 2🌶️ 3.5🎧

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Narrators: Ruby Cherise + Will Damron 

Narration type: dual

Writing perspective: first person, dual POV

Standard length: 13:27

Listening speed: 2x (immersive) 

Listened via: PRH

Audiobook gifted by: PRH

Tropes: romantasy, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, he falls first, who hurt you, hidden identity, prophecies, the chosen one, secret magic, fae, mythical creatures, slow burn

Relationship dynamic: MF

📖 Oof… Arwen and Kane really go through it in this one. Arwen experiences some trauma and hurt from a variety of sources that she has to deal with. But of course, she has to try to deal with that while attempting to save the world. The plot in this one was fun and fast paced, while the character development and relationship development was a slow burn throughout. As one would expect, this is book 2 in a trilogy, soooo we end on a cliffy!! And I’m now absolutely dying to know what happens next!

🎧 Ruby continued to do a stellar job in her portions of the book! I think I would have preferred this to be solo narrated by her the whole way. I did not love Will Damron’s narration. His voice is not unpleasant, it just isn’t what I would expect of a hottie morally grey, dragon shifter, fae king. I think I expected a deeper voice with more rasp. Like I said, his voice is not bad, his narration is not bad, it’s just not what I would have picked for this in casting. 

4.75⭐️ 3.5🌶️ 

 

Relationship dynamic: MF 

Tropes/Microtropes/Vibes/Reps: 

📖 Novella 

🎄 Holiday 

🏡 Small town 

❤️‍🔥 Ex boyfriend’s dad 

🤝🏻 Forced proximity 

🤰🏼 Accidental pregnancy 

💋 Curvy FMC 

 

I am not a typical lover of novellas or holiday romances, BUT I ABSOLUTELY ADORED THIS!! Niko and Ivy are everything. This book was somehow the perfect combination of feelings, plot and smut jam packed into this perfect little novella.

4.75⭐️ 4🌶️ 

Writing perspective: first person, dual POV

Length: 124p

Reading format: Kindle

ARC provided by: Hannah Cowan

Relationship dynamic: MF

Tropes:

💖 Valentine's Day Getaway

🏘️ Small town

💕 Ex’s dad

⚡️ Age gap (15 years)

🍼 Lactation kink

👨🏻 "Daddy"

💗 Body positivity

📖 I am obsesssssed with Ivy and Niko and this Valentine’s Day novella is one perfect spicy treat! I just absolutely fell in love with these two in Snow Harm, No Foul and getting more time with them post baby was both emotionally fulfilling and a naughty delight. Everyone needs a Niko who will cherish everything about them, meet them where they are, and worship their damn body. Perfect, Hannah!

4.25⭐️ 1.5🌶️ 4.5🎧

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Narrators: Ruby Cherise + Will Damron 

Narration type: solo (until epilogue, dual)

Writing perspective: first person, single POV (until epilogue, dual POV)

Standard length: 12:27

Listening speed: 2x (immersive) 

Listened via: PRH

Audiobook gifted by: PRH

Tropes: romantasy, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, he falls first, who hurt you, hidden identity, prophecies, the chosen one, secret magic, fae, mythical creatures, slow burn

Relationship dynamic: MF

📖 Arwen and Kane meet under less than ideal circumstances, where only one of them is fully aware of the facts… Half truths and secrets are revealed as the two grow closer, and the sting of betrayal only grows. But they are pushed together by greater forces than they can control, a destiny written long ago.

This first book in The Sacred Stones trilogy was so much fun! Arwen and Kane have a great dynamic that I loved to watch grow and shift throughout. Kane is a great morally grey hero that will burn the world for her, even though that was never the plan! I can’t wait to see where this goes in book 2!

🎧 While there are two narrators listed, 99% of this is solo narrated by Ruby Cherise and is in single POV. We don’t actually get Kane’s POV and hear from Will Damron until the epilogue. With that said, I thought Ruby did an amazing job with the solo narration of the book! Her warm, smooth voice was so nice to listen! Her transitions from dialogue to internal voice were very clear, making for an easy ear read. 

4⭐️ 3🌶️ 4🎧

Narrators: Lily Reynolds + John Lane

Narration type: dual

Writing perspective: 

Standard length: 10:58

Listening speed: 2.5x

Listened via: BookFunnel

ALC provided by: Hambright PR

Tropes: forbidden, physical therapist x patient, single mom, firefighter MMC

Relationship dynamic: MF

📖 This was the sweetest love story that was a second chance at love for widow and mom of three, Lydia, and first love for injured firefighter, Colby. An instant connection between them that has to simmer due to their relationship as physical therapist and patient gives such a hot slow burn, and time for them to heal both physically and emotionally. Colby is so sweet with Lydia’s kids, he’s honestly just the swooniest! I so enjoyed this and definitely will be checking out more from Lauren!

🎧 This dual audio was enjoyable and both narrators were new to me! Both Lily and John did a nice job with the story.

I immersive read and did notice that the ebook has been undergone some minor revisions that the audiobook has not, but nothing that significantly takes away from the story. 

Did not connect to the characters or plot at this point. Was not at all turned off by any dark themes. 

4.5⭐️ 3🌶️ 🎧5

Producer: Audibly Addicted

Narrators: Vanessa Edwin + Robert Hatchett

Narration type: duet

Writing perspective: first person, dual POV

Standard length: 14:02

Listening speed: 2.4x

Listened via: BookFunnel

ALC provided by: Hambright PR

Tropes: hockey, best friends to lovers, brother’s best friend, Vegas wedding, marriage of convenience, slow burn

Relationship dynamic: MF

📖 Maeve, Asher, and Maeve’s brother are all best friends. Maeve and Asher made a marriage pact a couple years ago and while on a trip to Vegas decided to go for it, they’ll just got it annulled when they get home, right? Wrong… turns out they need to ride it out for a bit for their careers. Turns out they have also been mutually pining and the close proximity of a fake marriage arrangement is all they need to push everything into the real territory… EEK SO FUN! I love when everyone knows what’s going on except for them! I love how they truly cared about each other on that deep friendship level first and knew each other so well, even when things could have gone off the rails, they were there for each other as a support system first 🫶🏻

🎧 Vanessa and Rob nailed this duet performance! Maeve is independent, witty, and sweet and Vanessa captured that all with her narration. Rob has such a warm, smooth voice that is perfect for charming hockey player Asher. The duet narration really delivered an incredible listening experience, enhancing the friends to lovers vibe with easy banter and a lighthearted feel. The chemistry between characters was also felt between narrators in some smoking hot spicy scenes 🔥🔥