stephsbooktalk's Reviews (915)

Mini Audiobook Review: Thank you to Bibliolifestyle & Harper Perennial for the free book!

This book is out now.

If you are looking for a quick celebrity & athlete romance, give this one a try! This has been dubbed the book for fans of Taylor and Travis which I can totally see why people say that but I tried to keep the two separate.

I have only read one other Cotugno book and that was more fiction so there was very little romance. But this was spicier than I was anticipating! And from what I saw from other readers was that this was her spiciest book. Makes me anxious to see if Cotugno will do that more in her future works.

I really enjoyed this. Was it my favorite book of the year? No. But I didn't feel like I wasted my time reading it. It geared towards both of my favorite tropes - celebs and sports romance. With playoff season in the works, I was excited to have a baseball romance lined up.

I did do this one via audio and I had the book next to me to reference if needed. It was such a quick listen plus with dual POV narrated by Callie Dalton and Andrew Eiden - you know you are in for a treat! Both of these narrators did a great job with their characters and made the time go by really quick. One could easily knock this out in a day (under 7 hours).

I guess I understand why people have been rating this low but I enjoyed it for what it was. Perhaps the characters could have developed more if it were longer but then other areas might have dragged out.

4.5 - Thank you so much to TBR and Beyond Tours & Amber Roberts for having me on this tour & the complimentary copy!

This book comes out October 8th.

This is my first Amber Roberts books but I knew of Roberts from her debut Text Appeal as it was everywhere on Bookstagram. I wanted to get into the fall season and this book is the perfect jump start but guess what - this actually takes place in December!! Hey the vibes are still there.

"My brain always shuts down when pretty people were involved, so it was probably an attempt at flirting gone terribly wrong."

I was pulled into this story right away and I felt like I could see myself a little in Lex! She loves her hometown and doesn't do well with change especially when it comes to people leaving her. I just loved her story from start to end. I loved her relationship with her best friend Natalie. They were so much like sisters and Lex was very codependent on Natalie just always being there for her. I am glad that the author dove deeper into Lex's relationship with her parents because that was such a strong theme throughout the book. And I was proud of her parents for recognizing that they needed to change & was willing to change.

James. Sigh. This stranger who comes into town and just turns Lex's world upside down. Their early relationship and how he just wouldn't let her go even when she acted not interested. I love how they had share complicated relationships with their parents and it truly was a bonding item for them. James overall just seemed like a really great guy who was supportive in anything Lex wanted to do in the present as well as in the future. And I don't think Lex in some moments could appreciate how great of a support person he was. The two of them together really made me smile.

"You can't live your life thinking you're an island. People are here for you, so let them be. Lean on someone else for once, please.

So how does graveyards and hauntings play a role in this book?! Well young Lex used to run a vlog with Natalie on the haunted areas but it turns out they were all fake just to get views. BUT James and his partner Julian who are in town to make a documentary on the haunting areas of Stowe and tap the two of them to help with it. Except James and Julian do not know that all the vlogs were fake. I thought that was a fun twist to the hauntings! And I did feel bad how it all came out and then the fall out between James and Lex.

There was a lot that happened in this book but it did not feel like it as I was reading it. The author was able to manage the storylines really well.

I just really enjoyed this & it made me want to go back to read Roberts debut book!

PS - I have visited Stowe, VT and it is absolutely gorgeous!!!

PSS -

FILMING A SEX TAPE in 2024!!!

Thank you so much to Colored Pages Book Tours, Bramble Romance and  Sara Raasch for having me on this tour & gifting me a copy of this book!
Thank you so much to MacMillan Audio for the complimentary audio!

The Nightmare Before Kissmas is the book of the season!

This book is out on Oct 8th.

The concept of this book was just so good! I love the idea of having Prince & Princess of holidays. And I am surprised that it hasn’t been done by now in the contemporary romance space (don’t come for me if there are others).

I love how the characters in the book all had names that played off their holidays. And that the families were like royalties. I will say for me it wasn’t always easy to follow the politics of what was happening but that is totally a ME thing.

"The fantasy of you was pretty great - but everything I've gotten to know about the real you is so much better."

Nicholas/Coal is the heir to Christmas (not Santa Claus) and I did feel bad for him because he did mess up a lot of times but he meant well by his actions. His dad has put SO much pressure on him (rightfully so for the position he will be taking at one point) but he is so young and his dad doesn’t seem to take in his feelings in anything.

My favorite relationship besides the couple is Coal’s relationship with his brother Kris. In the books I read, I don’t usually see brothers depicted in books so that was refreshing for me. Especially with how they needed to be a collective force to stand up to their dad (EVIL).

Hex and Coal - sigh. I love their meet cute and then watching them navigate how they could be a couple. They are just so hot together 🔥

Can’t wait for the next one!

Thank you so much to St Martin's Press for an advance copy of this!!
Thank you so much to MacMillan Audio for an advance copy of this!!

This book will be out on October 1st, 2024.

This book is an absolute delight! The holiday reads that I have read previously never fully gave me the holiday vibes but this made me want to go to the North Pole and got me in the spirit of Christmas.

"Marriages are, as silly as it may seem, tandem bicycles. If you can't learn to pedal together, you'll end up tipping or crashing or worse."

The Santa Clause is one of my all time favorite holiday movies so I was excited when Janovsky announced that this was going to be a retelling. I felt that it had the same spirit but written for 2024 and with the author's own flair. Marriage in trouble is a new trope for Janovsky to write and I thought he did a good job navigating it. My heart felt for Patrick and Quinn - they both had so much love for one another but wanted to still do stuff on their own.

They both were at different crossroads - Quinn realizing that he might not want to be a teacher anymore and Patrick being overworked & losing his job and not sure what his next move could be. Going to the North Pole was a reset for them as a couple and really allowed them to spend that missed time together and to realize why they love one another. Patrick and Quinn just seemed so happy in the North Pole and it had made me wonder if for Quinn not having the "timeline" would have perhaps made him more present instead of just waiting for the ultimate end to occur. I will say I am nervous for the couple for being separated majority of the time but they seem to have a plan and to make it work especially with the epilogue.

As I mentioned above this book made me want to go to the North Pole and that is credit to the way Janovsky describe the setting. All that was missing was Judy's hot chocolate. Hobart was such a delight as a head elf!!

I thought the pacing was really well done. Throughout the book there was a countdown until the next Christmas with a sprinkle of past moments that give the readers a glimpse to their lives previously which was a nice touch.

I paired my reading with the audio. Mark Sanderlin once again knocked it out of the park with his narration taking on the role of Quinn. I felt that based on what we knew of Quinn, Mark's tone and cadence fit his character perfectly. Zach Barela is a new narrator for me and I thought he was so good as Patrick. Just like with Mark, Zach's tone felt like it matched Patrick wonderfully! I love a dual POV and thought this was well done via audio and easy to follow by listening.

If you are looking for a book that emits Christmas magic and just is a feel good read - give this one a read!

Thank you so much Berkley Pub for a copy of this book!
Thank you so much to PRH Audio for the complimentary audio!

This book is out now.

I am very torn on how I feel about this book. There were elements that I liked but overall it took me much longer to finish and I wasn't gravitating towards reading it compared to other books I was reading.

I cannot pinpoint what wasn't working for me because the story overall was a good premise. The book is told from two alternative point of views and timelines which I absolutely loved. We have Nicola who is primarily told from the past and her family history and eventually how she met Amber during the height of disco. The other point of view is Amber who is told in present time. Amber desperately wants to get out from Nicola's control after she learned that Nicola killed her husband (she promised she wouldn't) and that was her last straw.

Their toxic friendship lasted over the course of 40+ years and Amber was just so ready to separate herself from Nicola but there were some twists towards the end that were unexpected. I love that Croft tried something different and went the paranormal route. Comparing to her debut, Croft knows how to write about messy females.

I had switched primarily to the audio in the second half and I felt that kept me super engaged as opposed to reading with my eyes. The narrators Katharine Lee McEwan and Suzanne Elise Freeman were clearly define with each character and made me enjoy listening.

If you are looking for a vampire lite (in terms of gore) with complex relationships with dual POVs - give this one a try!

PS - I will say this book cover is one of my favorite book covers of the year. The lips, the fangs the neon font is all perfection.

Thank you so much to Hambright PR for a copy of this book!!
Thank you so much to Brittanee Nicole for a gifted copy of this book!

This book is out now & on KU.

Guess what? Stephanie is reading another sports romance and another shocking statement, I loved it!!

This book is a hefty book coming in close to 500 pages and for some reason I just was breezing through it. I was smitten from the very start when Aiden sees his first love for the first time in a decade and then the fun begins!

As a romance reader, I love when authors use the trope of "boy obsessed" and in this one Aiden made it very clear time and time again how much Lennox meant to him. "I remember everything, Lex. When it comes to you, every detail is tattooed on my brain." Like SWOON! I highlighted so many liners that Aiden said proclaiming his love for her. There was a moment later in the book when they are living together and fake dating when he comes to their apartment as he was traveling with the hockey team just to give her a hug because she needed it. Female authors just know how to write their male characters. Lennox was so adamant on not wanting to be in a relationship but throughout the book Aiden chipped away at that wall she built up.

I have never read this author before but holy moly she can write the hell out of a sex scene! The blushing that her words caused me as I was reading. I will say though Aiden's roughness surprised me as he came off so sweet during their interactions but behind closed doors he was a whole other animal.

"I'm stupid in love with you, Lex. I always have been, There's no reason for you to ever be jealous or insecure."

I thought the author did such a great job highlighting depression for Aiden's character. I follow sports and I often think how hard it must be for these athletes to perform and that on top of any other mental illness can make life challenging. I like how Aiden opened up towards the end with his depression and started that dialogue to learn he wasn't alone.

This book is a first of a new series BUT a lot of the characters were from prior books which is explained as the characters were introduced so this does work as a stand alone for that reason. I'm anxious to see who the next book is going to be about since Aiden was the last brother to get a book.

PS - It's been awhile but there was KARAOKE featured in the book!

Mini Audiobook Review: Thank you for Avon for a gifted copy of this book!

Each book in this series got better and better and this final one was just SO good! I loved this one from start to finish. I have done audio for all of them and the last two have been my faves. The characters from the prior books do make appearances in this one. I just love the friends to lover, accidental marriage trope and thought Sharma did such a great with this and made it feel believable. The chemistry between the two characters Veera and Deepak was off the chart. We knew that Veera had feelings from Deepak early on which made me want to scream throughout most of the book when he was leaning into her being his wife and she was apprehension. Now I get it, you don't want to get your hopes up and then comes crashing down but dude was so genuine each time they interacted. I felt that compared to the last book this wasn't as spicy but that doesn't mean there wasn't any.

Once again Vikas Adam and Soneela Nankani knocked it out of the park! I really enjoy each of their voices and it was such an enjoyable listen.

You do not need to read the others but I highly recommend reading book 2 and this one. Dating Dr Dil wasn't my favorite but perhaps knowing all the characters I should go back and reread it and I might feel differently the 2nd time around.

Mini Audiobook Review: Thank you so much to Kensington Book for a gifted copy of the book!

When I picked this to do a book tour, it sounded like it would be entertaining and it sure was! I was nervous because let's face it Shakespearean writing is not the easiest to follow and I don't do well when I need to use too many brain cells while reading as it's supposed to be for fun. So I was pleasantly surprised that this was told in a modern style. I thought the whole premise was really smart and Romeo & Juliet are still in love as ever and in their 30s. Rosie is such an independent woman who knows how to fight and take care of herself. The audiobook was entertaining and I thought Suzy Jackson did a good job as Rosie! This book had lots of family, a bit of a mystery and of course a bit of romance. This is also super bingeable and I easily could have listened to this in a day.

If you are into the Shakespearean world, I'd recommend checking this out!

Mini Audiobook Review:  Thank you to MacMillan for the complimentary audio! 

I saw that this was a novella was available and thought it would be great as we go into the October spooky season. I thought that this was an okay book and enjoyable enough for me to listen to it all. The story itself did not scare me and I figured out the twist about half way through. Did I fully understand the twist and how it happened? Hmmm I'm not sure but I understood it enough. I love the setting and how it was based off someone working on a show where people think their house is haunted (but is it really?). 

There were multiple narrators used (Jennifer Blom, Jess Nahikian, Matt Godfrey, Robb Moreira) for the different characters in the show. It took some adjusting to get used to the main narrator who voiced Mara as her voice & tone was very flat but I felt like that also went with her character? She reminded me of actress Natalie Morales when she spoke. 

If you are looking for something short and sweet to get the seasonal reads started - check this one out! 

Mini Book Review: Thank you to PRH Audio for the complimentary audio! 

It was only a matter of time that I picked this book up as I was already have FOMO over seeing everyone read it. I have never read a Liz Moore book before but I knew she was from the Philly area and that her one book is being made into a movie/limited series. I also did not look up anything about this book but I did see that some people were saying it was more literary fiction rather than mystery. I did not think that at all? I found it was more mystery than lit fic. The whole book you are wondering where these missing siblings (different years - not together) are. I thought the first half of the book was rather slow but as we got close to the midway mark and second half it really took off. There were a lot of characters throughout the book and some had their own POV. My two favorite POVs were a counselor Louise and Judyta the female investigator.  I am not sure if I was truly surprised by the ending? I think I was more surprised by the little brother's mystery rather than Barbara's mystery (that was lackluster). 

I read this book in tandem and I am glad I had my physical book with me while reading because of all the characters and I could look back through the pages. I know this was told in 3rd person POV but I wish we had different narrators for each of the point of views. It would have enhanced the reading experience. 

I am glad I read this and I'll be anxious to hear what others in my book club think of it.