stephsbooktalk's Reviews (915)

 Thank you so much to St Martin's Press for the advance copy of this book!
Thank you so much to MacMillan Audio for the complimentary audio of this book!

This book will be out on August 6th.

If you are looking for a book to take you into another place, this may be the one for you. McQuiston is able to use their talent of words to make you feel as if you are traveling throughout Europe. Oh and the food. How I want to eat so many of the meals that were describe. You could tell that McQuiston did their research and likely travelled to all the locations mentioned just to make sure that it felt authentic.

I thought the format of this book was unique compared to not only other books they have done but other contemporary romances. The first half of the book is told from Theo's point of view and the second half is told from Kit's point of view. And I love how the chapters were broken up by different pairings with the city they are in. With that being said, the chapters are very long as they broken up by the time spent in country. As much as I was happy that it was descripted it just felt like it was taking forever.

"It's not just that I want him. It's that he taught me what wanting was. Anyone would have a weakness for that."

Also what I found so fascinating and I even was asking about this in a buddy read I did on this book, is how open everyone was with hooking up. They would each meet these people and suddenly they were being whisked away to go make out or more. I am not judging or anything but I just thinking are they not going to get to know each other, is the consent implied, is the nature of the relationship implied? It also made me chuckle that Theo agreed to do this competition when we knew that they were so in love with Kit. Heck even one of the conquests picked up on it. I felt bad for Theo as they just had no idea how Kit felt while they were thrust together on this trip.

Once we got to Kit's point of view, I could not believe how in love that boy was with Theo. I love the way McQuiston did a quick flashback to the start of the trip and picked up in real time. Kit's love for Theo was so unconditional. He loved Theo for who they were and did not want them to change. "They showed me the galaxy then made me feel it. That's one of Theo's natural gifts, the way beauty moves through them like stained glass. It illuminates them and they transform it in kind." As much as I felt like I related to Theo more, I think my favorite chapters were told from Kit's point of view.

I paired my reading with the audio and I thought both narrators were SO good! Emma Galvin voiced paired perfectly for Theo and Max Meyers had the tone of voice that made Kit sounds so incredibly cool. I know McQuiston provided notes for both Emma & Max to help nail down their inflexions and cadence. Especially when Kit would talk about his love for Theo, those tender moments came out so beautifully from Max.

I believe this is McQuiston's spiciest book and it was so beautiful written. Overall I really enjoyed this book and think that McQuiston has this special talent of writing love between two characters. They also are SO good at side characters! In each of the books I have read by them, you find those side characters that will make you laugh and you just will want more of them on page. In this book was no exception. 

Thank you so much to Forever for the ebook!!!

This book is out now!


I absolutely loved Forget Me Not so I was super excited to see that she had this one up next. And then after seeing the cover - HOLY MOLY! I mean look at that tank top strap and the way his hand is on her neck. My goodness - you had me at the cover alone. And

"You are more than my collaborator. "

I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS BOOK! From start to finish I was so fascinating how Soto was able to take being a strings musician and make it unbelievably sexy. The way that she wrote the first time they played together - WHEWWWW! If you didn't feel the chemistry between them in that moment, then I'm not sure what book you were reading. Alex was so drawn to Gwen. He came off a little rough around the edges but then he had these soft moments that you couldn't help but fall for. Gwen was equally as drawn to Alex. She had followed his career but then got to know him on a personal level and it made her just fall even more for him. Their attraction was so strong!

I just love how good they were together and even when there would be some bumpy times, they talked it out and tried to come up with a solution. Their big conflict felt believable and did not come out of left field. And the way it was resolved - sigh I just love when a man comes banging on the door out of concern. They just had such an equal amount of love and respect for one another that I think it just made their connection that much stronger.

I paired my reading with the audio and I thought both narrators, Savannah Peachwood, Oliver Clarke did a great job as their character! We didn't get much of Alex's point of view but I enjoyed the moments he did speak. Savannah's tender voice really made Gwen shine. Between Soto's writing and the narration, it made me want to keep listening.

I had seen such rave reviews for this book and I can tell you that it lived up to the hype. I didn't want to stop reading & I certainly did not want it to end. I need to look to see if there is an extended epilogue because I need to know what Gwen and Alex are up to beyond what was provided.

I will be raving about this book for awhile! If you are looking for a spicy romance set around the orchestra - give this one a read!!

 

Thank you so much to Sourcebook for the ebook!!

This book is out now.

I AM SO MAD AT MYSELF FOR NOT PICKING THIS UP SOONER!

I was enthralled from the story of Kayla from the very beginning. The way Xio has built this rock band world has been so fun to see and read about.

I love how we got a little bit of her backstory and how the death of her brother affected her into her adulthood. I also loved the growth that Kayla had with her parents. I was frustrated for her and just wanted to shake her mother. I was so glad that by the end they were able to have a long overdue conversation. I love seeing Kayla's relationship with the other band members! I don't recall seeing as much of the other personalities in the first book as I did in this one. And I really feel like we may be getting her book next??

Oh sweet Ty! Just give the man all the books in the world! He just is trying to get by day to day and lead such a quiet life. I love his relationship with his grandfather who raised him. He went through some challenges in college that change the course of his life and truly just wants to work and earn enough money to keep his head above water. The opportunity to drive a tour bus for the Lilly's comes at the perfect time! He found this community of family and what better way to get close to people than the forced proximity of a bus.

Kayla and Ty together was just so sweet to see! I love how they bonded over reading and talking about books. They were able to open up to one another and I just loved seeing their time together throughout the book. I just love them together! We got to see Seb & Toni in this and it makes me excited that we will also get to see Kayla & Ty in future books.

I did my reading via audio and both Tyla Collier & Benjamin Charles were so good as their character! I have to give kudos to Benjamin who nailed the grandfather Van down so well! He really turned himself into an old man. And Tyla was able to just fluidly go through all the different female voices.

This book is a lofty book coming in close to 450 pages but let me tell you. It did not feel like that at all. I thought the pacing was great and that it moved quick.

I really enjoyed the first book but this one was just SO good!!  I am very excited to see what is next for Axelrod as well as the success of the Lillys! 

Thank you so much to Forever for a copy of this book!

This book is out now.

When this book was announced, I knew that this had to be in my hands. As a plus size woman, I love being able to see a part of myself and others depicted on the cover. And also there won't be any guessing as to what the FMC looks like.

This book is hard for me to rate & review because there were a lot of aspects that I love about the book. I had no issues with Gamez's writing or with the pacing of the book it was more the inter mix of the relationships between the characters. I would have loved for Theo to be Ben's best friend or cousin who was hung up on some random girl as oppose to his fiancée and then they could have been a different conflict that came between them.

Despite the above, I love the relationship between Marcela and Theo. Their romantic relationship did not happen overnight (okay well maybe in a way it did) but they were linked together through the entanglement of having a crush on someone who was with someone else. I had to chuckle at them thinking that being with each other would help get over their crush which is equivalent to "let's get it out of our system." I was yelling at my book when it just seemed like they both (moreso Marcela since we were in her head) was having a hard time severing her crush with Ben when Theo was right there. Theo had seemed to move on from Alice a lot sooner than Marcela did. And once again as the audience I was just screaming at the Marcela to open her eyes. Theo was super swoony especially in the 2nd half of the book - whewww!

Marcela did have share her insecurities which I thought was very honest in a way that I think most woman who are in a bigger body could relate to. I am glad that Theo made her feel like she was the most beautiful woman. There was a moment where she was going to have to bare all and he could sense her hesitation and he just came across so genuine telling her "I wouldn't be here if I didn't find you unbelievably sexy."

One thing that the author did that I felt was so smart and different compared to other authors who include playlists at the end is that she explained how that song correlated with the characters and at which parts. Often times I wonder when I look at playlists why the author chooses certain songs so this was perfect!

I paired my reading with the audiobook and I really liked the narration done by Ruby Corazon. It made the listening experience easy and I felt that she sounded like Marcela. If you are a romance audiobook listener, this was easy to follow along.

I need to look to see if Gamez has left any clues or announced who the next book in the series is going to focus on. I am really hoping we see a story with Angela as she was such a great side character and also her being asexual would be great representation in the romance genre.

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

This book is out now.

I have been such a sports romance kick and especially when it is Formula One. And this was delightful!
I have been reading more of brother's best friend and I have to tell you, the trope is growing on me.

"You're going to think I'm crazy, but you make me nervous Willow Williams."
"Me? Why?"
"Because I'm so in love with you that it hurts."

I like that Dev and Willow knew each other growing up and have that deep rooted history between them. And I think part of the whole sibling best friend is that tension and the "we can't do this". Having Willow work for him just made the flirting and the pining even stronger. Dev was head over heels for Willow from the start. She was a little more hesitant in her feelings as there was so much more at stake between her brother and her career. But they truly were so good for one another and together. Willow has a chronic illness and him knowing her limits was so sweet. I just love his love for her. They were always honest in their feelings with each other and they shared the struggle with disappointing his friend/her brother.

Even though I enjoyed this, I did feel like you could tell that this was original indie book. This possible could be the writing style from the author but just comparing to other traditional pub books, I could feel the difference.

I paired my reading with the audio and I thought both narrators Vikas Adam and Nerissa Bradley were excellent as their characters. They both brought a youthful voices and I could really hear them as Dev and Willow.

I have no clue what the next book in the series is going to be. But I will be reading!

If you're a fan of Formula 1, dual POV, brother's best friend & workplace romance - give this a try!

Mini Audiobook Review: I had heard so many good things about this one! This was an utter delight! I would say this is a slow burn even though Clementine and Theo do have a a hot hook up and then she ends up working for him which it then becomes a slow burn. I love seeing how their relationship grew when they got to spend time locked away together as he worked on his new album. And with that the sexual tension between them grew. If you know me, you know I love a rockstar romance so this scratched an itch I didn't realize I needed. Clemmie has these conflicting feelings about dating a singer because of the neglect she felt by her dad who is also a rockstar.  I love the relationship that Clemmie had with her sister whom they all shared the same dad. They were super close and it came across as healthy. I just really enjoyed the audio and if you are worried about it too magical or thinking there is a lot of magic involved - it's very minimal! The only time a spell is done is in the beginning of the book. And it's hard to say if it actually worked OR was it all just a coincidence. 

Mini Audiobook Review: **I do not rate Non Fiction books.**

 
Thank you so much to PRH Audio for the complimentary audiobook!

This book is out now.

“Every fat kid learns in a different way that it’s wrong to be fat but we all learn it”

When I saw not only the title but the photo, I knew this was going to be a book I was going to read. Reading non fiction books about being in a fat body has not bode very well for me as all the ones I have read have always made me feel horrible about myself. But this one did not. I felt like I finally found a book that had moments where I could really relate to. The struggles he talked about really hit close to home. And I like that he talked about what eventually worked for him but it didn't feel like he was encouraging or pushing the reader to say that this is what you should do. I also thought the inclusion of his sister who also grew up fat who is now a psychologist and nutritionist was a nice touch from the doctor side of things.

“I want to be mindful but what if my mind is broken?”

I could tell that the author was around my age by all the pop culture references which of course I enjoyed. There was one reference I thought he would have brought up but didn't and that was "The Nutty Professor" which I remember being at the theater and almost in tears while watching that movie because of the treatment of fat people. The treatment of fat people in media is not close to getting better but there has been small movement in this.

I wish I had the ebook or physical book as I was listening because there was a lot I wanted to highlight. I thought Ian & Alissa did a great job narrating. Like with any memoir type book, it is always nice when the author narrates their story. Ian's humor and candor really came through while listening.

Thank you so much to Harlequin & Timothy for an advance copy of this!

This book will be out July 22nd.

Timothy is an autobuy author & when I saw the cover for this book, I fell absolutely in love with it! He continues to have a variety of stories and characters to his repertoire.

Sighhh - Julien and Greg. They were opposite attracts and yet so completely gone for one another. The representation that Timothy created for both of these characters was super important to see on page. Julien has OCD & is neurodivergent and oftentimes finds that his partners cannot handle his specific requests and how sensitive he is too smells. Greg has GAD and his medication makes it hard for him to perform in the bedroom for his partners. Julien was so tender with Greg and they were able to have this dynamic that worked for them. I also thought the inclusions of toys was a fun twist to add to their intimate moments. I love how their relationship developed over time and got a chuckle at how Greg weaseled his way to a paint and sip with Julien. I think that night really changed everything and it snowballed (pun intended iykyk) from there.

"Everybody wants quick. That's why they choose the shot or the cocktail over the wine. They want a fast buzz, an immediate good time. On the Grindr grid, I'm the merlot you have to decant for forty-minutes before serving, not the tequila shot. I know that. I get it."

Majority of the book is navigating the work dynamic between Julien and Greg but we also get these other moments that are meaningful. I loved anytime Uncle Martin and Aunt Augustine were involved. There was such a sweet moment towards the end between Julien and Aunt Augustine that just made my heart so happy. I also loved Greg's relationship with his cousin Rufus. We didn't get too many scenes of them together but Rufus and his gf Jessica just seemed to want was what best for Greg.

I thought this book felt very current with the incorporation of Tik Tok and the rise and fall of creators. I also liked thow Timothy shed light on the ever frustrating algorithm that all types of creators face on the different platforms.

If you are looking for a small town vibe, spicy moments with characters who have great mental rep & lots of delicious drinks - check this out!

PS - I love that this took place in Bethlehem!!! It's such a charming city & I wish Martin's Place existed in real life!!

Thank you so much to Putnam for an advance copy of this book!
Thank you so much to PRH Audio for the complimentary audiobook!

This book will be out August 6th.

Readers. I love this book so much! I knew very early on while reading that I was going to love this book. This book has tension, the banter, the trivia, mix in serious themes and all the swoon!

"I don't think you're boring."
"Well, that's just a blatant lie."
"I don't."

I really love how Ellie paced the relationship between Alison and Adam. Things did not start off on the right foot but over the course of a few weekends of cleaning out their friend Sam's apartment the walls of Adam's exterior started to crumble. He threw out some flirty zingers that threw Alison and me for a loop. There was just so much sexual tension between the two BUT Alison dated Sam and the awkwardness that brought on. They just worked so well together and they helped each other find themselves by the end. They just had me smiling from ear to ear.

I thought it was unique for Ellie to incorporate something that should be discussed more. Alison is a BRCA 1 carrier and as a precaution she recently had a double mastectomy. She also is debating on removing her ovaries to ensure that she doesn't get ovarian cancer. I have not been in this position but it felt like all the things that Alison was going through was realistic. There are real women out there who are going through this and making these tough decisions. And even the intimacy of it all. Being touched for the first time in this new body and how scary it can be. Alison had this really great line to Adam, "I want you to touch me the way you want to touch me. It feels sexy to be wanted by you, even if I can't feel every part of it." Having a partner who can understand that and accept that, I can imagine is indescribable.

I did my best to articulate how much I loved this book! I truly did not want it to end. I love the friendships within the book and how they have this bond of trivia. And here I am just thinking about the ending with the kind of grand gesture - iykyk.

I paired my reading with the audio and Queen Karissa Vacker knocked it out of the park! I always enjoy audiobooks narrated by her and this was no exception. She excelled in nailing the banter, the vulnerable parts, the frustrated parts and all the grand internal monologues that Alison had.

It was hard to believe that this was a debut. I am super excited to see what else Ellie has ahead!

PS - The gasped I gusped when there was reference to Formula One and one of my favorite Christmas movies Babes In Toyland!

Thank you so much to Avon for the copy of this eARC!

This book is out now!

Fangirl Down is one of my top romances of the year and I knew once we were introduced to Burgess and Tallulah that it wasn't going to be the last of them.

"When two people love each other, they create a love snowflake, and it can never be re-created by anyone else."

I am very torn on how I feel about this book. There were elements that I absolutely loved about this book but my biggest qualm had to be with the Tallulah's character. It wasn't her past and her fear of being around men that was my issue it was how she kept leading Burgess on and being so hot & cold with her feelings. I really felt bad for him that she only seem to come around when it was convenient for her and that wasn't fair. And then on the contrary, there was a moment when Burgess was injured and he was nasty for no reason. I would have love for Bailey to have used that opportunity for Tallulah be a caretaker and let that help be the bridge to repairing the relationship with Lissa. But hey I am not a writer and she knows best! I don't know if I would necessarily say that they are toxic for each other but I feel like sometimes I find them both doing questionable things.

Despite all the above I still really enjoyed the book! I loved the relationship between the two and the overall story. I was engaged the whole time and their flirtatious energy was superb! Tessa knows how to write tension and a sex scene - whew! 

I have been really lucky with the romances that I am reading lately where the male falls first and this one was no exception. There was no question whether or not if Burgess was into Tallulah. He made it very well known from the beginning how he felt towards her. "The only woman I'm calling is you." I mean come on SWOOON! Burgess was so protective of Tallulah and towards the beginning we learned that when he had to pretend to be her boyfriend to scare off her classmate.

I love in sports romances when we see the actual sports being played so I was happy that we got to see Burgess playing on the ice. And even better that Tallulah at the game. Cue sweet moment with her and a sweatshirt - iykyk.

As I mentioned in the beginning, I love Fangirl Down so I was extremely happy to see Wells and Josephine pop up throughout the book. And that we got a sneak peek into the wedding!!!

There is going to be a third book and I am very nervous at how that book is going to be. I don't think Tessa will go so taboo under Avon but who knows! I don't like the idea of a future step brother/sister having a relationship but I don't think she will let me down in it.

PS - Of course I have to shoutout Yuengling being mentioned in the book!! Love seeing a localish beer being mentioned!