stephsbooktalk's Reviews (915)

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

This is my first Lynn Painter book but her name is one that I constantly see floating in the bookstagram world between her adult books and her young adult books.  I think I have become a fan of her work just based off this one alone. 

This was such a quick, fast pace written book. I was invested in them both right away from the start of their kind of meet cute to their developing friendship and to the eventual relationship. I love being able to see them every step of the way. The banter was *chef's kiss*. You could tell that they were just so comfortable with one another and that they had such strong sexual chemistry as well. 

I love that this was told in two POVs. Romance books really thrive when we get both perspectives from the love interests. And what also I love is that the MALE FELL FIRST! I haven't read many when this was the case so reading it was so refreshing. It was getting a little frustrating when Hallie just wouldn't give in to her feelings but I understand that is part of the journey and it made the HEA even more sweeter. 

This book just made me really happy and I just wanted more and more of Jack & Hallie. 

The audio of this was FANTASTIC. I love how we got both narrators during the texting instead of whomever view it was at the time. Both narrators were excellent and this is no surprise but the male narrator definitely made me swooooooon. 

Thank you so much to partner Berkley Romance for a free copy of <i>Ruby Spencer's Whiskey Year</i> and PRH Audio for the complimentary audiobook!

"If you love it, then it's right. Doesn't have to be anymore complicated than that."

Scotland has been on my shortlist of international places to visit and this book made me want to go there even more. One thing I love about reading is being able to escape to these different locations and get a feel of what that city is like. Another thing I love about reading is when you see characters doing what you sometimes dream of doing. In this case, its leaving everything behind and deciding to live in a foreign country for 1 year to work on a cookbook. Okay so maybe I do not want to write a cookbook but just the idea of being able to pick up a luggage bag or two and go wherever your heart desire with no plan sounds like a fun dream!

One thing Ruby Spencer did not intend to do while being away was to meet a suitable bachelor. She had her fair share of one night stands or dates that didn't amount to anything or just trying to force something to happen. But Brochan was different. I like that they took their time, being friends first with occasional flirts. They knew each other was special even if they couldn't pinpoint what made them special when they first met. They just were so drawn to one another. And I love that Ruby thought that this was going to be just a fling until she realized that he was what she wanted & that being in Scotland was where she was meant to be. I mean how does one not melt when they say, "I want you so much I would set the world on fire just so you could warm your hands." SWOOOON! And yes of course there is a conflict but I won't go into details of what happens, you'll have to read for yourself.

"Life gets weird and messy. And doing life with another person is even harder."

Another element of this book that I loved was the trope(?) of found family. It is not that Ruby did not have parents or family back in the United States but when you move to a new country, you are starting over. You need those supportive people in your life and she was able to find that with those in the Cosy Hearth and in Thistlecross. Grace was such a motherly figure for Ruby and I love their connection and their relationship was exactly what Ruby needed. There was also a reconnection made that I thought was going to be more awkward and troublesome that wasn't - lips sealed on that too! 

I thought the audiobook was fantastic and that the narrator did a wonderful. I am not skilled in Scottish dialects or accents but Nikki Massoud did a great job with the different characters. Also with the going back and forth between American and Scottish must not have been an easy feat to do. 

Does this all seem to be too perfect? Sure but that is what fictional romance is all about! 

Check this book out if you are looking for a cozy romance that makes you long to go to Scotland and also hungry for some yummy food! 

I gave into the BookTok, Bookstagram hype and the library came through with the audio and boy oh boy! This was such a spicy, fun listen.  

There was a few times I was blushing and gasping because of how dirty it was getting! I loved every minute of it. Nate has been added to my book boyfriend list. He was so caring & so good to Anastasia. And Anastasia was also such a wonderful female MC who was always honest in her feelings.  This definitely painted the picture of what I think the college party life is (I was not apart of that culture in college) and it made it feel real. I also love the normalcy of having a female character with close guy friends.  My only qualm is that it was a long audio (13 hours) and some storylines could have been edited or removed. 

I always love when it is dual perspective & the audio had a female and male narrator which is my favorite.  

I am glad this lived up to the hype and looking forward to the next book in the series. 

Thank you so much to Anita Kelly, Forever and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book will be published on March 7th.  

"Alexei had never experienced friendship quite like that. Friendship that wasn't dependent on shared faith."

Alexei decided he wanted to walk the PCT (Pacific Crest Trail) as the start of a new beginning to his life. While on the trail, he keeps seeing Ben along the way.   Alexei was drawn to him and Ben was as well.  Ben decided to stay and walk with Alexei for a huge chunk of the trail and from there, feelings ensue. Together they experience the beautiful trail and meet a slew of different characters along the trail.

"I think I fell in love with someone. And then I got scared and I left."

Alexei's development throughout this book is such a journey. He is very quiet, socially awkward and just wants to be left alone and by the end his personality shines through.  And I love the juxtaposition Alexei was to Ben who was outgoing and personable. Alexei's childhood into adulthood is deeply upsetting but I am glad that by the end he was working on making his life better and has a new chosen family.  I know there is a huge amount of people who have been through religious trauma and I do not think its talked enough in books. Alexei needed someone like Ben in his life and came at a perfect time for him during this transition phase in his life. 

Fun fact (you may or may not know): There is a moment at the end when Alexei sees that Ben got a tattoo during their time apart and author Anita Kelly got the tattoo which you can see on their instagram page. How cool to see the image come to life! 

This definitely inspired me to get out on the trails more. I love hiking and wish I could do it more often (my hiking partner's knees don't like it). And as if I didn't already want to go to the Pacific Northwest this made me want to go even more. 

Also can we talk about this cover?! I remember being instantly obsessed with it as soon as it was released. I love that the same illustrator who did Love & Other Disasters also did this one. The colors are absolutely stunning!!! 

I would definitely check this out if you are a hiker and enjoy the outdoors and want to see a love story unfold during hundreds of miles of walking. 

** I will not be rating Non Fiction books as it is based on real events and real experiences.**

"I have been fat nearly my entire life. I will be fat forever. That doesn't mean I - or any of us - have to live in a fatphobic world." 

 

I am conflicted on how I feel about Weightless. I will never know what its like to be black and fat but I do have my own experiences of being a fat person.  There were times I found myself relating very. much to the feelings Dionne felt. I sensed myself nodding along agreeing with her statements. 

 

The only section that made me feel irky is one where she admits to having internalized fatphobia and will not date a plus size man. I am not sure exactly why this upset me. Could it be because I am married to a plus size man? Perhaps. In most things in life, I try to see from the other person's perspective and if as a female you have these fears, what makes you think men won't have the same? It just made me sad. Also if my friends ever made comments about my partner’s size, I would need to reevaluate those that I surround myself with. 

 

"Imagine a society full of free children who spend time exploring the magic of their existence rather than picking themselves apart." 

 

I have been very fortunate to not have been teased as much as others that I know. I did go through my share of bullying but from middle school on I was very lucky. I was very shocked to see the section that talks about how a baby, mere months old was advised that they were already overweight?!  It makes so so sad, angry and frustrated. Someone i know had told me about how their niece at the time was already not wanting to swim with friends and wear a bathing suit at 10 years old. Children should not have worry about that at that age (or any age). I know I definitely was aware of my size and the space I consumed. I wish I could remember more to know what I may have missed out on because of my size. 

 

"I realized that many people believe that fat girls are undeserving of fairy tales, of respect, of the invisibility afforded to bodies that are deemed "normal"." 

 

Dating was never something I even bothered trying in middle or high school. My crushes were simply crushes. I knew my size and however I looked just wasn't what the object of my affection wanted. Always admiring from the sideline and waiting my turn. I did have two relationships with males who did not go to my school and they were definitely a learning curve. My size was never an issue but I had been more in my head about it. But even as I got older and in my late teens into twenties, the attention of men was something I longed for. Even if they weren't matches for me, I craved that attention and I wanted that fairy tale. 

 

I thought Dionne's writing shined when she spoke very candid and openly about her struggle with finding proper care. Once again this made me so angry to read knowing how many lives were lost due to missed diagnosis’s and symptoms being written off due to size. She had been constantly advocating for herself but no one would listen. I couldn't even imagine what that must be like for her and for millions of others. 

Thank you to PRH Audio for the complimentary audio! 

There was a lot of characters and I'm not sure if because I had to keep stopping and starting due to work that I just kept forgetting how all the characters were connected. 

I thought the author did portray what I believe high school culture is like without it going too overboard where it did not seem realistic. 

I did like how Theo was already out, friends already knew; Also love that he has an unconventional home life as he has a single dad.

I thought the narrator was wonderful and voice/tone come off like a teenager. 

Audiobook: I would love to tell you all about this book but sadly this was published by William Morrow & Company who is apart of Harper Collins so I will be withholding my review until a fair contract is established for their workers.

 I had been wanting to read this for awhile but it just kept getting away from me until I found a localish bookclub that only does romance reads and this is their upcoming pick. So perfect for me to finally read it! 

 

Chloe has a bucket list items that she would like to accomplish in order for her to get a life. With the help of a handy man Red, they start to complete items on her list while also falling for one another. 

 

I also love that her size was never a factor or an issue. Red was interested in her for who she was and wanted to help her with her tasks and just being with her. 

 

I had only heard good things about this book and my gosh I love it! I love how much Red is into Chloe and he is so vocal about it. This book is definitely much more spicy than I was anticipating. 

Thank you so much to Alex Finlay, Minotaur Books, St Martins and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book! 

I was first introduced to Finlay's work after reading The Night Shift last year which I loved! So I was super excited to be able to have this opportunity to read an early copy of this. 

"Wealth and power can hide monsters in plain sight." 

This book is told from primarily 3 point of views - Jenna, Nico and Donnie but a few others are sprinkled in that would be spoilers. These characters were teen friends from being in a group home together where a crime they all committed took place. They went their separate ways but 25 years later their past catches up to them and someone who knows about what they did blackmails them and one is left dead to kick off this action filled thriller. 

I love having the different point of views and learning about each of the character separately before them all coming together in the last quarter of the book. Jenna moved on from her past & was trying to live a normal life with a family. Donnie is an aging rockstar who has let his addictions get the best of him and Nico is a television producer whose vice is gambling. Even with all seemingly having moved on from their traumatic teen years, it still haunts them. Each voice was clearly defined and you got to know their personalities. 

I am a fan of when a book takes place within a short time frame. The sequence of events in this all took place within a few days which kept the pace moving quick.

As being a Pennsylvania resident about 2 hours outside of Philly, I love the little tidbits of Philly being thrown in. The Troc reference gave me a fist pump as I saw a few shows there before it closed. 

My only critique of this would be I wish there had been more of a distinguish when it was a flashback vs present time. It would just seamless go into it with brief cues or even starting chapters in a flashback. Maybe if it would be all italicized or page breaks to indicate that this section was a flashback. I think had this been audio it could have been easily lost.

I could not stop reading this as we got to the unraveling of truths. I was sucked into the action and there were a few twists including in the epilogue. 

Thank you so much to PRH Audio for the complimentary gifted copy of this book! 

I have finally read my very first Chloe Liese book and I know it won't be my last!
I have been promising friends that I would get to the Bergman brothers books and this may be my push that I need to just do it.   This was a great introduction to her as it is the first of a new series.

I love with audio when we have two narrators for the respective characters. And I have to say the male narrator of this MADE ME SWOON SO MUCH. He really brought Jamie's character to life. 

Beatrice was such a great female MC. It is still refreshing to see neurodivergent characters in books and more importantly that they deserve to have love in their lives. Also Beatrice being pansexual was not something I was expecting as well so that was nice to have represented as well. 

I love the tension between the two - starting off as revenge fake dating then friends to lovers. I really enjoyed the balance between the two that they gave one another. I also loved seeing Beatrice's relationship with her twin sister. An unexpected turn happened in the 4th quarter of the book and Bea stopped everything and was at her sister's side. It was such a lovely thought that she wouldn't have second guess ever doing. 

I am happy that I finally broke my Chloe seal and can't wait to read more from her.