stephsbooktalk's Reviews (915)

I was so intrigued and kept seeing this when it first came out. The book started off really strong but then towards the end I kind of was lost? Could it be that I was distracted with work and my mind was elsewhere? Perhaps.  

This book was definitely heavy in topics especially for a YA which as an adult I was happy about. 
I really enjoyed the premises and it amazed me how many grown up problems/situations that these teenagers are put in. As much as I want to be naive to think that it doesn't happen, what is scarier is that I am sure teenagers are put into the adult world. 

The epilogue/bonus chapter really threw me off but after talking to a book friend it sounds like it tied to Summers first book Sadie which I have not read. 

I regret sleeping on this book series for so LONG! I had been told from numerous groups of people that I needed to read this in any sort of capacity. I own this book on all the formats, digital, physical and then I borrowed from the library for the audio so there was no shortage of how I could consume this. 

I just love that this is majority from the male POV which we do not see often in romance books. We would get dual POVs but this is not like that. I love that this the male MC is a baseball player who is trying to repair his marriage by reading romance novels to woe her again. It's just such a unique take on a romance that was fresh. I was rooting for the couple the whole time and had this not had a HEA I would've rioted. 

Also hello it's Teddy Hamilton/Andrew Eiden doing the narration so you know it's going to at least sound good. And this is how much of a pop culture junkie I am. I was very excited when I saw the second audiobook narrator listed - Maxwell Caulfield who is Mr. Cool Rider himself, Michael from Grease 2. 

This one was such a fabulous read!!!
I had heard that this was good and couldn't wait until my Libby request through my library came up to give it a listen. I thought this was a unique twist on a trope. I had no idea that the bodyguard was going to be the female MC! I have been really into the celebrity trope in books and this one was no exception. There was a moment that made me gasp because even though I should've seen it coming, I did not and even texted my friend at my shock. Of course she told me to keep going. 

If you are looking for a quick listen romance book, give this one a try!

I am testing my memory in this audiobook. 
I remember it being cute and charming but nothing really stood out.
A lot of other readers loved this one so don't take my word on it. 

Thank you to PRH audio for the complimentary audio of this! 

This book was such a beautiful book! I wasn't sure what to expect from this as I've mentioned before I don't really read synopsis before starting to read a book. 

This book gave me Fredrik Backman vibes from when I was reading Beartown. I love when characters are woven together even if it's a small connection that links them.  

This story has so much heart and hope (pun not intended). I thought the writing was beautiful and the pacing was good. I was intrigued from the start and kept wanting to see what was going to happen to the characters. 

The book is under 300 pages and Joella was able to punch a lot of into those pages without it being too much in a short time. 

Ethan, I am upset at you for what Luke. That is all I will say about that. 

Thank you so much to Oliva Dade, Avon & NetGalley for an advance copy of this!

This book is the 3rd book in the Spoiler Alert series and follows Maria and Peter as they embark on filming on a remote island for 6 years. They had a brief hook up and each thought they would never see one another again but fate had other plans. 

I wanted to like this book more. There were parts that I really enjoyed and then other areas that I felt could have been eliminated or edited down. I just couldn't connect with the two MCs and their love for one another. 

The first half took me longer than I had expected to get through but it really picked up for me in the 2nd half.  Even though the conflict in the 2nd half seemed a little juvenile and I got really annoyed with Maria over it, the conflict helped propel the text for me. They both were being selfish in that moment but I took Peter's side in the argument. 

One thing I love about Olivia and will always be a fan of is that she has a wonderful way of writing about plus size characters. This one not only had a female plus size MC but a plus size man. Which honestly I think he may be the hottest MC out of all the 3 books - beard, check, belly, check! There was very minimal fatphobia and was shut down immediately. Both MCs were comfortable in their body which made it so refreshing to read. Their characters could just be them and have it not be something between them. 

I don't think this was as spicy as her prior books but that doesn't mean this didn't lack any spice. The book started off with a sex scene right in the first chapter when we met the 2 MCs as a one night stand. 

I also paired this book with the audio and Kelsey Narravo is such a good narrator. She was able to give Maria & Peter their own voice give them some texture. 

This wasn't my fave but don't just consider my review. Other book friends love this book.
I still will recommend this series to romance friends. 

I also love that we got a sprinkle of our former MCs sprinkled throughout the book. I have missed Marcus, April, Alex and Lauren!  I am very excited to see what is next for Olivia.

Thank you so much to Kennedy Ryan, Forever and NetGalley for an advance copy of this!

Wowzer! This is my first Kennedy Ryan book and I think I picked a good one to start with. I have heard so much about her writing and I own her Hoops & Grip series which I really want to read now. Kennedy's writing so smooth and the most realistic I have ever read. 

Quick recap: Yasmen & Josiah are a divorce couple who went through two hard losses back to back. For the last 2 years they had been amicable for the sake of their two children Deja and Kassim. The two just cannot get past their undenying love for one another. Can they move on from their past and rebuild their future? 

As I mentioned above, Ryan's writing shines a light on real things couples go through. I am a huge fan of rom coms and swoon worthy moments from the MMC but in this you do not get that. You get heart, complicated family dynamics, loss and healing. In the span of 400 pages, you are taken on this journey that is so beautiful. 

"Grief is a grind. It is the work of breathing and waking and rising and moving through a world that feels emptier. A gaping hole has been torn into your existence, and everyone around you just walks right past it like it's not even there." 

I love that Ryan talked about topics that are not typically found in romance books. You have characters who are in therapy, mental health, death, stillbirths and depiction of being depressed.  The positive light of the power of therapy is important for all - young and old. It is healthy to have these conversations with individuals who can help you.

I have never experienced the type of loss that Yasmen & Josiah did with the loss of their son Henry, but the way Ryan wrote about it and the pain afterwards was similar to my feelings when I had my miscarriages. Specifically when talking about Josiah.  This line especially got to me, spoken by Yasmen, "You never talk about him. You've never cried for him."  My husband and I had many emotional conversations after our miscarriages as I was so frustrated at him for not grieving the same way that I did. Just like Yasmen, I wonder why are you not crying like I am? Why are you not heartbroken like I am? Brillant. 

"You're not a robot. You're human." 

Another relationship I enjoyed watching develop over the course of the book was Yasmen's relationship with her eldest daughter Deja. She is at an age where her mom is not cool and everything that she does is deemed wrong. We later learn why Deja is so angry at her mom but before then seeing how Yasmen tries to dance a delicate dance with her daughter on making things right between them. Small changes lead to big results.  

Rumor had it that Kennedy Ryan can write some pretty good spicy scenes and I can tell you that is 100% the truth.  Even with all the serious conversations throughout the book, there was no shortage of intimacy. I can't speak enough about the realistic images you have while reading this book.  It was just so beautiful. 

Thank you Kennedy for this wonderful book for the universe to enjoy & love. 

PS: I am definitely going to try the corn pudding & sweet potato pie pancakes! 

Thank you so much to Alison Cochrun, Atria Books & NetGalley for this advance copy of your book! 

"On a snow day in Portland, you could fall in love."

Kiss Her Once for Me was such a delight to read and gave me all the holiday magic feels! 

Quick recap: Ellie met Jack last Christmas and after a magical 24 hours ago, she has never heard or seen from her again. Their paths never crossed until a year later when Ellie is asked to be fake engaged to Andrew the owner of property where she works only to discover that he is the brother of Jack. 

I LOVE the concept of this book!! I have never seen While You Were Sleeping (which I definitely need to make sure I find to watch this holiday season) but I do remember seeing it listed on the TV Guide channel. This was also my first book that had the topic of marriage of convenience which I didn't think I would enjoy but I did. I am wondering if its because in this case it was link to fake dating which is one of my favorite tropes. 

Cochrun has such a way with dialogue and banter that you can't help but smile while reading. The same charm is here as there was with her debut novel The Charm Offensive. You cannot help but root for the MC and her love interest, Jack.  

"You have to stop letting your fear of failure keep you from letting people in." 

My heart went out to Ellie because she was trying SO hard to just make it through life daily but always was getting knocked down. The growth from the beginning to the last 25% of the book made me so happy. I was happy she set a boundary up between herself and her mom. I am fairly certain my blood pressure rose every time she called Ellie. I was so happy she was able to take these small connections and develop this new found family that is supportive. 

One thing that I love about Alison's writing and this was captured in her debut as well as in this is her way of having a lot of diverse characters. It is SO refreshing to see sexual identities that are not normally found in romance books. I look forward to seeing what she has up her sleeve next! 

My only two small critiques were: The repetition of failure and then those around her constantly telling her how she didn't fail. I think it was done a little more than I needed.  The other was the webcomic add ins as it told Ellie and Jack's story but I could have done without them. I found myself wanting to get back to the present day text.  I understood the importance of both of these as it told the backstory and aided in the anxiety of why Ellie was the way she is. 

The way Alison writes about the Pacific Northwest makes me want to travel out there even more than I already wanted to. It seems like such a beautiful place to visit and just to experience in person. 

One of my favorite things that authors do is have some sort of media attached to their book that takes it outside of the book In this case, Alison has made playlist for not only the book for Jack's character. This playlist is referenced in the book so it's awesome to have it there to listen to. Just scanning through it, my little 90s-00s pop heart is bursting over the song choices that takes me back to simpler times. 

PS: The line that I felt attacked by was: "Honesty game: what is your favorite Taylor Swift album, and why is it Evermore?"  I mean come on, it clearly is her BEST album.  It's also no surprise that I do this book as the author was inspired by Taylor's song "Tis The Damn Season" which is a top song of hers for me. Major kudos all around! 

Thank you to Tessa Bailey for gifting me an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Whew this one was a doozy! There were definitely elements of this book that I absolutely loved and other elements that I realized were not for me. 

"The meeting between the four of us is starting to feel less like happenstance and more like fate."

Elise has dreams of being a reporter. She had a hunch about a lead and was on the cusp of getting caught she takes off. She gets on the tram that suddenly is at a stand still. Elise is not alone but instead trapped with 3 men - Tobias, a British former porn star; Banks, a regal rugby coach; Gabe, lovable union worker. And for some reason they are all drawn to each other in ways none of them can explain.  Can they resist each other? Will she get her front page newstory? 

"I want to punch him in the face and feel him on top of me at the same time." 

I love that Elise had relationships with each man and they each brought different things to her life. Even for myself I think I have loved each of them for different reasons - Gabe is humble & a giant teddy bear, Banks is strong & a protective figure and Tobias is a flirt but with a big heart. They each grew so much from the start of the book even up until the end pre epilogue. I could have seen Elise with each of the men if this had been a traditional couple book.

"We're no longer individuals. Not right now. We're simply Elise's." 

I am pretty certain that this is the spiciest book I have read. Tessa Bailey definitely knows how to make the cheeks blush and depicts such vivid imagery of this suggested acts. I consider myself to be pretty open minded in items that I read and what I believe. But she made it SO believable that it made me realize that foursomes are not my thing. If you think it could be yours, then you will love this! If you are not sure that you would like it, give it a try! Even though I was not a fan of some of the sexual content (looking at you chapter 21), I still enjoyed the book as a whole.  

Tessa is a phenomenal romance writer and will forever be an autobuy for me. 
And I hope she continues to test my romance reading and have me fall in love with new tropes/taboos as well as realize what is not for me. 

Reread: I am 3/4 done with my Emily Henry re-read and this one I think has become my favorite. I just absolutely love the banter between Nora and Charlie. Their chemistry just comes off the page and Julia Whelan is such a fantastic narrator that she just sucks me in with her voices. 

Absolutely loved it even more the 2nd time around. 

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Thank you to Libro FM for the gifted copy of this book! 

I know I know I know. Just like with Beach Read, I am a little late on my reading of this one too. 
Once again, I don't know what to say that hasn't already been said. I knew after I finished Beach Read that I couldn't wait and had to go right into this one.

I love the dynamic between Nora and Charlie. I would even consider this to be a grumpy & grumpy trope. Their connection, their banter just everything was great. I also loved Nora's relationship with her sister Libby. It was not perfect and had its ups & downs. 

Give me all of Emily Henry books. 
She continues to write such perfect book boyfriends. 
Charlie may be my favorite of the 3 book boyfriends??! 

And since we are getting a PWMOV movie, I really think we need to work on the other 2 as they are much stronger than PWMOV. Also I selfishly want the bonus scene to be filmed. 

Julia Whelan narrated all 3 and even though I don't like it when the same narrator reads within the same series (even though these are technically stand alones), this is an exception. She has such a skill that is unmatched. I know I am in for an enjoyable listen when she does the narration.