This was fantastic! There is something about Sarina Bowen’s writing that works for me oThis review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
This was fantastic! There is something about Sarina Bowen’s writing that works for me on every level. I don’t think that I even read this book’s description before diving in because I knew that it would be a good one. And it was. Nash and Livia were wonderful characters and the chemistry between them was palpable. Once I started listening to this book, I didn’t want to stop until these characters found the happily ever after that they deserved.
Livia is trying to stay hidden. Her ex is looking for her and it won’t be good if he finds her. She has found a place that seems to be perfect for her where she can stay off her ex’s radar. She likes working at the brewery and does a great job with the books (and the cranky owner). When a stranger walks into the brewery, she is spooked and calls the police only to discover that it is one of the owner’s sons, Nash. Nash remembers the woman who walked away from him after a night of flirting at the bar and is surprised to come face to face with her after dealing with the police at the brewery. Nash stays to help out for a bit and becomes Livia’s roommate in addition to working with her.
I liked Livia and Nash together. Livia has had to deal with some horrible situations and is trying to make the best of it. I couldn’t wait to find out exactly what happened with Livia’s ex but my gut told me that it had to be bad. Nash takes everything he learns in stride and takes steps to ensure Livia’s safety. This pair was absolutely perfect together. I really appreciated the way that they communicated with one another.
I listened to the audiobook and thought that Samantha Brentmoor and Tim Paige did a great job with the narration. I thought that both narrators were able to bring the characters to life through their reading. I found both voices to be quite pleasant and believe that they complimented each other quite nicely. They added just the right amount of emotion to their reading to take the story to the next level and I am certain that their performance added to my overall enjoyment.
I would recommend this book to others. This is the second book in the Giltmaker series but it reads perfectly fine as a stand alone. I fell in love with these characters and couldn’t wait to see exactly how things would work out for them. I cannot wait to read more of Sarina Bowen’s work!
I received a review copy of this book from Tuxbury Publishing LLC....more
Initial Thoughts Oh, I loved this! Ada and Wes were wonderful characters and they had sizzling chemistry with each other right out of the gate. It was Initial Thoughts Oh, I loved this! Ada and Wes were wonderful characters and they had sizzling chemistry with each other right out of the gate. It was fun watching them try to keep things professional when it was obvious that it was just a matter of time. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Vanessa Edwin and the great Teddy Hamilton. The narrators did a phenomenal job with this story.
Review copy provided by the publisher. Full review to be posted soon....more
I had such a good time with this book! After reading quite a few positive reviews for tThis review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I had such a good time with this book! After reading quite a few positive reviews for this book, I decided to give it a go myself, and it was everything I had hoped it would be. Emmy and Luke were fantastic characters and I wanted nothing more than to see them find their happily ever after. Once I started listening to this gem, I did not want to stop!
Emmy moved back home to her family’s ranch after a riding accident left her unable to get back on a horse. This is a big problem since she races horses for a living. Luke is her brother’s best friend and has always been almost like a member of the family. When Luke offers to help her get over her fears so that she can ride again, she takes him up on that offer. The chemistry between this pair is palpable and they can’t resist each other for very long.
These two were perfect together. Even though they have known each other for years, I felt like they truly learned to understand each other once they spent some time together. It was great to see them fall for one another. I liked that they were able to help each other work through some things and stood up for each other when necessary. The secondary characters were incredibly well-developed and added a lot to the story. I can’t wait to see more of them in future books in the series.
Aaron Shedlock and Stella Hunter did a fantastic job with the narration of this romance. I thought that they were both able to bring their characters to life which added to my enjoyment. Both narrators had very pleasant voices which complimented each other’s very nicely. I thought that they were able to add just the right amount of emotion to their reading which helped to heighten the listening experience. I would not hesitate to recommend this book to others. This was a fun romance with characters that were easy to fall for. I cannot wait to read more of this entertaining series.
I received a review copy of this audiobook from Penguin Random House Audio....more
This book is simply not working for me. I feel like most of the story has been Mabel's inner monologue, and it is just taking me out of the sdnf @ 50%
This book is simply not working for me. I feel like most of the story has been Mabel's inner monologue, and it is just taking me out of the story. I feel no connection to either of these characters and there seems to be no chemistry between them. Unfortunately, I am not invested in the outcome of the story.
My Thoughts This was good! I tend to enjoy the fake dating trope so I was pretty excited to read this book and I was not disappointed. Emma and Sean weMy Thoughts This was good! I tend to enjoy the fake dating trope so I was pretty excited to read this book and I was not disappointed. Emma and Sean were great together and I loved getting the chance to check in on characters from previous installments in the series. I listened to the audiobook and thought that the narrator did a great job with the story.
My Thoughts This is the third piece of the story. I hate that they broke this up into 3 parts, but it is what it is. Panther and Solo are a couple at tMy Thoughts This is the third piece of the story. I hate that they broke this up into 3 parts, but it is what it is. Panther and Solo are a couple at this point, and they are worried about what will happen after graduation. They have a couple of obstacles and some feelings to work through. I listened to the audiobook and thought both narrators did a great job with the story.
My Thoughts Nothing earth-shattering here. This was a somewhat entertaining spicy gay Top Gun retelling. The parts of the story that reminded me of theMy Thoughts Nothing earth-shattering here. This was a somewhat entertaining spicy gay Top Gun retelling. The parts of the story that reminded me of the movie were fun. I didn't really feel like we got to know these characters all that well so I wasn't too invested. I listened to the audiobook and thought that the narrators did a great job with the story.
This was wonderful! I am about the same age as the characters in this book, so I loved This review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
This was wonderful! I am about the same age as the characters in this book, so I loved taking a peek back at the not-so-distant past. I have fond memories of life before everyone was tethered to a cell phone and enjoyed reading a romance set in the same period when I was young and going on dates myself. I found this story to be incredibly entertaining and had a very hard time putting it down once I got started with it.
Luke, a former child star, has come to town to work as a producing director on a television show. He does not drive anymore and wants to relearn the skill. Dani is certain that she does not want children after helping to care for her numerous siblings growing up. She cannot find a doctor willing to perform a tubal ligation because she is young and unmarried. The pair decide to help each other get what they want and grow closer than they expected in the process. I liked Luke and Dani and thought they were perfect together. The chemistry between them was incredibly well written and I loved how they were able to help each other through a few things.
I listened to the audiobook and thought Alastair Haynesbridge and Amy McFadden did a great job with this story. I found both of their voices to be very pleasant and thought that they complimented each other’s voices very well. I enjoyed the fact that both narrators were able to bring a lot of emotion to their reading which helped to bring the story to life. I had no problem listening to this audiobook for hours at a time and am certain that their performance added to my overall enjoyment of the story.
I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this book to others. This is the third book in the Carolina Classics series but works perfectly well as a stand-alone. I had a great time getting to know this pair of characters and couldn’t wait to see them find their happily ever after. I am a fan of Karen Grey’s writing and look forward to reading more of her work in the future.
I received a digital review copy of this audiobook from the author....more
I enjoyed this one! The book started rather slow for me but after a few chapters thingsThis review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I enjoyed this one! The book started rather slow for me but after a few chapters things picked up. I liked Harrow and Raith. Their instant connection felt very real and I couldn’t wait to see how things would develop. This book was a bit spicer than I expected, which wasn’t a bad thing, just unexpected. Overall, I found this to be an entertaining read.
Harrow has spent the last 50 years telling fortunes with the traveling circus, keeping the fact that she is the world’s last Seer a secret. When she sees Raith, she is drawn to him and knows that they need to leave the circus to keep him safe. Raith has no memories of his past but he feels the connection to Harrow and wants to keep her safe. There were a few twists and turns that I could guess pretty early on but that didn’t impact my enjoyment.
I thought that the chemistry between Harrow and Raith was well done. They both felt a connection to each other and I thought that it felt very real. They both go through a lot in this book and I liked that we get quite a bit of excitement before the story wraps up. I thought it was interesting to learn more about each character’s past as we worked our way through this story.
I would recommend this book to others. It wasn’t a perfect story but I found it to be a lot of fun in the end. I liked a few of the secondary characters quite a bit and hope we see more of them in future installments in this series.
I received a review copy of this book from Red Tower Books....more
This was a fun romance! I tend to be drawn to books that involve books. I have read quiThis review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
This was a fun romance! I tend to be drawn to books that involve books. I have read quite a few books set in bookstores but I think this was the first book that featured bookbinding as well, which I found very interesting. This story grabbed me right away, and I wanted to read it at every opportunity I could find. I am so glad that I took a chance and picked this one up.
Sera and Wes were great characters and I thought their relationship felt very authentic. The pair got off to a really bad start but I am glad that Sera was able to give Wes a chance after that initial meeting. They both have some pretty big issues from their past that they are dealing with and I was happy to see both characters finally move forward with their lives. There was a colorful cast of secondary characters that added a lot to this story and I hope to see more of them in future installments.
I would not hesitate to recommend this book to others. I thought that this was a fun romance filled with great characters. I love that the story dealt with grief, trust, friendship, and family relationships, in addition to a heartfelt romance. I look forward to reading more of this delightful series.
I received a review copy of this book from Afterglow Books by Harlequin....more
This was fabulous! I have loved everything that I have read from this author so far so This review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
This was fabulous! I have loved everything that I have read from this author so far so I went into this book with some pretty high expectations and I am happy to report that I was not disappointed. The writing was gorgeous and the characters were very likable. The story hooked me quickly and I couldn’t wait to see what would happen to Effy and Preston.
Effy is a first-year architecture student. She would love to study literature instead but women are not allowed in the program. When she sees the chance to possibly work on designing the home her favorite author’s home she jumps at the chance. Once she arrives, she finds the home is in further disrepair than she imagined and there is another student doing work in the home. Preston is there as a literature student. As they look into things, they discover that they have even more questions than they thought.
I loved the characters in this book. It was obvious early on that Effy had an interesting history and I loved the way that the author gave us that background a little at a time throughout the story. Effy and Preston were a great match and I enjoyed watching them connect over the course of the story. The dark gothic setting was so well-developed that it almost came alive on the page.
I paired the audiobook with a digital copy and thought that Saskia Maarlevald did a phenomenal job with the narration. I have been a fan of her narration work in the past so I was excited to see that she was reading this story. She did a wonderful job with the various character voices which helped to bring the story to life. I am certain that her narration added to my enjoyment of this story. Overall, I thought that this was a wonderful book that will be going on my keeper shelf and I would not hesitate to recommend this book to others.
I received a digital review copy of this book from Harper Teen.
This was fabulous! I have loved everything that I have read from this author so far so I went into this book with some pretty high expectations and I am happy to report that I was not disappointed. The writing was gorgeous and the characters were very likable. The story hooked me quickly and I couldn’t wait to see what would happen to Effy and Preston.
Effy is a first-year architecture student. She would love to study literature instead but women are not allowed in the program. When she sees the chance to possibly work on designing the home her favorite author’s home she jumps at the chance. Once she arrives, she finds the home is in further disrepair than she imagined and there is another student doing work in the home. Preston is there as a literature student. As they look into things, they discover that they have even more questions than they thought.
I loved the characters in this book. It was obvious early on that Effy had an interesting history and I loved the way that the author gave us that background a little at a time throughout the story. Effy and Preston were a great match and I enjoyed watching them connect over the course of the story. The dark gothic setting was so well-developed that it almost came alive on the page.
I paired the audiobook with a digital copy and thought that Saskia Maarlevald did a phenomenal job with the narration. I have been a fan of her narration work in the past so I was excited to see that she was reading this story. She did a wonderful job with the various character voices which helped to bring the story to life. I am certain that her narration added to my enjoyment of this story. Overall, I thought that this was a wonderful book that will be going on my keeper shelf and I would not hesitate to recommend this book to others.
I received a digital review copy of this book from Harper Teen....more
I enjoyed this one! I am a sucker for dark academia so I was very excited to give this This review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I enjoyed this one! I am a sucker for dark academia so I was very excited to give this book a try. I loved the gothic feel of the story and liked Corvina right away. It took me a minute to warm up to Vad but I did end up liking his character as well. I loved that the story kept me guessing and there were a few twists and turns that completely surprised me. I had a hard time putting this entertaining book down once I started reading.
When Corvina is invited to attend the University of Verenmore, she doesn’t hesitate. Since her mother is no longer at home, nothing is holding her back. She is a little older than other incoming students but quickly starts to form a bond with her new roommate. Then she meets Vad, who just happens to be a professor, and they are immediately drawn to each other. Some strange things are happening at the university and Corvina and Vad hope to figure out what is going on before someone else disappears.
I wasn’t sure about Corvina and Vad at first but I was eventually convinced. He is a professor at the school but he is also a thesis student so the lines are a little more blurred. There isn’t much of an age gap between the pair but Corvina was a lot more innocent. I thought that the chemistry between the pair was palpable. The emotional connection between these characters felt authentic and I wanted to see them find their happily ever after.
I ended up grabbing a copy of the audiobook and thought that Aiden Snow and Scarlett Dorian did an amazing job with this story. I am not sure if I have listened to either of these narrators’ work in the past but I appreciated their performance with this story. I liked the fact that they were able to capture the characters’ personalities through their reading which added a lot to my enjoyment of the story. I would not hesitate to recommend this entertaining and atmospheric romance to others.
I received a review copy of this book from Bramble....more
I loved this book! Garrett Graham was a stand-out character for me in the Off-Campus seThis review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I loved this book! Garrett Graham was a stand-out character for me in the Off-Campus series so I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a book featuring his daughter, Gigi. While this book kicks off the new Campus Diaries series, I had a lot of fun seeing my favorite characters from the Off-Campus series make an appearance in this book. This book would work well as a stand-alone but I think that readers of the other books set in this world may get just a bit more out of the novel.
Gigi and Ryder were fantastic together and I loved the fact that they had hockey in common. Gigi and Ryder were both excellent in the sport and understood each other’s dedication and were able to help one another. I thought that they had wonderful chemistry together and there was enough spice to keep things very interesting. I loved the humor that was worked into the story and found myself laughing out loud more than once while listening to this story which rarely happens.
CJ Bloom and Teddy Hamilton did an amazing job of bringing this story to life. I thought that both of the narrators were able to add just the right amount of emotion to their reading to take the book to the next level. The humor of the story really shined during the performance which added a lot to the experience for me. I loved every moment of this audiobook and found it very hard to set aside. I am certain that the narration added to my overall enjoyment of this delightful novel.
I would highly recommend this book to others. I have realized that I have a soft spot for hockey romances and the humor in this story took my enjoyment to the next level. I cannot wait to read more of this entertaining series!
Initial Thoughts I just loved Landon and Casey! Landon gets called up to the NHL and meets one of the star players, Casey, who happens to be a very friInitial Thoughts I just loved Landon and Casey! Landon gets called up to the NHL and meets one of the star players, Casey, who happens to be a very friendly man. Casey eventually invites Landon to live in his house while he plays with the team until the injured goalies can return. They are both dealing with some issues. Casey hates being alone, which is a problem when you live by yourself in a huge house. Landon is working his way through grief after losing someone close to him. As they spend more time together, they form a friendship and huge crushes on one another. I thought that the chemistry between this pair was very well done. The romance is a little more slow burn but it was nice to see things build between the pair. I listened to the audiobook and thought that the narrator did a great job with the story.
Review copy provided by the publisher. Full review to be posted soon....more
I had a fantastic time with this book! It is no secret that I am a huge fan of Sarina BThis review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I had a fantastic time with this book! It is no secret that I am a huge fan of Sarina Bowen’s writing so I was pretty eager to get my hands on this newest book. It didn’t take long for me to fall head over heels in love with Tommaso and Carter. It was obvious that these two men belonged together and I couldn’t wait to watch their romance unfold. This was just one of those audiobooks that was almost impossible to put down once I started listening.
Carter is not in a good place. His interior design business is failing after a wealthy client refused to pay and his partner left town leaving him alone to deal with the aftermath. Tommaso is new to the area and needs furniture because he is living in an empty apartment. It is a perfect match when they run into each other and Tommaso hires Carter to design and furnish his home. As they spend more time together, it quickly becomes obvious that their connection is deeper than they could have imagined.
I liked both of these characters. Carter doesn’t hide who he is and tries hard not to overstep. Tommaso is a professional hockey player which makes it a little harder to be his true self since he lives his life in the spotlight. The chemistry between these two was palpable and I could feel just how much they cared for each other. I had a great time watching these two figure things out.
The audiobook narration was amazing. I mean Teddy Hamilton and Jacob Morgan are really a dream team and they brought their A game. The story is told from two points of view so I appreciated the use of two different narrators which really helped to bring these characters to life. I feel like they both had very pleasant voices which complimented one another’s very nicely. I am certain that their narration only added to my overall enjoyment of this wonderful audiobook. I would highly recommend this book to others. It was a great story featuring two very likable characters with a lot of chemistry. I cannot wait to read more of Sarina Bowen’s work!
I received a review copy of this audiobook from Tuxbury Publishing LLC....more
Initial Thoughts I was so excited when I learned that Ali Hazelwood was writing a Vampyre/Werewolf book. I tend to enjoy paranormal romances so I couldInitial Thoughts I was so excited when I learned that Ali Hazelwood was writing a Vampyre/Werewolf book. I tend to enjoy paranormal romances so I couldn't wait to get my hands on this one. I adored this book! Misery's marriage to the Alpha Werewolf, Lowe, is arranged by her powerful father. Tensions between Vampyres and Weres are high so she doesn't exactly fit in right away. I loved watching Misery and Lowe get to know each other and the underlying mystery kept me guessing until the end. This may be my favorite Ali Hazelwood book to date!
Review copy provided by the publisher. Full review to be posted closer to the publication date....more
I loved this! Who knew that the world of chess could be so exciting?! It definitely didThis review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I loved this! Who knew that the world of chess could be so exciting?! It definitely did not seem exciting when I sat at tournaments all day when my daughter was on the chess team. Sorry, kiddo. I actually found myself drawn to the part of the book that talked directly about the world of chess and the stress of the game. Ali Hazelwood has done a fantastic job with her YA Debut!
I liked Mallory and Nolan a lot and thought that they were great together but I really felt like this was Mallory’s story more than anything. She has incredible talent but gave up chess and feels like it is her responsibility to take care of her family. When she gets pulled back into the chess world, she promises herself to look at it as only a job. Nolan and Mallory had a whole lot in common and I loved watching them grow closer over the course of the story.
I listened to the audiobook and thought that Karissa Vacker did an amazing job with the story. I loved how much emotion was was able to add to her voice which really pulled me into the story. This narrator is quickly becoming a favorite of mine and this book is a perfect example of her work. I am certain that her performance only added to my enjoyment of this book.
I would recommend this book to others. I thought that this was a wonderful romance featuring characters that were easy to like. Mallory and Nolan had both been though a lot and I had a great time watching them find happiness with each other.
I received a review copy of this book from G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers and Penguin Random House Audio....more
Initial Thoughts Why did I wait so long to read this book?! Shane and Ilya were amazing together. They had so much chemistry and there were quite a fewInitial Thoughts Why did I wait so long to read this book?! Shane and Ilya were amazing together. They had so much chemistry and there were quite a few steamy scenes. The enemies to lovers progression of their relationship was perfection. I had a great time watching this pair try to figure things out. I listened to the audiobook and thought that the narrator did a much better job with this installment than he did the first book in the series. I think that I am going to dive right into the next chapter of Shane and Ilya's story.
I liked this book but it wasn’t perfect. I liked Niamh and Kit and wanted to see thingsThis review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I liked this book but it wasn’t perfect. I liked Niamh and Kit and wanted to see things work out for them. I thought that Niamh’s ability to magically weave emotions and memories into the clothes that she makes was incredibly interesting and I really would have liked to learn more about it, and the rest of the magic system than we are given. The romance between Niamh and Kit was my favorite part of the story but it was not without its challenges since Kit is a prince and happens to already be betrothed.
I loved the fact that Kit was a bit of a grouch for much of the story. It took a bit for Niamh and Kit to fall for each other and it was fun to see them get to know one another. But this story was more than just a romance. There were a lot of things going on in the kingdom which left the story feeling overly busy at times and I felt that it bogged down a bit in the middle. I found the secondary characters to be interesting and thought that they added a lot to the story.
I listened to the audiobook and thought that Fran Burgoyne did a wonderful job with the story. I found her voice to be very pleasant and I had no problem listening for hours at a time. I liked the various voices that she used, which helped to bring the story to life. I believe that her performance added to my overall enjoyment of this story. I think that a lot of readers will like this one even more than I did. I do hope to read more of this author’s work in the future.
I received a review copy of this book from Wednesday Books and Macmillan Audio....more
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