The Spanish Love Deception - Elena Armas

Published: 23rd February 2021

Source: Purchased

Genre: Contemporary Romance

My Rating:

The first book I read in 2023 is to be my first review of the year and also my first review in who knows how long. Thank god my first read was such a winner because I’d hate to be posting with negativity when I’ve only just come back.

I admit I did start The Spanish Love Deception expecting to DNF so I suppose I started my year with a bit of a negative mindset but I was wrong. I’m always happy when that happens. I’d bought it a while back after it had appeared in my Twitter timeline and I’m sure I saw Nick raving about it. I mean, it’s fake dating so it was obviously an insta-buy for me in that way but the first time I attempted to read it last year I’d put it down as that first chapter did nothing for me. I figured it was a mood reading thing as I did buy it during the slump season of 2022. But, again, when I started it this year those first few chapters were rough and I had my doubts. Once things got going though I soon got what the hype was about. So I guess you could say there were a few pacing issues but honestly once you get invested in Lina and Aaron’s romance you won’t notice it.

As a romance novel told from a single POV, I did find I struggled a little with the character of Aaron. I loved him and it was obvious from the start he had feelings for Lina, she was one oblivious woman when it came to men, but I did feel he could have been developed slightly more from the beginning as he only became a fully fleshed human within the second part of the book. Until then he was a cardboard cutout of a romance hero. Maybe this was deliberate to show Lina also began to see him as a real person and not some fictional antagonist in her life but it meant I struggled to feel fully invested in this book until later on. That could have been a me issue, it just made me feel a little less invested in their romance and is probably why I struggled to get into the book. I did really enjoy the slow burn of this romance. Lina was always going to take a while to realise Aaron’s feelings for her were anything but pretend so it was fun seeing the ways she twisted things in her head to fit the narrative until she finally realised she was an idiot.

One thing which made me want to keep reading, despite the rough couple of chapters, was the casual sexism Lina had to suffer through at work. I’ve worked in an office for a while now and seen situations like this play out, not to the level seen in the book but those casual moments of sexism which make your blood boil. Like female members of staff being asked to make coffee for a group of managers when there were men in the room too and the manager's office was nearer to the kitchen and they could have done it then damn selves. It was infuriating seeing Alina go through that at the start and it definitely helped endear her to me because I wanted to see her do well. I admit I did want to see a bit more of her work situation than we got but since a lot of the book takes place in Spain I could see why that wouldn’t exactly fit well with the rest of the story.

This was a new to me, but this certainly won’t be the last book I read from her. Luckily for me, it took me so long to get to reading this release she has another book out already so that’s going on the shopping list. First, I need to try and get through a few more books but I can’t wait to read The American Roommate Experiment, fingers crossed it works just as well for me.

Have you read The Spanish Love Deception? I'm sure I'm the last one to get to it, what did you think? And what are your favourite fake relationship romances?

I’ve been reading a few fantasy romances and I thought I should talk about them. Do I think you should review every book you read? Hell no, but I also haven’t really reviewed anything this year and that’s a travesty. What is a book blog if I don’t tell you my thoughts on what I’ve read sometimes?

That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon (Mead Mishaps #1) – Kimberly Lemming

Published: 9th August 2021

Source: Kindle Unlimited

Genre: Fantasy romance

My Rating:

All I wanted to do was live my life in peace. Maybe get a cat, expand my spice farm. Really anything that doesn’t involve going on a quest where an orc might rip my face off. But they say the Goddess has favorites. If so, I’m clearly not one of them.

After saving the demon Fallon in a wine-drunk stupor, all he wanted to do was kill an evil witch enslaving his people.

I mean, I get it. Don't get me wrong. But he's dragging me along for the ride, and I'm kind of peeved about it. On the bright side, he keeps burning off his shirt.

I didn't go into this book expecting to love it, yet here we are.

That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon very much is what it says on the tin. The book is about Cinnamon, who gets drunk at a festival in her village and is stumbling on home when she stumbles across a man who appears to have been caught in a rockslide (or something like that, it's been a while and my memory has seen better days). Anyway, she helps him only to discover he isn’t a random hot guy injured in the woods but instead a random hot demon and demons are crazed and attack people. It's only the chosen warriors and their goddess who protects them. She does what any drunk woman in that kind of situation would do and hauls ass out of there and beats him with a stick of cinnamon when she gets cornered on her families spice farm. She manages to get into her house and the next day her family convinces her it was her drunk brain playing tricks. All good until Fallon rocks up to her house, introduces himself as said demon, and reveals that their whole religion was a lie and they need to go on a little quest to save the demons and kill their goddess who is actual some evil witch.

I know, it's a lot, and that's just the start of the book, there are just 200 pages to fit this whole adventure in. To be honest, if I wasn’t in that kind of mood I might I have just rolled my eyes at this fantasy romance book but I was in the mood for something fun and this book delivered on that front. It was a light hearted romance, while also being surprisingly sexy with a light touch of BDSM and it was a fantasy. I'm pretty sure this book delivered on the rom com vibes that are often in contemporary romance these days with a fantasy backdrop and you just don't get that often enough. Apparently, Kimberly Lemming began writing because she wanted a low angst fantasy romance book and that kind of book just didn't exist. Turns out I want that kind of book too, who knew?

I loved the character of Cinnamon (who likes to be called Cin, her parents really weren't inventive with the naming of their kids) she had me laughing from the start because she is just that fun, messy character who hasn't got life figured out yet. She was a homebody and avoided adventure ever since her sister died and so being drawn into Fallon's quest to destroy the chalices which granted the fake goddess power was very much something she did not want to do. But, she was persuaded to help just to see if he was bullshitting her or not with the tale of the crazed demons. He wasn't and she's off travelling to 4 temples to assist. I liked Cinnamon and I wanted good things for her because she had been hurt. And Fallon? I mean he was a smoking hot demon, like literally hot. He burnt off a few shirts through this book and that was not a bad thing. He was also so much fun and you could tell he was gone for Cin and I loved him for that. And once they finally got together? Like I said, this book surprised me that when it came to them sleeping together we were introduced to some light BDSM elements which I wasn't mad about. This truly was a mash up of a fantasy world and romance. Fantasy romance is usually so much heavier on the fantasy side and it make this book so refreshing to read.

It wasn't in any way perfect, though. I wish the secondary characters had been more developed. They were fun when they appeared, but I think with a longer book they could have been developed more and had more interaction with our MCs to make them feel fully developed. The pacing was off in places. It began a bit slow and then got it's footing when the quest first began, but then it felt rushed to the end to cover them destroying these chalices and that was a little frustrating to read. I enjoyed it, but it's something to be aware of.

I don't want to focus on the negatives though because this felt refreshing. This was like fantasy romance, but light hearted fantasy romance. Kimberley Lemming has helped to develop the lighter romances that mainstream publishers would probably overlook. Fantasy does not need to be angsty and world ending every time, sometimes we just want to escape the real world and want to do it in a fantasy world and that's what you get here. I want more books like this because I don't always want to feel like it's hard work to read something.

Mistlefoe (A Mead Realm Tale) – Kimberly Lemming

Published: 25th December 2021

Source: Kindle Unlimited

Genre: Fantasy romance

My Rating:

It's all fun and games until someone catches feelings

Fate sends me straight into the lion's den. Or rather, the fox's den. After my dad trespassed into a powerful fox demon's territory, our family is struck with a powerful curse. Now, to remove it, I'll have to appeal to the demon's better nature.

Easier said than done. That arrogant fox demon won't be swayed by an apology basket full of treats. He does, however, need a fake mate for a week-long Winter Festival.

Though I'd be a liar if I didn't admit that our doting lovers' act was becoming harder by the day. The more time I spent with Lucca, the more his irresistible charms get under my skin. Deep down, I know it's all a game. But my heart just can't seem to get the memo. When our week-long affair comes to a close, will I really be able to walk away?

I figured I had to review the fun novella which Kimberley Lemming also wrote in this world, Mistlefoe. This was a lovely short novella, just 60 pages yet there was a lot of story packed in here. Ruby and her dad are blacksmith’s. It would be great if her foolish dad hadn’t gotten himself cursed for taking metals from a mine protected by a demon. Now all the weapons he crafts talk and the y like to talk dirty and sass the customers. Really not ideal. So Ruby goes to try and persuade the demon to release the curse in exchange for gifts. Lucca, the fox demon, agrees to remove the curse in exchange for Ruby pretending to be his mate at a week long demon Winter festival. She agrees, because why not right? Hilarity ensues.

How much more can I really say about this without totally spoiling it for you? Once again, Kimberley Lemming delivers on the light hearted romance with a fantasy backdrop. The characters are great and it was an easy story to read. I did get slightly frustrated that two women were arguing over a man and Ruby’s rival was really a caricature of the evil woman wanting attention but that was really a minor niggle, it was difficult to fully develop any other characters other than main couple in so few pages.

Kimberley Lemming did show me I am also dying to have more fake relationship stories with a fantasy backdrop. Or basically, just fake relationship books which aren’t just contemporary. If you know some recommend them in the comments because I cannot get enough of that trope.

Dragon Unleashed (Fallen Empire #2) – Grace Draven

Published: 9th June 2020

Source: Purchased

Genre: Fantasy romance

My Rating:

Magic is outlawed in the Krael Empire and punishable by death. Born with the gift of earth magic, the free trader Halani keeps her dangerous secret closely guarded. When her uncle buys a mysterious artifact, a piece of bone belonging to a long-dead draga, Halani knows it's far more than what it seems.

Dragas haven't been seen for more than a century, and most believe them extinct. They're wrong. Dragas still walk among the denizens of the Empire, disguised as humans. Malachus is a draga living on borrowed time. The magic that has protected him will soon turn on him--unless he finds a key part of his heritage. He has tracked it to a group of free traders, among them a grave-robbing earth witch who fascinates him as much as she frustrates him with her many secrets.

Unbeknownst to both, the Empire's twisted empress searches for a draga of her own, to capture and kill as a trophy. As Malachus the hunter becomes the hunted, Halani must risk herself and all she loves to save him from the Empire's machinations and his own lethal birthright.

I wasn’t sure if I should include my review for Dragon Unleashed in this post but it’s is one of the fantasy romance reads I’ve finished lately. It is the polar opposite of Kimberly Lemming’s books and I really should have had some in between books to cleanse the palate because the transition from light-hearted fun to tense and angsty fantasy was jarring.

I have mixed feelings about this book. When I started it I was convinced I was going to love it. Malachus was hunting for his mother bond which had been stolen and when he'd used the lightning to scry for it, he'd seen a woman with grey eyes who seemed to be linked with it. He needed to find that mother bond to be able to transform into a draga (dragon) otherwise he faced burning up as a human. It was all very tense and interesting and I was invested in his hunt. When he met Halani (who you might remember from the last books... if you're reading memory is better than mine) you could tell there was a spark. She was wary of him but he showed her mother kindness so she returned the favour when she stumbled across him half dead with arrow wounds.

It all sounds good, right? But the story moved at a medium pace at the start. You get the intro to the two characters; it establishes that Halani's uncle has the mother bond and wants to sell it but Halani knows it's being tracked and warns him to sell it quickly. It's at that point the plot sort of fell apart a little. Malachus knows Halani and the free traders are linked to his mother bond somehow but doesn't know how and so while he's recovering with them almost forgets about it totally which seems so strange when he'd been so obsessed with tracking it at the start. Then there's Halani who we know is a nice and caring woman and so she would seek to protect her family, so her warning her uncle to sell the mother bond and working to keep Malachus's attention away from finding it seems sensible. But for the length of time she did that, even whilst growing slower to Malachus, that's the part I found a little out of character for her. I think if she had been more conflicted about how close she was growing with him it would make sense, but the mother bond got forgotten about for half of the book and only came back when it could be used to drive the couple apart.

I did expect the secrets the two kept to be something I was bothered by, but I wasn't. I understood why Halani didn't bring the mother bond up, she only suspected Malachus was linked to it and wanted to protect her family. I understood why Malachus didn't reveal his quest or his true nature as draga, it's not exactly an every day conversation. But it definitely felt like their not talking was deliberate to create conflict later but boring conflict I wasn't invested in.

And, like I said, the first half (if not more) of the book is taken up with a whole lot of nothing. I think it was meant to show the developing romance between the two but I never truly believed in their romance. They lacked a bit of spark I would have liked, but then the plot all unfolds in the last 30% or whatever of the book. It just felt a little all over the place.

That being said, I liked the characters and it was an interesting story. I think I was a little more critical as I read this after reading That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon and that contrast was a lot. It isn't my favourite Grace Draven book but I did enjoy it. I just wish some things had been done better but what can you do?

And that is what I thought about a few fantasy romance reads I finished lately. Have you read any of these? And do you have any recommendations for either lighter fantasy romances or some featuring fake relationships or marriage of convenience?

Seducing the Sorcerer – Lee Welch

Published: 23rd September 2021

Source: Purchased

Genre: Fantasy, Romance, LGBTQ+

My Rating:

Homeless and jobless, Fenn Todd has nearly run out of hope. All he has left is his longing for horses and the strength of his own two hands. But when he’s cheated into accepting a very ugly sackcloth horse, he’s catapulted into a world of magic, politics and desire.

Fenn’s invited to stay at the black tower, home of the most terrifying man in the realm: Morgrim, the court sorcerer. Morgrim has a reputation as a scheming villain, but he seems surprisingly charming—and sexy—and Fenn falls hard for him.

However, nothing is as it seems and everyone at the tower is lying about something. Beset by evil hexes, violent political intrigue and a horse that eats eiderdowns, Fenn must make the hardest choices of his life.

Can a plain man like Fenn ever find true love with a scheming sorcerer?

Let's begin by saying Seducing the Sorcerer was 100% a Nick influenced purchase. I had seen her mention it on Twitter and as soon as I read her review of Seducing the Sorcerer over at The Infinite Limits of Love I knew I needed it in my life. It perfectly fit my reading mood and it was just such an easy read. It was exactly the perfect book for my mood as I've been reading a lot of fanfic after falling into a slight reading slump but the writing style and characters were lovely and it just perfectly fit my reading mood.

I wasn't certain at first as Fenn was a homeless drunk who seemed to have a weird obsession with horses. That is basically what you get from the first couple of pages anyway. I was seriously questioning what I was reading and if I was going to become invested. Luckily, after another couple of pages I swiftly retracted my initial thoughts as he wasn't a drunk, he simply got a bit caught up in his drink one night and made a the foolish decision to follow a fine looking horse. Who hasn't found themself drinking more than they intended? And he was homeless but, as I learnt later, it was because he couldn't allow himself to be restricted to a boring job stuck indoors which would suck the life out of him, instead he knew he needed to be out in nature. And I definitely know a few people who can relate to that job struggle. Fenn was simply a man down on his luck. He thinks his luck is becoming worse when he appears to have been duped after a hard days labour to be given a scarecrow of a horse made of sackcloth and sticks waiting for him instead of the knackered old horse he had been promised to be able to sell to the knackers yard himself for a bit of cash. He takes the cruel joke on the chin but that sackcloth horse had far more magic within than he realised and leads him off on a grand adventure to Morgrim's door. Fenn was easy to love as he might have appeared gruff and rough looking, he was an absolute sweetheart once you got to know him. He was so soft-hearted and any man who cared for animals as much as he did couldn't be anyone bad.

Morgrim should have been the grumpy one I was slow to warm to. He was the court sorcerer with a fearsome reputation as cold and uncaring, along with being scheming and manipulative. It was a reputation he was happy to nurture because having a reputation as such meant people would think twice about crossing him. I was suspicious of him taking Fenn and his magical horse in at first and did guess some of his reasons fairly quickly. But I could tell that his reputation was undeserved as he was so kind and he cared so much about people. He didn't become the court sorcerer to abuse his power but he wished to help people and give them the assistance he could and felt guilt over those he couldn't help when he felt he should. How could I not be charmed by him?

Fenn and Morgrim might have seemed like an odd couple. They had lead different lives until they met but they were both such kind men who did care about helping others. They balanced one another as well and I loved their slightly awkward courtship of being polite and making eyes at each other whilst Fenn went about simply fixing things and helping Morgrim with silly little tasks to show he could help care for Morgrim even if he wasn't what people would call a gentleman. Their romance seems like it should be totally sweet but they definitely had a little kink when it came to the bedroom with them exploring a little light BDSM. That was something I'd expected after reading Nick's review but it was something a little different to a lot of the romance I'd read lately. It was handled very well with frequent check ins between both of them to be sure they were comfortable with how things were progressing and boundaries were set which is always good to see. And did I mention that both Morgrim and Fenn were in their 40s? It's so refreshing to read a romance with older MCs it can be a little boring to continually be reading about young twenty something's off falling in love.

As for the plot and magic system, it wasn't overly complex. It was easier to understand and there wasn't the need for pages of world building, which I really appreciated because I think it would have slowed the book down and really detracted from the good things I read. I really enjoyed this and so I know this book won't be the last I read from Lee Welch.

Have you read this book or anything from lee Welch? And please give me some fantasy romance recs because that is obviously what I keep coming back to reading.

Emerald Blaze (Hidden Legacy #5) – Ilona Andrews

Published: 25th August 2020

Source: Purchased

Genre: Urban Fantasy, Romance

My Rating:

As Prime magic users, Catalina Baylor and her sisters have extraordinary powers—powers their ruthless grandmother would love to control. Catalina can earn her family some protection working as deputy to the Warden of Texas, overseeing breaches of magic law in the state, but that has risks as well. When House Baylor is under attack and monsters haunt her every step, Catalina is forced to rely on handsome, dangerous Alessandro Sagredo, the Prime who crushed her heart.

The nightmare that Alessandro has fought since childhood has come roaring back to life, but now Catalina is under threat. Not even his lifelong quest for revenge will stop him from keeping her safe, even if every battle could be his last. Because Catalina won't rest until she stops the use of the illicit, power-granting serum that's tearing their world apart.

I will always say when I am wrong. And I was wrong in my review of Sapphire Flames, Alessandro is amazing and these books do not fall down on their romance. They just take a whole to develop.

I immediately began reading Emerald Blaze almost immediately after finishing Sapphire Flames. I may have had some grumbles after finishing the last book but  I did really enjoy the story and I loved all of the characters in the Hidden Legacy series (even if Alessandro had failed to impress me). I was excited to see how Catalina’s new role within the National Assembly and  working with Linus would change things and I really wanted to see what was next for her with her grandmother, Victoria. I have a bit of a soft spot for Victoria Tremaine, she is in no way a good person, but I find her really interesting her schemes and her plans. She seems like she is on the side of the Baylor’s even when she’s hatching ridiculous plots to work against them.

I’ll begin talking about the romance because that is where the last book fell down for me but I am here to eat my words and say I was wrong. I wasn’t convinced by the connection between Alessandro and Catalina before, it felt forced as there wasn’t enough history between the two to explain this connection they seemed to have. I think the fact Alessandro was constantly keeping things to himself and refused to answer questions yet expected Catalina to fall all over him was ridiculous. He had respect for Catalina but wasn’t seeing her for the badass she so obviously was. I think he was fooled by her quiet introversion and I didn’t like that because I knew she could totally handle herself. This time around he arrived with full respect for her abilities and expected nothing from her but hoped that she would let him protect her. I liked him so much more when he was giving Catalina the control in the relationship. Did he always do as he was told? Hell no, but you could tell he was following Catalina’s lead and just hoped that she would give him something. I also believed Catalina and her heartbreak so much more than her fantasy love for an Alessandro she hardly knew from the last book. I believed it this time around and I enjoyed the book so much more because of it. I was hoping they could find a way to be together which never happened last time around.

I really loved the plot of this one, as well. The last book was interesting, there is always a good plot with an Ilona Andrews book as you figure who did what where and figuring out who the bad guy is. But this time I couldn’t stop reading. Sure, I think the first 30% of the book was a little slower. There was the build up of what the plot would be and who the major players were, but once you figured that out I was just there for the ride. Ilona Andrews manages to write a fast paced plot interspersed with some good quieter moments of the characters just being together with friends or family and I love that.

And my favourite part? That will always be the Baylor family and their friends. I loved seeing Nevada and Rogan in this one, they didn’t get enough page time before. It’s always fun to see characters you have followed in previous books from another characters perspective. I just really love those guys. They aren’t the only ones I love, though. Leon got more page time and it was great, he is such a fun character who is way too impulsive, but he cares about his family and definitely puts on a persona to deal with some of what he has to do with his abilities. And Arabella! When she was talking about how she just stood there and let someone shout at her I so felt her pain that she didn’t react. I really hope this series continues and we get some books from her perspective because she is so entertaining and the total opposite to Catalina and Nevada. You know she would be fun.

I think I’ve done a terrible job of reviewing this book but I just really enjoyed it. I love this series way more than the Kate Daniels series and cannot wait to see what comes next.

Have you read this book or this series? And have you ever been forced t eat your words about a series when the next book proves you wrong?

I had originally intended to write some reviews for shows I’ve been loving lately but as I was writing my reviews I realised reviewing TV shows is way harder than reviewing a book. Even a film would be easier because there aren’t as many plot lines to spoil, but a TV show there is so much you don’t want to give away but also need to giveaway to explain why you loved it so much, it’s crazy! But there you go, so here I am writing a review last minute the night before. Isn’t it nice to know some things never change?

I adore Ilona Andrews’ writing. This writing duo is fantastic, I am always totally invested in their books and their characters and usually fly through them. The Hidden Legacy series is actually one of my favourites, so it will be surprising to hear I fell so far behind in the releases for the series. They decided to release another trilogy in the same world focusing on Catalina Baylor, the sister of Nevada from the original trilogy. I always get worried when a series shifts to focus on new characters because what about if I don’t like them? I reread the original trilogy when I was stuck on what to read next and decided it was finally time to begin the newer releases in this series so here are a couple of reviews.

Diamond Fire (Hidden Legacy #3.5) – Ilona Andrews

Published: 6th November 2018

Source: Purchased

Genre: Urban Fantasy, Novella

My Rating:

Nevada Frida Baylor and Connor Ander Rogan cordially invite you to join their wedding celebration. Summoning, weather manipulation, and other magical activities strictly forbidden.

Catalina Baylor is looking forward to wearing her maid of honor dress and watching her older sister walk down the aisle. Then the wedding planner gets escorted off the premises, the bride’s priceless tiara disappears, and Rogan's extensive family overruns his mother’s home. Someone is cheating, someone is lying, and someone is plotting murder.

To make this wedding happen, Catalina will have to do the thing she fears most: use her magic. But she’s a Baylor and there’s nothing she wouldn't do for her sister's happiness. Nevada will have her fairy tale wedding, even if Catalina has to tear the mansion apart brick by brick to get it done.

Diamond Fire was a novella released before the next new addition to the Hidden Legacy series. It was released as an introduction to Catalina, probably as a chance to get used to a new character, but also to fill the gaps between Wildfire and Sapphire Flames. This novella was a quick and easy read which took me 5 days to finish which really demonstrates where I am with my reading at the moment. I may have been slow reading but I definitely enjoyed myself.

As I said, this novella is set after the end of Wildfire. Some of the major plotlines had been resolved in that book and now we get to see the preparations for Nevada and Rogan’s wedding. Catalina and her sister, Arabella, have taken over wedding planning duties and as Nevada is a slightly neurotic bride who really can’t handle the lies wedding planners normally tell the bride as they’re putting out fires. I think this was the perfect occasion to get to know Catalina, you get to see her being organised and capable but also see her growing into an adult. She had always been the quieter sister, understandable given her abilities. She was hesitant to grow close to anyone outside of her family and it was nice to see her thoughts and understand where the reluctance came from.

I went into this book uncertain if Catalina was strong enough a character to hold my attention and invest in her story and it was safe to say she showed me I was wrong to have doubts. She is such a strong character who may not be as obviously strong and forceful as Nevada but she wasn’t to be overshadowed by her sister either, she has a different kind of strength and I loved it. It was also great seeing her work solving her own case, showing he had grown up working for Baylor Investigations the same way Nevada had and had the same skills, even if she wasn’t a human lie detector like her sister.

The mystery in the book was fun, we saw the usual family antics and we got to know the characters. Ilona Andrews has always been good about writing a strong novella, as seen with the novellas in their Kate Daniels series, and so I had no doubts the story would be strong here too. I really enjoyed getting to know Catalina and it had me excited to see where her story would go in the next lot of releases in the Hidden Legacy series.

Sapphire Flames (Hidden Legacy #4) – Ilona Andrews

Published: 27th August 2019

Source: Purchased

Genre: Urban Fantasy, Romance

My Rating:

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Ilona Andrew comes an enthralling new trilogy set in the Hidden Legacy world, where magic means power, and family bloodlines are the new currency of society…

In a world where magic is the key to power and wealth, Catalina Baylor is a Prime, the highest rank of magic user, and the Head of her House. Catalina has always been afraid to use her unique powers, but when her friend’s mother and sister are murdered, Catalina risks her reputation and safety to unravel the mystery.

But behind the scenes powerful forces are at work, and one of them is Alessandro Sagredo, the Italian Prime who was once Catalina’s teenage crush. Dangerous and unpredictable, Alessandro’s true motives are unclear, but he’s drawn to Catalina like a moth to a flame.

To help her friend, Catalina must test the limits of her extraordinary powers, but doing so may cost her both her House–and her heart.

I want to say upfront, I liked Sapphire Flames but I didn’t love it. This book jumps three years into the future, Catalina has become Head of House Baylor and is preparing for the end of the three year grace period all new houses have. It was interesting to see how she became the Head of the House and what had happened in the three years we had missed. Catalina was just as strong as an investigator as her sister and she was the right leader for the Baylor family. Nevada was too rash, but Catalina is quiet, she sits in the background more and thinks about her actions because she wants to avoid notice and because of that she does have more forethought than others. This is also helped because she has been trained by Rogan’s mother in how to act. At the end of the novella she invites Catalina to spend time with her and teach her how to fit in with the other houses and she uses this training well throughout this book.

As I said about the novella, Catalina really can carry her own story. She is such an interesting character because her abilities are so unique and you can see she has learnt a lot about them since last time we saw her. She is still learning herself, but she wasn’t like Nevada at the start of Burn for Me ignoring what she could do with her powers, she had learnt everything she could about magic and now has slowly figured out how to use it to the best of her ability. I loved she was strong and was willing to put the happiness and needs of her family above her own, even when it broke her heart. It was sad to see some things later on in the book, but as you see many of the Baylor’s are impulsive and don’t think about their actions and I loved her Catalina was level-headed and occasionally a bit too practical.

This book fell down in one simple way, the romance. Normally I get swept away by the romances Ilona Andrews writes but this time I just couldn’t quite believe it to be invested. The romantic interest here was Alessandro, we got a small glimpse of him when the Baylor’s petitioned to form a house but learn next to nothing about him. Well, you certainly learn something about him here, but nowhere near enough. It felt like I was being told there was chemistry and a brilliant romance between Alessandro and Catalina, but I didn’t believe it because I just couldn’t see it. There was a small spark of something for sure, but it felt like it was written that there was a whole heap of history between the two when they met like twice. Why did Catalina care so much and why was Alessandro out there all invested in Catalina. They don’t know each other! I know the same could be said for Nevada and Rogan when they first meet but I feel like their romance took longer to develop than this one did. I just didn’t ever believe it and that definitely meant I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I hoped.

That being said, the actual mystery and story developments were brilliant. I was invested and eager to know more and annoyed when the book ended because I still had more questions I wanted to be answered. It was. A solid addition to the series in that sense. I really enjoyed it and can’t wait for more of the plot and seeing more of the characters I already know and love. Ilona Andrews’ secondary characters are always really strong and interesting (which might be why I’m so annoyed Alessandro felt so flat). I enjoyed seeing the Baylor families usual antics and it was great to return to this familiar world. I am excited to read Emerald Flames.

Have you read this series? What did you think about the change of focus to Catalina? And what are your thoughts on the Alessandro/Catalina romance, does it get better or am I just being too fussy?

The Secret of You and Me - Melissa Lenhardt

Published: 4th August 2020

Source: Publisher

Genre: Contemporary, Romance, LGBT

My Rating: 

You always come back to your first love

Nora hasn’t looked back. Not since she left home, and her broken heart, far behind her. But now tragedy calls her back, where she must finally come face to face with ex-boyfriend Charlie, and best friend Sophie. Only now will she be able to confront her past—and reconcile her future.

Sophie seems to have everything. Married to Charlie, with a wonderful daughter and a successful career. Yet underneath that perfection lies an explosive secret. A secret that ripped through their town and destroyed her friendship with Nora. So when Sophie finds out that Nora has returned, she hopes Nora’s stay is short. The life she has built depends on it.

But first love doesn’t fade easily. Memories come to light, passion ignites and old feelings resurface. As the forces that once tore them apart begin to re-emerge, both Nora and Sophie must accept that true love is something worth fighting for.

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affected my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Let me just say this is the first review I've written for a while which I actually expect people to read so sorry if I'm all over the place but I go where the words take me! Also, this how my brain works and it is messy!

First off, this book is a Persuasion retelling! Persuasion is one of my favourite Austen novels so you just know that's a point in its favour. But this is a lesbian retelling of Persuasion about childhood best friends, Sophie and Nora, who fell in love in a small town in Texas. Best friends who had a massive falling out and then Sophie married Nora's high school boyfriend and stayed in said small town. Yeah, I know, it's a lot. It had all kinds of drama going on and that is what made it fun to read.

I had no expectations going into this. It was marketed as an LGBT romance which immediately drew me in. That's all I knew, I read the book's summary and that's it. I wasn't certain it would be a usual romance (the romance waters are getting murky with women's fiction sneaking up in there) but I am here for supporting more LGBT romances and I wondered how this book would pan out with that weird love triangle alluded to in the summary. Thankfully, this book was excellent and no, I still wouldn't call it a usual romance. I mean, the romance between the main characters, Sophie and Nora, was beautiful. They went through so much and seeing them slowly come back together and learn to trust one another was lovely, but there was a lot of there stuff happening, their romance was just part of it. I think with all the other story happening it meant the romance was brilliant but not completely the sole focus. This was about Nora discovering the secrets of her small town and coming to terms with her father's death as well as realising the importance of love and family. It was also about Sophie reconciling with the fact she was a lesbian and the damage keeping that secret has had on herself, her family, and her relationship with her daughter. It was about the two of them admitting the mistakes of their past but also accepting that their past is behind them and they have no regrets with their choices because it allowed so many good things to happen in their lives despite what they might have missed out on.

The romance between Sophie and Nora was really wonderful to read. They were meant to be together. I loved the slow discovery of everything which happened in their pasts. They had so much history together. It's sad to think they lost so much time together because of their choices, but they wouldn't have been the same people without their years apart. If they had been braver or if the world they had lived in had been more accepting they might have pursued their romance with pride but instead, they took their time, learnt who they were and missed out but there wouldn't have been a great book to read otherwise.

I really loved that the author's note said that this story happened because she had been trying to write the romance for Nora and felt like no one was deserving of her apart from Sophie and that it all grew from there. What's even better is the author asked for help and advice from the LBGTQ+ community as she is neither a lesbian or bi (Nora identifies as bisexual and there is a clear acknowledgement that attraction both sexual and romantic is a varying spectrum for bisexuals. Excellent rep on that front). So she did want to do them justice and write authentic experiences and struggles for her characters. Not only did she take the time and out the work in to give her characters more authentic voices. She knew how to write falling in love, that experience is universal, but she did want to show the impact of being closeted in a small town. And the really great part? A portion of the royalties for this book are going to the It Gets Better Charity as the author doesn't want to barrel in and take one but show support to the community and write a love story which we can enjoy and help others feel seen. How could I not want to support an author who honestly seems like they want to help too?

And the secondary characters in this! This is a small Texas town, you know the types of people you will get here, but there was more to them and they helped give this story depth. There was Kim with her daughter looking to Nora for help. There was Nora's aunt Emmadean who was a marvel. And Nora's sister and brother in law! Her sister, Mary, should have been a total bore with her complaining and hard done by act but she added some light humour to events and you couldn't help but smile a little at her antics. And Mar's husband, Jeremy? He was a saint for putting up with her but he did reveal there was another side to their relationship Nora wouldn't have been privy to. And Sophie's daughter, Logan? Yeah, she was a badass kid who you couldn't help but like.

And that is my attempt at writing a review for a book which came as a total surprise. I had no expectations and it meant I went on a lovely journey with characters I couldn't help but like. I was in small-town Texas with the gossips and the rumours, where high school really doesn't end. It was fun and sweet and really an excellent summer read.

Have any of you read this? What did you think? And please tell me any and all good Persuasion retellings you can think of, I feel I am lacking on that front.

Could her biggest competition... become her babies’ father?

Alexa Moore is the definition of empowered and independent. She runs her own successful business and she’s decided to start the family she’s longed-for—by herself! But after business rival Benjamin Foster comes to her rescue and pretends to be her boyfriend for a night, their earth-shattering kiss sparks Alexa’s desire to share much more with him… can she find her Happily-Ever-After with this unexpected love?

Amelia Hathaway is the oldest of four sisters and has only one brother to drive her mad. They live a genteel but impoverished life until they come into an unexpected inheritance. Amelia tries her best to rein in her colourful and unmanageable siblings to match society's expectations. Until the mysterious, extremely wealthy half-gypsy Cam Rohan appears.The irresistible attraction between Amelia and Cam poses a huge problem for both of them. However, as Amelia deals with a multitude of problems, including trying to save her alcoholic brother Leo from ruin, she finds herself turning to Cam Rohan, whose friendship turns into a passion that neither of them can deny...

He's awkward. He's adorable. He's alien as hell.

Zylar of Kith Balak is a four-time loser in the annual Choosing. If he fails to find a nest guardian this time, he'll lose his chance to have a mate for all time. Desperation drives him to try a matching service but due to a freak solar flare and a severely malfunctioning ship AI, things go way off course. This 'human being' is not the Tiralan match he was looking for.

She's frazzled. She's fierce. She's from St. Louis.

Beryl Bowman's mother always said she'd never get married. She should have added a rider about the husband being human. Who would have ever thought that working at the Sunshine Angel daycare center would offer such interstellar prestige? She doesn't know what the hell's going on, but a new life awaits on Barath Colony, where she can have any alien bachelor she wants.

They agree to join the Choosing together, but love is about to get seriously strange.

While most of the world has drowned beneath the sudden rising waters of a climate apocalypse, Dinétah (formerly the Navajo reservation) has been reborn. The gods and heroes of legend walk the land, but so do monsters.

Maggie Hoskie is a Dinétah monster hunter, a supernaturally gifted killer. When a small town needs help finding a missing girl, Maggie is their last best hope. But what Maggie uncovers about the monster is much more terrifying than anything she could imagine.

Maggie reluctantly enlists the aid of Kai Arviso, an unconventional medicine man, and together they travel the rez, unravelling clues from ancient legends, trading favours with tricksters, and battling dark witchcraft in a patchwork world of deteriorating technology.

As Maggie discovers the truth behind the killings, she will have to confront her past if she wants to survive.

Welcome to the Sixth World.