This weeks review post has a couple of ARCs I meant to review forever ago. I read them and loved them… and then The Slump we really need to stop talking about. So let’s talk about a couple of amazing books which I should have been shouting about weeks ago but I’m all about being late to the party.

Published: 23rd June 2020

Source: Netgalley, Purchased

Genre: Contemporary, romance

My Rating:

Talia Hibbert returns with another charming romantic comedy about a young woman who agrees to fake date her friend after a video of him “rescuing” her from their office building goes viral...

Danika Brown knows what she wants: professional success, academic renown, and an occasional roll in the hay to relieve all that career-driven tension. But romance? Been there, done that, burned the T-shirt. Romantic partners, whatever their gender, are a distraction at best and a drain at worst. So Dani asks the universe for the perfect friend-with-benefits—someone who knows the score and knows their way around the bedroom.

When brooding security guard Zafir Ansari rescues Dani from a workplace fire drill gone wrong, it’s an obvious sign: PhD student Dani and ex-rugby player Zaf are destined to sleep together. But before she can explain that fact, a video of the heroic rescue goes viral. Now half the internet is shipping #DrRugbae—and Zaf is begging Dani to play along. Turns out, his sports charity for kids could really use the publicity. Lying to help children? Who on earth would refuse?

Dani’s plan is simple: fake a relationship in public, seduce Zaf behind the scenes. The trouble is, grumpy Zaf’s secretly a hopeless romantic—and he’s determined to corrupt Dani’s stone-cold realism. Before long, he’s tackling her fears into the dirt. But the former sports star has issues of his own, and the walls around his heart are as thick as his... um, thighs.

Suddenly, the easy lay Dani dreamed of is more complex than her thesis. Has her wish backfired? Is her focus being tested? Or is the universe just waiting for her to take a hint?

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.

I read Take A Hint, Dani Brown during my slump and let me tell you, this was brilliant. I saw Vera review it and she also read it during a slump so it impacted her enjoyment, for me it was the exact opposite. I hadn’t been able to properly concentrate on most books but this one I couldn’t stop reading. I mean, I was one chapter in and had already written a note that Dani was a goddess and a woman after my own heart with her sass. There was never any doubt I’d love this one.

This book is about Dani and Zaf. Dani is Chloe’s sister, from the first book Get A Life, Chloe Brown, so you knew Dani would be aces. She was a woman committed to never being in a true relationship and was single minded in pursuing her work at the university. It was impressive, I admired her work ethic and loved how fun she was. I did worry about her though, her last relationship was purely physical with a friend and the pair fell out when Dani was unwilling to let emotions get involved. Then there was Zaf, a gruff ex rugby player who was working at the university on security. He was friends with Dani and most of the university were scared of him but he was a total softy. I mean, we first meet him listening to a romance audiobook, how could you not fall for a man who is a fan of romance? Once we learnt there was more to Zaf and there was a reason he was a squishy cinnamon roll, well I was in love. I was ready to fight everyone to keep him from harm.

This book centres on Dani and Zaf pretending to be in a relationship to help boost the profile of the non-profit Zaf runs and when Dani and Zaf find there is a definite attraction between them getting to explore their sexual side as well was a bonus. I was nervous about their fake relationship, though. It may be my favourite romance trope but. Zaf was a total sweetheart and I could see him getting hurt in that situation. I didn’t want to hate Dani because she hurt Zaf. He did get hurt, but so did Dani and the grand romantic gesture which followed was worth it.

As I said, this was a sequel to Get a Life, Chloe Brown and I loved the small glimpses into Chloe and Red’s domestic life. I forgot how much I loved Red as well, he was total prepared to murder Zaf at Chloe’s request because they thought he hurt Dani (the request was soon retracted when they found out Dani wasn’t the only injured party).

This book was fantastic and I could go into all the ways of how but I don’t want to spoil things for those of you who haven’t read it yet. Just trust me, it was brilliant. If you’re a fan of strong women seeking success and soft men in touch with their emotions and out to support the woman they love then you will love this. It was such a great book and many bloggers have probably explained why much better than me. Just read it, ok?

Published: 26th May 2020

Source: Netgalley

Genre: Contemporary, Romance, LGBT+

My Rating:

A showrunner and her assistant give the world something to talk about when they accidentally fuel a ridiculous rumor in this debut romance.

Hollywood powerhouse Jo is photographed making her assistant Emma laugh on the red carpet, and just like that, the tabloids declare them a couple. The so-called scandal couldn't come at a worse time--threatening Emma's promotion and Jo's new movie.

As the gossip spreads, it starts to affect all areas of their lives. Paparazzi are following them outside the office, coworkers are treating them differently, and a "source" is feeding information to the media. But their only comment is "no comment".

With the launch of Jo's film project fast approaching, the two women begin to spend even more time together, getting along famously. Emma seems to have a sixth sense for knowing what Jo needs. And Jo, known for being aloof and outwardly cold, opens up to Emma in a way neither of them expects. They begin to realize the rumor might not be so off base after all...but is acting on the spark between them worth fanning the gossip flames?

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.

I’ve said it in the comments of other’s reviews for Something To Talk About,  I’d overlooked this book because I am not in love with the cover. Illustrated covers can be great but this one did not catch my eye going in. It looked quite serious and so I didn’t look at it properly. But when I learnt it was Berkley’s first F/F romance I looked at this book again and knew I needed it in my life. Especially when I found it was slow burn! I am a sucker for a slow burn and it was written so well here. You can imagine my excitement when I found this was being published here in the UK (yay for the UK finally acknowledging the brilliance of romance and purchasing rights for some fabulous books). When I saw it on netgalley to request I did instantly. I had this review all typed up and ready to go weeks ago but it’s fine, always good to wait a little while to talk about books I love.

Let’s get into the book, this focuses on Emma and Jo, and amazing couple who I would totally fight for. Jo is a former child actress who has transitioned into being an amazing writer in Hollywood and Emma is her assistant who is amazing and supportive and can just intuit Jo’s moods and what she needs on a day to day basis. Jo is in line to write the script for a big Hollywood film and there is a lot of chat surrounding her, it’s award season and she invites Emma to the SAGs to run interference and to just be a friendly face. Instead, they end up having a photo on the red carpet which makes them look a lot closer than employer/employee and the rumours start. And I loved them. Emma was far more heart on her sleeve earnest in her feelings, probably due to the fact she was younger, and Jo was much more restrained. This was partially due to her being closeted, but also because she had been in the limelight at a young age and seen betrayals and what happens with fame, how quick folks are to turn on you. But she brought herself back through writing shows and being amazing at it. The pair were opposites but they perfectly complemented one another.

I was shipping this pair from the start. They were so cute together. When Emma was there panicking over dress prices and dresses being too low cut and then when she came out in the perfect dress and Jo was practically speechless, I knew I was on to a winner. That kind of chemistry takes skill to write and it only carried on developing throughout the book.

I actually grew to like Jo more than Emma as I was reading. I think I understood her and her reserved nature a little better. I got why she held stuff back from Emma, usually because she assumed other’s would reveal it first. She both liked Emma and held her at a distance as she struggled to understand her feelings. I know Jo should have been smarter but she hadn’t truly let herself grow close to someone in years, she was a little rusty. I got that level of reserve because putting yourself out there is scary. And more importantly she was Emma’s boss! It never got fully addressed but that kind of power imbalance in a relationship is difficult. Jo couldn’t pursue Emma, it would be unprofessional, and the only reason this relationship worked is because it was clear from the star Emma would be moving on in her career and wouldn’t be working for Jo anymore.

Emma, I struggled with. I liked her, she really was so lovely. She was open and kind and I loved how much she cared for Jo even before she realised her own feelings. She did little things to make sure she ate and left her office on time. But I think I struggled with some moments of Emma’s immaturity. I understood why she was angry with Jo later in the book, even respected her that she didn’t let Jo off of the hook with a half arsed apology, but her behaviour in the workplace? She was so immature. There’s being annoyed with someone you work with and then there’s letting it impact your job. Her role was to assist Jo and sometimes while she was annoyed it acted as a hinderance. I know it all got addressed, they aired their feelings but it was something which bothered me about Emma. Once she realised her feelings and how they had made her act, though, then I liked her a lot more. I did respect her for wanting to ask for more respect though. She deserved that, I’d just wished for slightly more professional workplace behaviour. It was a minor niggle, though.

As you can see, I loved the characters in this. And not just the main ones, the secondary characters were amazing too. Emma’s sister was brilliant and made me hungry with all of her baking. And Jo’s best friend? Loved her and how she was ready to call out Jo on things and support her when she needed it. Ugh, this book had a full cast of characters that was great to read.

Honestly, it was a really great romance that worked to remind me there aren’t enough F/F romances being published and certainly not by big publishers. It’s great to see more LGBT+ romance coming out and I’m working to expand my reading horizons. I already want to read more books from authors of colour but it’s about time I tried to read more diverse romance in general. Romance has been straight and white for too long, there are still plenty of romances like that which are amazing, but it’s good to see romance recognising there is more out there. And let’s get off my soapbox telling you stuff you already know and just say check this out if you haven’t already.

Have you read either of these? And what was the last book you read where the cover put you off?

I may have been going through a blogging and reading slump but I read some good books before my slump and a few good ones during which sadly didn’t quite shift it. As such I have review back logs! I know, unheard of. Now, some of these reviews are older than others. Also, some books are fresher in my mind than others so we'll see how this goes.

Also, does anyone else forget what they have and haven't reviewed? I know I've not been blogging for a while but I had to go through and check my posts as I couldn't remember if I'd reviewed something before The Big Slump and simply forgotten about t. Book amnesia turns into blogging amnesia?

Meet Cute Club – Jack Harbon

Published: 5th May 2020

Source: Kindle Unlimited

Genre: Romance, Contemporary, LGBT+

My Rating:

Jordan Collins doesn’t need a man.

What he needs is for his favorite author to release another one of her sexy supernatural novels and more people to sign up for the romance book club that he fears is slowly and steadily losing its steam. He also needs for the new employee at his local bookstore to stop making fun of him for reading things meant for “grandmas.”

The very last thing he needs is for that same employee, Rex Bailey, to waltz into his living room and ask to join Meet Cute Club. Despite his immediate thoughts—like laughing in his face and telling him to kick rocks—Jordan decides that if he wants this club to continue thriving, he can’t turn away any new members. Not even ones like Rex, who somehow manage to be both frustratingly obnoxious and breathtakingly handsome.

As Jordan and Rex team up to bring the club back from the ashes, Jordan soon discovers that Rex might not be the arrogant troll he made himself out to be, and that, like with all things in life, maybe he was wrong to judge a book by its cover.

Swoon.

Meet Cute Club was such an adorable read. I knew it was gonna be cute from the cover. I mean it's in the name! But it still surprised me how enjoyable it was. I ended up reading it in one evening! This was partially because it wasn't the longest book but also because I wanted Jordan to get his happily ever after. I was invested!

I will say I think if I'd have stopped reading and finished the next day (which would have been sensible as the next day I was like a zombie and had a video call with my friends) I might have found it a little cavity inducing to come back to. It was borderline too much but honestly, at the moment I read it it was perfect. And I enjoyed it. I can't say a bad word against it really, it being too cute? That's not a bad thing but very much mood thing on my part.

Jordan was an organised individual who liked to escape into romance during his free time. He loved the romance between the characters and sensibly acknowledged they were empowering. I think he also liked there were set rules for a romance and they always ended with a HEA (or happy for now ending as any decent romance should). And Rex was the douche at the bookstore who teased him about his purchases. Jordan gave him some sass back and thought that was the end of that but Rex's interest was piqued. He wanted to know what was so good about romance it had Jordan all wound up and ready to fight him on it? And that was how he read his first romance and joined the book club Jordan ran.

I loved the spark between these two. Jordan needed that teasing from Rex to keep him on his toes and Rex needed Jordan to show him how romance worked and prove that he can stay and be loved.

This wasn't too drama filled. And really when I think about it there wasn't that much story. There was the romance plot and then there was an exploration of Jordan trying to build up the book club and pursuing a new career. There was also a little Rex family drama. But I liked that the plot wasn't too heavy, it made this a great soft read to lose myself in. The cover should show it all, this a soft book... But don't let that fool you into thinking it's not good.

I haven't read that many M/M romances, but I hadn't realised I'd not read many F/F romances either. I definitely need to expand my reading. What was interesting is this was a romance written by a man, I don't read many male authors as it is but it was interesting to have romance from a male perspective.

40-Love (There's Something About Marysburg #2) – Olivia Dade

Published: 18th June 2020

Source: Author

Genre: Contemporary, Romance

My Rating:

This match is no game.

When a rogue wave strips Tess Dunn of her bikini top, desperate, half-naked times call for desperate, please-cover-me-kids-are-coming-closer measures. Enter Lucas Karlsson, AKA that flirty Swede in the water nearby. When he prevents her bare buoys from being exposed to fellow vacationers, even an ocean can’t drown the sparks that fly.

Lucas, a former top-level tennis pro now giving lessons at the resort, fled there after the abrupt, painful end to his injury-plagued career. But he’s finally ready to move on with his life—and after a few late-night, hands-on sessions with Tess, he’s eager to prove he’s the ace she wants.

But this match comes with challenges: She’s forty, and at twenty-six, he’s barely old enough to rent a car. Worse, they only have two weeks together before Tess returns to her assistant-principal life in Virginia. During that brief time, they’ll have to play hard, take a few risks, and find out whether their chemistry is a one-shot wonder…or whether they’re meant to be doubles partners for life.

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

Who doesn't love an age gap romance? And with the woman being older? Even better!

I always enjoy books from Olivia Dade, she just sweeps me up in her romances. I mean Teach Me? Still a favourite of mine. So it was great to see Marysburg again, even at a distance since this was all set in Florida while Tess was on vacation.

It was safe to say I loved every moment of this book. I mean, it began with boob jokes and puns and just carried on making me smile. I loved how Tess was so fine in her body and with herself. She was turning 40 and she was overweight but she was cool with that. I mean, when it came to her weight she acknowledged this may have led to her knee pain, but she was happier eating whatever and not having time to exercise rather than being miserable and thinner. She could still play a decent game of tennis so it’s not like she was unfit. I loved that message of being chill with yourself and prioritising your happiness and weight not being the be all and end of all of who you are.

Anyway, I loved Tess and she was even better when she was with Lucas flirting. I liked Lucas from the start, yes he had a dude-bro persona he projected but I could tell he was a genuinely good guy. He always let Tess set the pace but made his intentions known and he always checked in with her when he thought he was putting too much stress on her. Yes, he did learn to show more of himself, he had issues with not speaking enough about himself. But he knew his mind and what he wanted and I admired that, I didn’t have that kind of knowledge at his age… still don’t. I also liked that, for him, age was never an issue. He started his career young. He had to grow up at a young age and so yes he was younger than Tess but he is far more mature than many.

I liked that the age difference was always Tess’s issue and never Lucas’s. In fact, he fought her on it and it was a central issue Tess had to overcome in the book.

Basically, this was aces and you should all go out and buy. You’ll also really want to start playing tennis after reading (except, tennis looks hard so maybe not). It also made me want to rewatch the film Wimbledon, only for tennis related reasons obviously.

Finding Joy – Adriana Herrera

Published: 22nd June 2020

Source: Author

Genre: Contemporary, Romance, LGBT+

My Rating:

As his twenty-sixth birthday approaches, Desta Joy Walker finds himself in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the one place he's been actively avoiding most of his life. For Desta, the East African capital encompasses some of the happiest and saddest parts of his life--his first home and the place where his father died. When an unavoidable work obligation lands him there for twelve weeks, he may finally have a chance for the closure he so desperately needs. What Desta never expected was to catch a glimpse of his future as he reconnects with the beautiful country and his family's past.

Elias Fikru has never met an opportunity he hasn't seized. Except, of course, for the life-changing one he's stubbornly ignored for the past nine months. He'd be a fool not to accept the chance to pursue his doctoral studies in the U.S., but saying yes means leaving his homeland, and Elias isn't ready to make that commitment.

Meeting Desta, the Dominican-American emergency relief worker with the easy smile and sad eyes, makes Elias want things he's never envisioned for himself. Rediscovering his country through Desta's eyes emboldens Elias to reach for a future where he can be open about every part of himself. But when something threatens the future that's within their grasp, Elias and Desta must put it all on the line for love.

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

Finding Joy was my first book from Adriana Herrera but it won't be my last. It was just so beautiful. I was in such a reading funk when I started, both because I'd just finished 40-Love (which was fantastic) but also my head just wasn't there with life stuff really getting me down and stopping me from wanting to read. Thankfully, I started reading this all the same and it honestly was perfect. I needed to read this to both put my real life problems into perspective but also because this romance was beautiful.

Desta was a little lost before he arrived in Addis Ababa. He had come out of a 2-year relationship he had put all of the work into only to find his boyfriend never viewed him as anything more than someone to sleep with. This was also the first time he had come to Ethiopia since he was young. The country his father had in fact died. It was a country of his childhood even though his memories of that country were fuzzy at best. And it was also a place where he intended to make some life choices about what was next. I'm so glad he went there because then we got to meet Elias. Let me tell you I was swooning as hard as Desta was for him and I loved their friendship which slowly developed before they ever admitted their feelings. I didn't realise that homosexuality was illegal there and the tension which built between them because they had to keep their feelings on the DL was brilliant.

This book was an excellent romance (although Desta needed some strong words spoken to him when he was messing Elias about because he did not deserve the cold shoulder) but it was also a celebration of such a wonderful country. When I read the author's note at the end I smiled because I could already tell there was a strong love for Ethiopia, you could feel it in how it was written, but I was so pleased to see that was because Herrera herself had such a strong love for it from her own experiences there. This was not an impulsive setting but instead a celebration of a brilliant country and the people there but also a chance to show we shouldn't be those ex-pats assuming the saviour role but instead be celebrating the loud and proud voices of those who live there.

***

And there are my reviews, anyone else read any of these? Do you have a favourite or have I introduced you to something new to read?

Welcome to another Bite Sized Books post where I talk about a couple of arcs I received where each had me ready to book a plane ticket abroad somewhere whilst also making me swoon over an adorable romance. 

Mismatched in Manhattan – Tash Skilton

Published: 26th May 2020

Source: Netgalley

Genre: Romance, Contemporary

My Rating:

Leave it to the experts - to break all the rules.

Online Dating Ghostwriting Rules to Live by

Dumped by his fiancée, not only is Miles couch-surfing across New York City, but downsizing has forced him to set up shop at a café. Also, he no longer believes in love. Not a good look in his line of work . . .

Do not present a 'perfect' image. No one will trust it. Nor should they.

Zoey's eccentric L.A. boss sent her packing to New York to 'grow'. But beneath her chill Cali demeanor, Zoey's terrified to venture beyond the café across the street . . .

Think of your quirks - such as cosplaying B-movies from the 1980s - as a 'Future Honesty'. Save these as a reward only for those who prove worthy.

The only thing Miles and Zoey share is their daily battle for Café Crudite's last day-old biscotti. They don't know they're both ghostwriting 'authentic' client profiles for rival online dating services. Nope, they have absolutely nothing in common. . . . Until they meet anonymously online, texting on the clock . . .

Never remind the client you're their Cyrano. Once you've attracted a good match, let the client take over ASAP.

Soon, with their clients headed for dating disaster, both Miles and Zoey's jobs are at stake. And once they find out their lines have crossed, will their love connection be the real thing - or vanish into the ether?

The perfect love letter to Nora Ephron, Carrie Fisher and all the wonderful rom-coms that act as a pick-me-up when we most need it.

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.

Where to start? I enjoyed it. It was swoony and fun and the perfect rom-com read. I loved Miles and Zoey instantly, they were fun and awkward and brilliant. Hell, I liked Miles immediately and I knew I'd connected with him when I was cringing when he made a rookie mistake at his job. And Zoey? When she was ready to argue and pay for a free day-old biscotti at the coffee shop? That's how I knew she was my kind of girl, she was competitive and never willing to give in, even when she knew she'd lost. The person she was arguing over a day old biscotti with was obviously Miles and when he took the best seat in the coffee shop as well? Well, that just meant it was war for Zoey, she had to make sure she got that table and beat him. She was my level of petty.

 
So the premise is simple on this one. Both Zoey and Miles work at competing ghostwriting dating agencies. They help their clients draft their online dating profile and even help them with those awkward initial first contact to help them make the best first impression and weed out the duds. It actually sounds perfect, why can't I have someone do this for me it would definitely make dating sound way more appealing if someone took half the work away from me. I think it's obvious that Miles and Zoey will start working for client's who start dating each other, right? It gives this You've Got Mail type premise a slightly different take as it's almost like a love square as each Miles and Zoey fall for their client's date without realising they weren't even speaking to them.

I want to get my negative out of the way and it ties in with the above. This book dragged in the middle, it felt way too long even though it wasn't that long and the reason? I got fed up of the pair mooning after the wrong person. I wanted one of them to catch on to the other or for them to start speaking more in real life which wasn't them glaring at over a table. It got a little dull for a while. I told myself at 50% I would give myself another half an hour of reading and if it didn't pick up I'd have to DNF. Thankfully, it got moving not too long after that so it was worth it, but no book should have you contemplating giving up on it, I hate when you notice how long you've been reading, that shows the book hasn't grabbed enough of your attention.

Now on to the good stuff because I really did enjoy a lot of this book. If it hadn't had some squiffy pacing issues towards the middle I would have been able to push the rating up a touch higher. I had a great time bouncing between the perspectives of Miles and Zoey. As I said, they were both easy to like from the beginning. They were flawed, but I got them. Miles was a die-hard romantic who was coming off an awful breakup. It left him a bit jaded and rough around the edges but he comes back from it. And Zoey's an LA transplant who hate New York, and change... and is also too scared travel than a few blocks away from her apartment. She was forced to move to New York by her ex-boss (who she was still friends with) and is being slow about adjusting. I actually thought Zoey would be one I would struggle with liking but she's just hella stubborn and I respect that. I quite enjoyed seeing her slowly discovering there were good things in New York and when she finally rode the subway (she has legit reasons of being scared of it ok) and she was with Miles when she did? Honestly, it was so cute. Those are the moments which made this book worth reading.

I think I read it at exactly the right time for me to enjoy the rom-com vibes of this one. It transported me back to the streets of New York where cars never seem to stop at the lights (seriously, US traffic lights confuse me, what is this whole turning on red business?) and it made me want to walk the streets again and discover new things to love there. I don't know if lockdown has just made me more susceptible to wanting to travel after reading books are what but it definitely had me wanting to book a ticket to New York… except there's a global pandemic. It was good, it wasn't a perfect book but it was good and I am glad I read.

Marrying His Runaway Heiress – Therese Beharrie

Published: 28th May 2020 (UK)

Source: Netgalley

Genre: Romance

My Rating:

A diamond isn’t forever…

…until it’s from the right man!

For journalist and heiress Elena John, heading to Italy on assignment is her chance to avoid her impending arranged marriage. But Micah Williams, the star of her article, is nothing like the uptight tycoon she’s been told to expect, and alone in Italy she falls under his charming spell. Their time’s almost over, but Micah’s not ready to let her walk away… His proposal? A convenient counteroffer!

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.

Therese Beharrie does it again. This book swept me away and had me swooning at Micah and his effortlessly charming ways and had me ready to break lockdown and fly to Italy so I could hang out with Elena and do me some sightseeing... and see if the European pigeons are more civilized (UK ones aren't so I won't delude myself). It was rather unfair this book was released in the middle of a global pandemic as Therese always has me wanting to jet off to whatever location she has set her books in. She had me wanting to holiday in Greece (genuinely, before lockdown happened I had hoped to holiday there this year) and you know she's had me wanting to go to South Africa with her previous books. She always has me googling the price of plane tickets after finishing one of her books, she just makes every location sound so wonderful so how could I not? Her descriptions of Italy were there having me crying because I couldn't go on holiday but it also meant I got to add another country to my future holiday list.

The book centres around Micah and Elena. Elena is a journalist who will be travelling to Italy with Micah for a story about him and his business. What she doesn’t realise until she’s stepped on the plane is that Micah specifically requested her to write the story because her dad is rich and she’s part of the John family. It’s kind of a slap in the face when she knows she is good enough to write the story and she’d rather that not be another thing she got simply because of her family. It meant the two got off to a frosty start, but don’t worry Therese soon had sparks flying between the two. Micah obviously wanted to know Elena wanted to know more about why Elena doesn’t want to succeed due to her family name and Elena knows there has to be a reason Micah requested her, why did her family name make a difference?

The pair were obviously at odds from the start so it was fun seeing them fight the attraction between them. Along with them not wanting to like each other they each had a heap of family baggage too, which plays a significant role in the story. They each strove to have love and approval from their parents and pursued it at the detriment of other areas of their lives. That is until they met one another and noticed the tension between and they slowly found that their attraction to the other actually held more of their attention than trying to get their families approval. Of course, they each came to that realisation at different points and that led a to a big stumbling block in their relationship.  I suppose it didn’t help they negotiated themselves into a marriage which was meant to be of convenience except feelings totally got in the way.

This was an example of characters who didn't use their words (a pet peeve of mine) but it never bothered me as we had backstory and explanation and I got it. They had issues to get through. Even when Elena revealed her love and said she needed to step back because she couldn't strive for love from another man and not get it. I got it. She was growing and learning she deserved to be loved. I was cheering her on just as I was cursing her for the hurt it caused Micah. And Micah by saying he loved her than even though he did? Yeah, I wanted to smack him upside the head but I was also waiting for him to take that final step. He was protecting himself and I knew he would be slower to realise he needed to open himself up to pain in the hope of also receiving love.

    
Basically, this was a really great read. I loved reading this during a little UK heatwave out in the sun (didn't get sunburnt) an excellent summer read. Hopefully, I'll be able to read her next release chilling by a pool as that was the only thing missing for me.

Have you read either of these books? What did you think? And what was the last book you read which had you wanting to book a plane ticket?

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.

1. I actually read a few books this year I want to chat about and it’ll be quicker doing it this way.
2. I didn’t write notes for most of the books I want to review so it’ll be easier to have short reviews of the highlights than long reviews because I’ve forgotten all the details (this is where I need to apologise for being vague but I forgot stuff, ok).

If faking love is this easy... how do you know when it’s real?

When her partner of over a decade suddenly ends things, Laurie is left reeling—not only because they work at the same law firm and she has to see him every day. Her once perfect life is in shambles and the thought of dating again in the age of Tinder is nothing short of horrifying. When news of her ex’s pregnant girlfriend hits the office grapevine, taking the humiliation lying down is not an option. Then a chance encounter in a broken-down elevator with the office playboy opens up a new possibility.

Jamie Carter doesn’t believe in love, but he needs a respectable, steady girlfriend to impress their bosses. Laurie wants a hot new man to give the rumor mill something else to talk about. It’s the perfect proposition: a fauxmance played out on social media, with strategically staged photographs and a specific end date in mind. With the plan hatched, Laurie and Jamie begin to flaunt their new couple status, to the astonishment—and jealousy—of their friends and colleagues. But there’s a fine line between pretending to be in love and actually falling for your charming, handsome fake boyfriend...

Sparks fly when two feuding TV presenters are thrown together to host a live morning show in Lucy Parker’s latest enemies-to-lovers contemporary romance.

He might be the sexiest man in London, according to his fan site (which he definitely writes himself), but he’s also the most arrogant man she’s ever met.

She might have the longest legs he’s ever seen, but she also has the sharpest tongue.

For years, rival TV presenters Sabrina Carlton and Nick Davenport have traded barbs on their respective shows. The public can’t get enough of their feud, but after Nick airs Sabrina’s family scandals to all of Britain, the gloves are off. They can barely be in the same room together—but these longtime enemies are about to become the unlikeliest of cohosts.

With their reputations on the rocks, Sabrina and Nick have one last chance to save their careers. If they can resurrect a sinking morning show, they’ll still have a future in television. But with ratings at an all-time low and a Christmas Eve deadline to win back the nation’s favor, the clock is ticking—and someone on their staff doesn’t want them to succeed.

Small mishaps on set start adding up, and Sabrina and Nick find themselves—quelle horreur—working together to hunt down the saboteur…and discovering they might have more in common than they thought. When a fiery encounter is caught on camera, the public is convinced that the reluctant cohosts are secretly lusting after one another.

The public might not be wrong.

Their chemistry has always been explosive, but with hate turning to love, the stakes are rising and everything is on the line. Neither is sure if they can trust these new feelings…or if they’ll still have a job in the New Year.

The first rule of book club: You don't talk about book club.

Nashville Legends second baseman Gavin Scott's marriage is in major league trouble. He’s recently discovered a humiliating secret: his wife Thea has always faked the Big O. When he loses his cool at the revelation, it’s the final straw on their already strained relationship. Thea asks for a divorce, and Gavin realizes he’s let his pride and fear get the better of him.

Welcome to the Bromance Book Club.

Distraught and desperate, Gavin finds help from an unlikely source: a secret romance book club made up of Nashville's top alpha men. With the help of their current read, a steamy Regency titled Courting the Countess, the guys coach Gavin on saving his marriage. But it'll take a lot more than flowery words and grand gestures for this hapless Romeo to find his inner hero and win back the trust of his wife.

Enemies make the worst neighbors, but the best lovers.

After losing her job, her home, and her friends in her divorce, Nora Pitts is determined not to make the same mistakes when she starts over in the small town of Shadow Creek, Washington. No more slaving away in the lab at the expense of her social life, and definitely no more men. Ever. But making friends in her thirties is so much harder than she anticipated. And when it comes to her gorgeous yet obnoxious neighbor, it’s a whole lot easier to make enemies.

Eli Hardin doesn’t have a lot of sympathy for his uptight neighbor, until he overhears her so-called new friends making fun of her un-datable status. Suddenly he finds himself volunteering for a date with a woman who’s been leaving angry hate-notes in his mailbox, and in way over his head. Because all it takes is one disastrous date with Nora for Eli to fall hard.

But falling for Eli isn’t something Nora’s ready for—not when he’s her complete opposite, and especially not when he turns out to be the best friend she’s made in Shadow Creek. But as her attraction and her feelings for Eli grow hotter, resisting him might just lead to heartbreak anyway.

They're pretending. Until they aren't.

Thomas McKinney has never wanted a woman the way he wants Callie Adesso. Since she started working alongside him at the Colonial Marysburg Research Library, he's spent his desk shifts fumbling pencils, tripping over his own feet, and struggling to remember both the Dewey Decimal System and the existence of her inconvenient boyfriend. Now, however, Callie is suddenly single--and in need of a last-minute faux-boyfriend for an episode of HATV's Island Match. Thomas is more than happy to play the part...and in the process, convince Callie that a week together isn't nearly long enough.

Callie has never found a man as irritating as she finds Thomas. He may be brilliant, kind, and frustratingly handsome, but the absent-minded librarian also makes every workday an anxiety-inducing exercise in stress. Even seven days in paradise by his side won't change her opinion of him. Really. No matter how attentive he is. And gentle. And sexy.

One plane ride later, the two of them are spending long, hot days under the sun and on display, pretending to be in love for a television show. This may be a vacation, but it's also an act--as well as Thomas's last chance to persuade the woman of his dreams to include him in hers. And soon, the island heat isn't the only thing steaming up HATV's cameras...

With her inquisitive mind, Charlotte Holmes has never felt comfortable with the demureness expected of the fairer sex in upper class society. But even she never thought that she would become a social pariah, an outcast fending for herself on the mean streets of London.

When the city is struck by a trio of unexpected deaths and suspicion falls on her sister and her father, Charlotte is desperate to find the true culprits and clear the family name. She’ll have help from friends new and old—a kind-hearted widow, a police inspector, and a man who has long loved her.

But in the end, it will be up to Charlotte, under the assumed name Sherlock Holmes, to challenge society’s expectations and match wits against an unseen mastermind.

The game is afoot as Charlotte Holmes returns in the atmospheric second novel in New York Times bestseller Sherry Thomas's Victorian-set Lady Sherlock series.

Being shunned by Society gives Charlotte Holmes the time and freedom to put her extraordinary powers of deduction to good use. As “Sherlock Holmes, consulting detective,” aided by the capable Mrs. Watson, she’s had great success helping with all manner of inquiries, but she’s not prepared for the new client who arrives at her Upper Baker Street office.

Lady Ingram, wife of Charlotte’s dear friend and benefactor, wants Sherlock Holmes to find her first love, who failed to show up at their annual rendezvous. Matters of loyalty and discretion aside, the case becomes even more personal for Charlotte as the missing man is none other than Myron Finch, her illegitimate half brother.

In the meanwhile, Charlotte wrestles with a surprising proposal of marriage, a mysterious stranger woos her sister Livia, and an unidentified body that surfaces where least expected. Charlotte’s investigative prowess is challenged as never before: Can she find her brother in time—or will he, too, end up as a nameless corpse somewhere in the belly of London?

Charlotte Holmes, Lady Sherlock, returns in the Victorian-set mystery series from the USA Today bestselling author of A Conspiracy in Belgravia and A Study in Scarlet Women, an NPR Best Book of 2016.

Under the cover of “Sherlock Holmes, consulting detective,” Charlotte Holmes puts her extraordinary powers of deduction to good use. Aided by the capable Mrs. Watson, Charlotte draws those in need to her and makes it her business to know what other people don’t.

Moriarty’s shadow looms large. First, Charlotte’s half brother disappears. Then, Lady Ingram, the estranged wife of Charlotte’s close friend Lord Ingram, turns up dead on his estate. And all signs point to Lord Ingram as the murderer.

With Scotland Yard closing in, Charlotte goes under disguise to seek out the truth. But uncovering the truth could mean getting too close to Lord Ingram—and a number of malevolent forces…