What I Read Last Week

Happy Monday my fellow book lovers!

Last week I read a lot of books that I just adored. Some were light and easy, while others were a little more emotional. I can't forget about the suspense either. Then there's the steam factor for these books, and let me tell you...the majority definitely had some good steamy scenes. Trope wise there were a lot covered. There was brother's best friend, enemies to lovers, sports romance, workplace, opposites attract, age gap, and also a college romance.

How many books did I read this last week? Six. Yep, I read six books. Three of which were ARCs, and three were older/existing titles. My average rating for this week was 4.1. I'm quite pleased with that number!  

My favorite book of the week was definitely The Front Runner by Elsie Silver. From the moment I started that book, until the very last page, I was sucked into that world. I did not want to leave those characters. Plus that dang horse tugged on my heartstrings. AGAIN! I've definitely fallen for Elsie Silver's storytelling.

this was me with a scene in The Front Runner.

Tell me about your reading week. Any new authors? New favorite books? Any books that you wish you hadn't read? I want to hear it.

Happy Reading,
Laura

A Photo Finish by Elsie Silver

AHH COLE AND VIOLET!!! If you read Off to the Races, then you may have noticed the tension between them. Now to find out how they met, what essentially drove them apart, and how they reconnected? So good. I do worry about Cole. From the trauma of losing his dad, to everything he experienced in his military career, to his ex-fiancee, to everything that went down with Violet, he's been through it. Plus there's that secret he has been keeping which is clearly eating at him. I am continued to be amazed by Violet. She is such a good character. Definitely one of my favorites. Violet is strong, she's smart, she's feisty, she's funny, and she's caring. Of course she's also a wonderful jockey. Then there is Patrick Cassel, and quite frankly he is the worst. I hope he gets what's coming to him, and he better not get a redemption arc. I loved the story, the relationship, the horse (ahhh Pip!), and of course the steam.  Cannot wait to see what happens in The Front Runner. I will definitely be reading that one in March!

Bent by Rue Lennox

I've had this book sitting on my kindle since September of 2021. It's one of those books I've been meaning to read, but just haven't gotten to it. Until now. Here's the thing...I've been a fan of Rue Lennox's writing since before her name change. So picking up this book and seeing Parker & Remy, as well as Kennedy & Linc, just warmed my heart. I fell HARD for those characters. Knowing that Bent is set in Birch Harbor just has me loving it all the more. Avery is a strong woman who can hold her own, and she's proven that time and time again. Carter has pulled me in. He's clearly in for the long haul with her, and is willing to do whatever is necessary. Since I know Rue's writing, and how her stories go, I was prepared for the suspense storyline to kick in. I say that only to say I wasn't prepared for what that storyline was going to entail. As a parent, as an emotional reader, as just a human who has had enough of these situations, this storyline hit HARD. HARD I'm telling you. I gasped. I cried. I cried some more. Then Lucas had to go and drop some fabulous one liners that had me laughing through the heartache. I absolutely loved Bent. I have loved every book that Rue (and her former pen name) have written. I adore Birch County, and all the characters I have met in this environment. I want more. (and thankfully I'll get more at the end of March.)

Every Last Piece by JS Wood

If you've read any of the books in the Average Gents series, then you've probably noticed Enzo in the background. He's a chef, he lives in the loft with his buddies, and his sister just married Archer. Every Last Piece is Enzo's story with Nora. These two have known each other for years, and due to stuff that happened in high school they've been enemies. Now Nora is back and gunning for the same job as Enzo. Should be a fun workplace competition of sorts. And it was. Until it wasn't. There was so much going on in this story outside of the workplace that it made it a bit more difficult to focus. Nora has her dad's health issue that really brought her home, she's adjusting to life after a breakup, and now has this new job with someone she doesn't like. Plus he's making it difficult for her learn and/or experience. Then there's Enzo who just wants this job, and he's going to make it miserable for her. All he can see is his plans, his goals, and it doesn't matter who he really steps on to achieve them. Until something changes, and his feelings toward Nora adjust. Suddenly she's all he can think of, and she's all he wants. Outside of the job that is. I liked the premise of the story. I liked our couple. I love the friend group. I liked the cooking together outside of the restaurant, and what that lead to. I didn't care for the ex-boyfriend storyline, or that of her dad's illness. Both of those storylines just felt like filler, and weren't needed. Now I will say the owner of the restaurant? Walking red flag. I would love to know what repercussions occurred after the fact. Then there was the build up to Derek's story, and I am so ready to see who he ends up with. Based on Every Last Piece, I know who I would like for him to end up with, but I don't know if JS Wood is going to go that route. Time will tell I guess. If you want to read this book, it releases on March 16!

The Front Runner by Elsie Silver

THIS BOOK! THIS FREAKING BOOK! I loved it as much, if not more than, Off to the Races. We finally got to see who Stefan is, and learn about his life. We found out what brought him here, why he bought this farm, and why he started a horse racing team. Mira was a perfect fit for him. These two are strong, and independent. Their story was full of banter, building a connection, falling hard, and of course drama. I found myself crying a couple times, and I just adored this book. Tomorrow I'll have my thoughts while reading post up. That will also include my full review.

Flyball by Lisa Suzanne

I am loving Cooper and Gabby's story! This third installment was full of problem solving, stolen moments, work, and keeping this from getting out. There were definitely steamy moments as well as frustrating ones. Not to mention some emotional moments as well. Especially that situation that had Cooper rushing to Chicago. When it comes to side characters, I will say there are still a few that I don't trust, and I have a feeling my gut instinct will be proven correct in books 4 and 5. Plus there was that character that popped up toward the end, and I can only imagine it was to cause drama/conflict. They definitely brought it on a bit. Then there's the way Flyball ended! I was not expecting that at all. I knew the cliffhanger would be a doozy, but I didn't expect it to end like that. If you haven't started the Vegas Heat series yet, you definitely should. Book three releases on March 16!

The Wrong Pitch by Brittany Taylor

This college romance from Brittany Taylor was SO GOOD! I loved the meet-cute, I loved the hate-to-love, then there was the brother's best friend trope as well, and I was just hooked. Hunter intrigued me. Ophelia had my curiosity as well. I will say that I found myself wondering what Hunter was hiding. What was this family business? Why wasn't he sharing info about it? Plus I kept coming back to Jamie. Where did he fit into this all? Then there was the job that Ophelia lost. Yes it was her dream job, but was it really? I get being upset about the ending of that season of life, but it seemed like more than that. That there was something deeper. Yet that was never explained. I really did enjoy the romance between Hunter and Ophelia. The secrecy aspect wasn't my favorite, but I can kind of understand why they went that route. I was also a fan of their dedication. Yes Hunter's dedication to the sport might have been over the top, but it was what he needed to do at the time. Meanwhile Ophelia's creativity, and drive, to create these dresses was impressive. When the fight came, I was ready but I wasn't. That separation hurt. Seeing both of them heartbroken was difficult. The journey to the reunion though? LOVED IT! I cannot wait to see who the next book features. If you'd like to read The Wrong Pitch, it releases on March 24!

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Thank you!

Also, thank you Lisa Suzanne, Brittany Taylor, and JS Wood for providing me with advanced copies of your books.