Weekly Wrap Up

 

Hoping you all had a wonderful weekend. Here in Minnesota it was GORGEOUS outside. I was out pretty much all day yesterday.  It was perfection. I will welcome these temps with open arms. Yet in the back of my head I'm not foolish enough to believe winter won't try to make a small comeback.

Last week was a busy week of reading, and reviewing. Really though I can't complain. Reading is my hobby, and I am passionate about it. Writing reviews, and this blog, well that's just for fun.

Let's talk stats for last week.

• Books Read: 5
• Kindle Books: 5
• ARCs: 3
• Pages Read: 1,869

My average rating was 4 stars. Not too shabby.

My favorite book of the week was Southern Heart by Natasha Madison. My review for that will be posted tomorrow. Seriously, so good. Then again I think I say that about every Natasha Madison book I read. (and I'm perfectly okay with that. There's a reason she's one of my favorites.)

With all that being said, let's move onto the books!

(if I've already posted the review, it is linked in the book title.)

1) Brightly Burning Bridges

by Ivy Wild

Rating: 4 Stars

Oh this book! Brightly Burning Bridges was SO GOOD! It was frustrating at times, which had me wanting to throw my kindle. But this story line, it sucked me in and held me hostage until the very last page. I LOVED EVERY MOMENT OF IT!

2) Royally Pucked

by Pippa Grant

Rating: 4 Stars

Royally Pucked is the second book in Pippa Grant's Copper Valley Thrusters hockey series.  This book brought together two of my favorites: Royal romance and hockey romance. And Royally Pucked did not disappoint. I loved seeing Manning and Gracie together. Then add in Loki, and it was just so good.

3) Southern Heart

by Natasha Madison

Rating: 5 Stars

Do I really need to say much about Southern Heart? I mean, if you've read the Southern series by Natasha Madison, then you know what you're going to get. But I suppose not everyone has read the first four books, so there is that. If you like romance with a little suspense, then ooh you'll like this one. I mean the suspense starts pretty much right away. Chelsea has just returned to town to start a new job, and has decided to watch her niece and nephew for the night. A storm rolls through, and it sounds like someone is hitting the door. Chelsea eventually opens the door, and a man (who has been beaten to a pulp) falls inside. Chelsea doesn't recognize him, she just sees the injuries. Before the man passes out, he says "Ethan". (Ethan is Chelsea's brother)

And that's all I'm going to say. Just trust me on this. You'll want to read it.

4) Ruthless Monarch

by Ava Harrison

Rating: 4 Stars

Calling all mafia romance fans! Ava Harrison has a new one for you to read. I was torn with Ruthless Monarch. On one hand I enjoyed the story. The concept was fabulous. On the other hand, I think it could have been executed a little better. 

5) Beauty and the Beefcake

by Pippa Grant

Rating: 3 Stars

I was so excited for Beauty and the Beefcake! No, not because of the title as I'm not a fan of it. I was excited because it was Ares's story. I had such high hopes. Especially since I was coming off of Royally Pucked. Beauty and the Beefcake though was underwhelming. Well until about the last 25% of the book. It was that last quarter that I was saying YES, THIS IS WHAT I WAS WAITING FOR. It was just a little too much slow burn and filler for my liking. 

Weekly Wrap Up

 

Happy Monday my fellow readers!

Last week was wonderful. Obviously I managed to do a lot of reading, that just goes without saying. I also did a bit of spring cleaning around my house. I still have a lot more to go, but I'm off to a good start. Now I just need the weather to warm up a bit more so that I can open windows! (and wash said windows)

Did you see those four reviews I posted last week? Dang did that feel good to get back into. Yes sharing mini reviews here on my weekly wrap up is nice too, but there is something about dedicating an entire post to a book (or series) that just makes my heart happy. This week there will be a few more reviews posted. My goal is also to post my April Anticipated Reads, and my top 5 reads for February. I was contemplating a Romanceopoly post, but considering I've read 1 out of 4 books for March, I think I'll skip it. The idea of a TBR game is wonderful. I love doing the rolls and figuring out the books to fit the prompts. My execution however leaves a bit to be desired. So yeah.

Enough about blog plans though. Let's talk reading stats for last week.

• Books Read: 6
• Kindle Books: 6
• Physical Books: 0
• ARCs: 6
• Pages Read: 1,514

My average rating was 4.16. 

Since I've posted reviews for three of these books, I am going to switch things up a bit. Instead of rewriting the reviews, or sharing the descriptions, I will let you know the tropes and maybe share one of my favorite quotes from the book. I will also link to the review so you can go check that out should you so choose.

This week I have reviews scheduled to go live for Waiting Game, Watch Me Burn, and Boots on the Ground.  So keep your eyes open for those! Once they are live, I will come back and edit my post with the links. 🙂

Weekly Wrap Up

This is my first week of Jury Duty, and I am not excited about it in the least. Yes I know it's something that has to be done, but that doesn't change the fact that I don't want to do it. It throws a wrench in the schedule/routine my family has, but should I have to go in I am thankful my husband's employer has no issue with him working from home. I am also thankful that my county doesn't make you appear every day. Instead they have you call in the night prior and let you know if you're needed or not. Here's hoping it is 9 more days of them not calling my group number! 

Let's talk about what I read last week. if you go by the covers I share with you, I only read two books. TWO! However, one of them was a boxed set that contained four titles. So I mean if you want to get specific you could say I read five books this week. 🤣

• Books read: 2
• Pages read: 938
• ARC: 1
• EBook: 2

Average Rating: 4.5 stars

So what were the two books I read?

1) Fair Game

by Lisa Suzanne

Fair Game is a continuation of the Vegas Aces series, and picks up where the cliffhanger left us at the end of Long Game. So if you've read the first two books, you already know we are in Hawaii, and the relationship between Luke and Ellie is strained to say the least. The desire is there. The tension is there. Yet Luke keeps holding back. 

Let me say that at the start of the book Ellie is faced with two options. One has the potential to cause issues, the other would be the safe choice. While reading I was (internally) screaming at Ellie not to do what I thought she was going to do. DO NOT DO IT ELLIE! BE SMARTER THAN THAT! IT'S A TRAP WOMAN! Ugh. 

Also, Luke's family is just odd. But we knew that at the end of Long Game. But I mean I did think his sister was the "normal" one of the group. HA!

There is so much I want to say. SO MUCH. Yet pretty much any of it has the potential for spoilers. Just know, the cliffhanger at the end. Oofta! I was so glad that Luke and Ellie did what they did before hand. Still though, I cannot wait to see how this plays out in Waiting Game!

As with the first two books in the series,  Fair Game received 4 stars.

2) Driven

by K. Bromberg

I wasn't even aware of the Driven series until K Bromberg was promoting the boxed set bind-up on Facebook. I immediately clicked over to Amazon, looked at the Kindle price, gasped as I do not typically spend that kind of money for "one" book (it was $9.99, which isn't horrible, but more than I typically will pay), and then clicked the buy now button because I needed to read this series! 

I mean it's about a RACE CAR driver! I just didn't know if we were talking NASCAR or IRL. Did it matter? No not really. I mean was I hoping for NASCAR, well yes because I used to be a big fan. Plus it's a sports romance sport that I haven't read, but am interested in! (did that even make sense? I hope it did.)

Okay so what to even say about this four book boxed set. It's FREAKING AMAZING and will take you on one heck of an emotional rollercoaster ride. There were times this story had me UGLY crying. Colton and Rylee are just -no words-. No words can do them justice. I want to be in their circle of friends though because that would be fantastic.

In this series, K Bromberg shattered my heart and then put back together only to repeat the cycle a few times. 

And now I find myself needing to subscribe to PassionFlix so that I can watch the tv show version of the books. I NEED TO. It's completely worth the $5.99 or whatever the price is. Right? Right. 

I can't say anything else about the series, because I am not giving spoilers. Just know, I gave this boxed set 5 stars. Yep. It's rare that I had that out, but it had to be done. HAD TO. 

One thing I do want to mention is that should you choose to purchase the series, I would suggest either buying the Kindle bind-up, or buying all the books separately. I read through the reviews for the printed bind-up, and apparently the font is miniscule. So yeah, that's not good. Keep that in mind if you consider adding this to your home library. 

That's it. Those are the two books that I read. They were both spectacular, and I want more from both authors. 

Have you read the Driven series? How about watched the TV show? Are you reading the Vegas Aces series? Are you as sucked in as I am?

Happy Reading,

 

Weekly Wrap Up

 

As you know I took the last two weeks off from my blog. While I took a break from writing here, I did not take a break from reading. 

Here are my stats for the first week in March.

• 6 books read
• 1 ARC
• 5 e-books
• 1 library book
• 1,365 Pages Read

Average rating of 3.5 stars.

On to the books I read.

1) The Pilot and the Puck-Up

by Pippa Grant

I don't know what to think about this book. It had such potential. Hockey players + RomCom = WONDERFUL. Right? Yet for me this book missed the mark. The humor was there, but yeah no. Yes there were good parts, but the way the heroine was portrayed just rubbed me wrong. Again, the potential for greatness was there. Sigh. Why is it anytime there is an intelligent female, that always gets pushed to the side?

In the end I gave it a generous 3 stars.

2) Recovery

by Nicole Dykes

I wasn't certain what to expect when I started reading Recovery. Especially since Recovery was my introduction to Nicole Dykes. All I knew was what the description told me. I didn't know what sort of loss Mya was dealing with. I didn't understand why she left town. I didn't know any of that. Maybe had I read Clarity and/or Redemption prior to reading Recovery, then I might have more of a backstory.

All I knew was that Mya was hurting, and leaving town was the best option for her. Mya is also fortunate to have friends who are willing to help. I want to say I was surprised about how Mya kept everything close to her chest, but at the same time I wasn't. It's what she grew up doing, so it was habit.

Overall I liked the story. The bonds that Mya created with everyone was amazing. Especially since she was trying her best to keep everyone at a distance. The only thing I wish had been different was Mya's reaction to what Jase told her. Personally, I think she overreacted. Maybe had she told Jase (or anyone for that matter!) a bit more about her past, he might have understood where she was coming from. But that wasn't the case.

Recovery was a good book, and I am definitely considering going back to read Clarity and Redemption. I want to know more about Rhys, Logan, and Quinn. Also, I'm hoping there is a book coming for Charity, because that last little bit in the epilogue has me intrigued.

3) The Risk Taker

by Gina Azzi

The Risk Taker is the second book in the Boston Hawks series, and it gave me everything I wanted. Easton and Claire's relationship was what I imagined it would be with everything we learned in The Sweet Talker. I will say I cannot imagine living with my crush and trying to keep it platonic. Is that even possible? Especially when both parties are interested?

I am loving the books in this hockey series, and am ready for The Faker!  

Four stars all the way!

4) Already Written

by Xavier Neal

If you know me, you know that I adored Xavier Neal's Hockey Gods series, and that I freaking loved the Bennett Duet. I am also hoping to get my hands on an ARC for her upcoming release, Aleatory. (if not, I will be buying it.)

I went into Already Written with high expectations. A celebrity romance with a romance author? HECK YA, bring it! I will read that anytime. That being said, Already Written was just okay. Nothing special.  Knowing what I know about the characters Xavier Neal creates, I was expecting more. Minka and Pierce had the connection. They had the passion. Yet something was missing. 

5) Snapped

by Alexa Martin

Since I had read the first three books in the Playbook series, there was no way I was going to miss Snapped. While my county library didn't have it on hand, I did take advantage of the inter-library loan program, and had it brought in from another location. I am so glad that I did. 

Snapped was a phenomenal book. I loved how it touched on kneeling during the anthem, and protesting for change within the league. I loved how the team came together to support Quinton's cause (CTE & past players receiving better care/payment). Yes some people might find issue with the subject matter in the book, but that's on them. 

Now this book wasn't perfect. There were definitely areas where it just didn't feel finished. Primarily in the relationship between Elliot and Quinton. Then there was also the explanation of Quinton's causes. They were not really explained until later on in the book. The owner of the team though, damn. He's horrible. I will say that Snapped wasn't my favorite of the series, but I still appreciate it immensely. 

I gave Snapped 4 stars

6) Hockey Hunk

by Kat Obie

Imagine my surprise when I randomly commented on a post in a Facebook group, only to then be tagged as the winner of a book. This is actually the second time that has happened. I'm perfectly okay with that too!

When I saw that I had won a hockey romance book, I was all in. It is my favorite after all. 

I went into Hockey Hunk knowing nothing about the book. Occasionally it's a thing I do, and 90% of the time it works out wonderfully. 

Let me just say I liked the idea of the Hockey Hunk storyline. The execution, well it left a little something to be desired. This isn't a spoiler, as it is written right into the description, so keep that in mind. Who in their right mind would choose a fake pregnancy as a prank to get other pranks to stop? WHAT? I might expect something like that from high schoolers or MAYBE college students, but from a man in the NHL? NO, just no. That was a big miss for me. Now that I said that, let me say, I did like the romance between Renee and Matt. I love the best friends sister trope, and so in that regard I was good to go. It's the prank that I didn't appreciate. They could have faked an engagement instead. That would be fitting. But for Matt to automatically go with fake pregnancy? No.

When all was said and done, I did give the book 3 stars. 

Those are the books I read the first week in March! Have you read any of these books? If so, tell me which one and I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Happy Reading,

Weekly Wrap Up

Well hello there my fellow readers. 

The last two weeks flew by, and it was a bit strange to not update things here.  I completed my jury duty, which really just means that I called the jury line every day to find out if I needed to report in. Last week was also spring break week for my kiddos. We did nothing, and I'm okay with that. My kids loved playing outside, and also got to know the new neighbor kids. Oh, and I did major laundry. Fun times. They are off again today, but return to school tomorrow. 

That being said, I did manage to read quite a few books. Which should surprise no one.  Here are my stats for the week:

• 6 Books Read
• 5 were e-books
• 1 was a library book
• 2 of the e-books were ARCs
• 1,682 Pages Read

My average rating was 4 stars. Well it's my average since every book read this week was given four stars. What can I say, it's my go to rating. 


Let's dive into the books.

Weekly Wrap Up

 

Why hello there March! Glad to see you. Please tell me your friend Spring isn't too far behind you. I'm sick of snow. I want warmer temperatures, and the snow to melt. I don't think it's asking too much. 

Last week was a ridiculous good week for reading. Seriously not my normal, and I do not expect to see it happen again. Here are my stats ⬇️:

• 8 Books Read
• 7 E-books
• 5 E-Arcs
• 1 Physical Book
• 1,875 Pages Read

My average rating was 4.5 stars. Which is amazing. 

Not too shabby, am I right? 

Let's jump in and start talking about the books.

Weekly Wrap Up

 

Happy Monday my fellow bibliophiles!

Can you believe another week in February is over? We are inching towards March already. Time is just flying by. Last week was a pretty good week when it came to reading. I will say that I had my first DNF of the year. So that was surprising for me. Especially since the book had a bit of hype surrounding it. Heck it was on the Goodreads list for best romance of 2020! 

Moving on, let's talk stats:

• 5 books started
• 4 completed
• 1 DNF (did not finish)
• 4 e-books
• 1 physical book (library)
• 2 were e-arcs
• 1493 pages

My average rating was 3.4 ⭐️
The book I DNF'd I gave a 1⭐️ to, so that really brought down my average.

Enough about that, let's talk about the books I read!

Boyfriend Material

by Alexis Hall

The Boyfriend Material made it's way onto the Goodreads Best Romance of 2020 list, so I figured this book has to be good. Based on the description I was thinking that the book would be similar in style to Red White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston. I was wrong. OH SO WRONG.  Folks, I DNF'd this book at 30% (129 pages). It was so slow moving it was almost painful. Luc was quite immature and really frustrated me. After 30% I said to myself that this book is not worth the reading slump it will put me in to. So I returned it to my library (via overdrive), gave it a 1 star, and have absolutely no desire to pick it up again.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious if the book improved. But I'm not curious enough to pick it back up. I don't know how this book made it on to the Goodreads Best Romance list. Did you read Boyfriend Material? Did you like it?

Take a Hint, Dani Brown

by Talia Hibbert

Now Dani Brown on the other hand, this book too made its appearance on the Goodreads Best Romance list. Dani Brown totally deserved a slot on the list. This book drew me in, it moved fast, the characters were personable, and I loved it. The relationship between Zaf and Dani was adorable. I loved the fake dating aspect of their story. Then of course there is the Brown sisters. These ladies are just fantastic, and bring a smile to my face. Zaf and his love of romance novels had me smiling as well. He'd fit in great with the guys from the Bromance Book Club. 

I gave Dani Brown 4 stars. Could it have been a 5? Oh absolutely, but I'm stingy with those and the book has to give me everything I want.  There were minor things that held me back. Do I still recommend this book? ABSO-FREAKING-LUTELY! I also recommend Chloe Brown. I'm anticipating Eve Brown's story too.

Balls to the Wall

by April Canavan

Balls to the Wall was my first ARC for the week. When I read the title, I forgot why I had requested the book. I was just confused. In my mind the title doesn't match up with the story, yet at the same time I don't know what I would recommend as an alternate title. Should you chose to read this story, let me tell you now, HAVE TISSUES HANDY! Also I should mention that there are a couple of parts that are emotional and/or difficult to read about. So be prepared. (if you need to know what the triggers are, please let me know and I'll fill you in the best I can without ruining the story.)

Here's what I can tell you, this is a small town romance featuring a single mother. It's more than that though, as it is also kind of a second chance romance. You see Parker and Remy have known each other for most of their lives. There has always been a connection between them, and when Parker went to make her move, he shut her down and wrecked her with the words he said. Parker sought solace in a friend, became pregnant after a night together, and married him. Her husband was in the military and was shipped overseas where he then lost his life. Fast forward a few years, Remy is now home from deployment, and is working for the local police department. He also made a promise to Parker's husband (they were deployed together) to watch over Parker. What happens next is the love story of Parker and Remy.

I freaking loved this book. Yes I cried. Yes I gasped a few times. Yes there was a time or two where I was holding my breath and eager to find out what happened next. When it was over, I found myself immediately looking to see when the second book in the series was coming out. I don't care that it will follow a different couple, I just need more of this community. More of these characters. Oh and rating wise, 4 stars.

Wake my Heart

by Lydia Michaels

Apparently my heart needed to be gutted by two books in a row. Wake my Heart was my other ARC for this week, and it's good. I will say that this book is the ultimate slow burn. Wow. This book is also filled with Maggie's grief, and eventual healing. You might need a tissue or two. (for me, this book didn't bring as many tears as Balls to the Wall.)

When we first meet Maggie, she is with her husband Nash. They were high school sweethearts, and were each others world. Everyone knew them. So naturally when Nash died (car accident) it wrecked Maggie. The grief, the anger, the sadness, it was all so much to handle. Maggie shut down, and shut out everyone.

That is until one day when her neighbors house sells, and in moves Ryan Clooney. He takes notice of Maggie. Of the fact that she doesn't drive, that she is skittish, and that she keeps to herself. Of course he also notices her as a woman, and he is finding himself attracted to this stranger. 

 

What starts as a friendship, slowly moves into a romantic relationship. Ryan is truly waking Maggie's heart through his friendship, his companionship, and his love. I ended up giving Wake My Heart 4 stars.

Undercover Bromance

by Lyssa Kay Adams

I have been wanting to read this book since last March when it released. I absolutely loved Bromance Book Club, and was hoping the sequel would be as enjoyable. Yet for some reason I kept pushing it off. Well I finally dived in.

If you read my Baseball Romance post, then you'll know I flagged this book series as Baseball Romance. Um, that isn't the case. Yes, book one was about a baseball player. Undercover Bromance though, absolutely not. This book is more of a billionaire/millionaire romance. Doesn't really matter though because I loved this book.

Yes, there are parts of the story that are difficult to read about (workplace assault), but ultimately it was handled with grace. We get to see the pain. We get the fire that is building in Liv. We see how this group of people come together to try and take down the villain. What we also see is two people building a relationship, while trying to fight it. Liv and Mack are the perfect characters for the enemies to lovers trope. They truly are.  

I loved Bromance Bookclub. I loved Undercover Bromance. I have since read Crazy Stupid Bromance (next week we'll talk about this one), and I am now eagerly anticipating Isn't It Bromantic?, which comes out in July. Love this series, and cannot wait to see what else Lyssa Kay Adams comes out with.

Oh and for rating, I gave it 4 stars. Again, it was close to 5, but I just couldn't do it.

There you have it, the five four books I read this week. Have you read any of them? As you can see I had a couple books that fit the fake dating trope, a slow burn, a second chance romance, and an enemies to lovers book. All in all it was a good week. I was a bit worried that things might go down hill after kicking off my reading week with a DNF, but thankfully that didn't happen.

I hope your February has been filled with some great books!

Happy Reading my friends,

Thank you to Grey's Promotions and Wildfire Marketing for providing me with ARCs of Balls to the Walls and Wake My Heart for review. All thoughts and opinions about the books are mine alone.

Weekly Wrap Up

Why hello there my fellow book lovers! Hope you all had a wonderful weekend. It's the start of a new week, and that means it is time to share what I read last week!

Last week I read 3 books, and listened to an audio book. That's right, an audio book. If you read my February Book-opoly post, then you already know I landed on "go to jail", and landing there is a punishment spot. My punishment is to listen to an audio book. So I dealt with that. 

Of the books that I read, 2 were ARCs that I received, and the other was my Amazon First Reads pick for February. So my Kindle and I spent a good chunk of time together. Like always.

So what audio book did I choose?

I went with The Date Swap by Lydia Westing. It is narrated by Maggi Mayfield, and this book is a Scribd exclusive. Now full disclosure, I chose this book because 1) it sounded like a cute rom-com, 2) it's a fake dating trope, and 3) it was only 2 hours. 

Quick description of the book in my own words: Two strangers meet at an airport, realize they are headed to the same destination, and are both in need of a fake relationship to appease their parents. They never expect to fall for each other.

Here's the full description from Scribd:

Vivacious and forthright, Lyla Taylor is honest, except when it comes to her family. It’s self-preservation, really; she doesn't want to give her judgmental mother any more ammunition than she already has. But there’s no lie that will cover up the fact that Lyla is attending her cousin’s Hawaiian destination wedding alone. Until she meets the recently single, straitlaced, and handsome stranger Daniel Dugray in the airport. 

Since they both need a date to their Hawaiian wedding weekend, Lyla convinces Daniel they can be each other’s dates. Among all the secrets she keeps from her family, what’s one more? Tripping through bad weather, ex-lovers, and convincing their families they’ve known each other more than a few hours, Lyla and Daniel struggle to keep up the ruse. As their families pry into their fake love-life, Lyla and Daniel work to last out the weekend until they can part ways forever. At least that was the original plan. Of all the lies Lyla is keeping up, denying her growing feelings for Daniel is the one she needs to last.

Overall it was a cute story, and I was fully interested in how it would play out. Would I have preferred for it to be an e-book or a physical book? Absolutely. But that wasn't an option, and the challenge was to listen to an audio book, so I did it. Still not my preferred way of reading. Maybe I need to find a full cast audio book? Rating wise, I gave The Date Swap a 3/5.

The first e-book I read this week was Only One Touch by Natasha Madison. That's right, I scored an ARC of this book! I was so giddy when the notification appeared in my email. SO GIDDY! Only One Touch was/is one of my anticipated reads for the month, so the opportunity to read it early? Yes please!

Only One Touch was everything I was hoping it would be. Nico and Becca together is just so right. Their chemistry is amazing. 

So that I don't ruin the book, here's the description:

Nico

When I inherited the Dallas Oilers from my father , I became one of the youngest owners in hockey history. Even though the team was at the bottom of the hockey standings,

I had big plans to change that and bring the Cup to Dallas.

Falling in love was something I never believed would happen to me.

You’d think I was getting everything I ever wanted with the girl and the winning record, but I still have a promise to fulfill to my childhood best friend.

Becca

Never let them see you sweat has been my life motto since I decided to make a name for myself as the most-sought-after sport agent.

I know what it takes to close a deal, and only want one thing—to be the best.

Until I felt his touch one night, and everything I thought I knew was forgotten. Nico is everything I've never let myself want.

But all my cards came crashing down the minute I read the headlines.

It takes only one touch to change everything!

I loved the book. I loved the characters. I wanted to smack them both at times, as well as Lauren. I screamed. I cried. I want to read it all over again. I gave Only One Touch a 4/5. 

Next up was The Wedding Game by Meghan Quinn. This was my Amazon First Reads pick for the month, and it was just okay. Now I say that, but I also should say that it picked up about 40% of the way in. Once we got to that point, I was all in. It was just getting there (hello slow burn) that was not my favorite. I know, I know, we need that build up and we need the "world/setting" built. I get that. 

Once the story picked up for me, I was invested. I needed to know how this relationship was going to play out. I needed to know who won the freaking game. I needed closure. And I got that. All in all it was a cute story. I will say I had a different ending to the game imagined in my head, and that was based off of what Thad "said" in the beginning of the book.  Speaking of Thad, he drove me up the wall. UP THE WALL. My rating for this book was 3/5.

My final book of the week was an ARC of Rookie Move by Samantha Lind. When I requested this ARC, all I paid attention to was the fact that it was 1) romance, and 2) it involved hockey. What I didn't pay attention to is that Rookie Move is the 9th book in a series. Yes, it's a standalone series, so it isn't that big of a deal, but it pains me to read out of order. It is what it is, and I can't go back and change it.

Curious what Rookie Move is about? Here's the description from Goodreads:

Dylan

My future was all mapped out.
Graduate high school.
Get drafted. 
Make a professional hockey team’s roster.
Marry my high school sweetheart.

I had it all within my grasp; 
Everything was falling into place.
Except for the distance,
And our conflicting schedules. 

How can we both follow our dreams when the roads keep taking us in different directions?

Hailey 

My future was all mapped out.
Graduate high school.
Graduate Med-School.
Land my dream residency.
Marry my high school sweetheart. 

My dream took me to the opposite coast, but my heart just wasn’t in it anymore.

Could I find a new path to my goal and still find happiness?

Was thinking we could make this work just another rookie move?

Rookie Move is a high school sweethearts romance story. It was a sweet story, and I liked how it flowed. While I enjoyed the story it was missing something. Maybe this is how the author's books are, and I just don't know it as this was my introduction to their writing.  I'm used to reading other books where the couple has a conflict that they have to work through, and I was missing that in this book. Now yes, you could argue with me that the opposite coasts and conflicting schedules could be the conflict I'm looking for, but it wasn't.  Everything about Dylan and Hailey's relationship seemed too perfect. Overall it was a cute story, and I gave it a 3/5.

There you have it. Those are the 4 books I read this week. All in all, it was an okay week. Only One Touch was definitely the high light of the week, and by far my favorite book that I read.

Want a sneak peak of what I'm reading for this week? Here you go:

What did you read last week? What's on tap for this week? Any favorites? Any duds?

Happy Reading,

Weekly Wrap Up

Happy February my book loving friends!

I ended January by reading SIX books.  Four were full length, and the other two were novellas. If we break it down further 4 were ARCs, 1 was a new release, and 1 was a library book. 

I am obsessed with these books! I wish I could go back and read them again for the first time. Seriously. These books just sucked me in, and I want to live in them. There are two that I wish they become TV shows or made for TV movies, but then I worry about how they would be portrayed. So I'll just let them live on in my mind.

The first book I read this week was an ARC of The Edge of Happiness by Kristin Turnage. The Edge of Happiness is a new adult contemporary romance that discusses mental health, and healing from traumatic events. While reading the book, I found myself wiping away tears quite a few times. Yes, I'm an emotional person, but there was just something about The Edge of Happiness that had the tears flowing. I love that Cassie was able to find a group of people that took her into their circle. It was almost as though Cassie and these new friends had known each other their entire lives. 

Here is the blurb for the book:

Cassie Davis is the girl you'd look over in a crowd. She isn't the life of the party, she's the DD. The responsible one, the reliable one, the one you can count on. That's who she is. 

When her best friend dies a tragic death on her watch, her life starts to fall apart. The guilt and shame take their toll. Therapists aren't helping and her dad's out of options. That's until her estranged Uncle calls out of the blue, giving her dad the idea of sending her to his small NC hometown for the summer. 

Her goal is to fix herself, to find her happiness somewhere amidst the chaos. But, she's not ready for the smooth talking, gorgeous guy that gets injected into her life. Staying away from him would be best, but when he speaks to her, she feels her hope inside come alive. When he touches her, her world that's full of chaos and confusion, freezes. 

Ryan's someone that's never struggled in the looks department. His wounds are deep and he's not looking for someone to mend them. After his long-time girlfriend cheated on him and ended up pregnant, Ryan doesn't want to get tied down ever again. He wants to live out his life, working on his family's farm, and that's it. 

Parties and unattached sex are his new norm, trying to find happiness wherever he can. That's until her eyes make him feel stupid things in his chest. Ryan doesn't want to give himself to anyone again, but when she smiles, his world lights up. 

When they're both on the edge of happiness, will they risk it all for each other? 

I gave this book 5 stars. It grabbed my attention, and I cannot get it out of my head. I look forward to eventually reading more in this series. Kristin Turnage's first book has made me a fan.

Last year I heard so many people talking about One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London. After seeing it pop up again in the first part of January, I decided to see if my library had it available, and how long the wait would be. Thankfully I didn't have to wait too long, and I was able to dive into One to Watch this week. (I opted to go the library route, and not to buy the book, as the kindle price is too expensive for my budget.)

I adored Bea. She is an amazing woman, and deserves this opportunity presented to her. There were times that I was laughing. There were times where I was irritated on Bea's behalf. There were times I wanted to tell Bea to get out of her head and be open to the possibilities. I felt all the feelings at different times. Also, Bea's stepdad was one of my favorite side characters. He seems like a man who would do anything for those he cares about. 

I don't think I can fully explain the book without spoilers, so here's the info from Goodreads.

Real love...as seen on TV

Bea Schumacher is a devastatingly stylish plus-size fashion blogger who has amazing friends, a devoted family, legions of Insta followers--and a massively broken heart. Like the rest of America, Bea indulges in her weekly obsession: the hit reality show Main Squeeze. The fantasy dates! The kiss-off rejections! The surprising amount of guys named Chad! But Bea is sick and tired of the lack of body diversity on the show. Since when is being a size zero a prerequisite for getting engaged on television? 

Just when Bea has sworn off dating altogether, she gets an intriguing call: Main Squeeze wants her to be its next star, surrounded by men vying for her affections. Bea agrees, on one condition--under no circumstances will she actually fall in love. She's in this to supercharge her career, subvert harmful anti-fat beauty standards, inspire women across America, and get a free hot air balloon ride. That's it.

But when the cameras start rolling, Bea realizes things are more complicated than she anticipated. She's in a whirlwind of sumptuous couture, Internet culture wars, sexy suitors, and an opportunity (or two, or five) to find messy, real-life love in the midst of a made-for-TV fairy tale. In this joyful, razor-sharp debut, Bea has to decide whether it might just be worth trusting these men--and herself--for a chance to live happily ever after.

Now, was One to Watch perfect? No, it had its flaws. But I was able to overlook them and still enjoy the story. Seeing a plus size woman as the lead character, watching her go through this journey to finding herself, and ultimately choosing what is bets for herself, that was what I liked. Now would The Bachelor actually cast a plus size woman as the next bachelorette? I can't see that happening. If it did though, I would totally watch it. I gave One to Watch 4 stars.

My third book for the week was one I discovered because of Instagram. I don't remember who's post it was, but I read the blurb and I knew I had to read this book! There was just something about it that drew me in. Maybe it was how vague the blurb was. I'm not certain, but I am so glad I picked this book up! Full disclosure: I also applied to be part of the review/promo team, and was accepted. They provided me with an ARC of the book.

Fragile Things by Samantha Lovelock is a young adult slash new adult story. As for tropes, this is a dark rich kid romance, that is primarily set in high school.  So if either of those tropes are your thing. Read the book. I will let you know that you have to read this series in order. Fragile Things ends in a cliffhanger, so be prepared for that by having Fractured Things ready to go.

So what is this book about? 

Sometimes what seems most fragile, can't be broken.

Stella 
Poe Halliday was an accident. A chance meeting that changed my life forever.

My mother didn't have secrets; her secrets had her. After she disappeared, I had nothing.

Or so I thought.

When the invitation arrived, the opportunity to learn about my mother's past was too great to pass up. I knew I was taking a risk, but I craved answers. 

Now the dark history of this town threatens to tear me apart.

It's all about him.

I knew this was a mistake.

Poe 
Stella Bradleigh was a distraction. Something to play with when my shadows got too dark.

I spent my entire existence forced to live a life I didn't want. There was only one way out.

Or so I thought.

Meeting the beautiful stranger with the mysterious past, I thought she would be a good time, and then I could just throw her away. 

Instead, she consumed me, and now she's made me question everything I know to be real in my life.

It's all about her.

I knew I was a mistake.

I feel like the Folkestone Sins series would make a great TV show, mini-series, or made for tv movie. Although maybe that's just me wanting to see these characters (and the situations they find themselves in) come to life. Also, I really want to know more about the history of Folkestone! I wonder if Samantha Lovelock will ever go back and give us a prequel? Hmmm, wishful (and hopeful) thinking. As for rating, I gave this 4 stars. 

You shouldn't be surprised to see that Fractured Things is the next book I read. It just makes sense. After all when my jaw dropped at the end of Fragile Things, I knew I had to dive right in to book 2. 

In Fractured Things we picked up right where we left off. And I can tell you nothing because I don't want to spoil anything! 

The book blurb might give you a little insight, but it won't be much unless you've read Fragile Things. 

Stella 
Poe Halliday could have been my everything. The boy who allowed me to dream again.

Over as quickly as it began, one night ended it all with a dark secret spit from cruel and twisted lips.

The secret that stole her from me.

After spending my entire life living with my mother’s demons, I refuse to let them take anything else away from me.

I’m stronger than they think I am, and the only way I can escape this nightmare is to fight.

This time it will be on my terms.

I have to go back.

Poe 
Stella Bradleigh shone like the brightest star. Able to keep my shadows at bay with nothing but her smile.

I’ve been unknowingly living under the same roof as the devil incarnate—the architect of a horrific event kept secret for so long.

The secret that stole her from me.

When she left, my world turned cold again.

From the day she arrived, I knew my heart belonged with hers, and even though I tried to push her away, she became a part of me. The shadows in this town are no match for the ones I carry. I’ll stand by her side and fight.

This time it will be on her terms.

She has to come back.

So from that you know Stella ran. She's off to work things out in her mind, and is trying to come to terms with everything that happened. Is she ready to return to California and the life she was developing there? Or should she stay in New York? After all, this place was home before that letter arrived.

I loved this book also. I read it quickly (as per usual with me), and grumbled when it was over. Especially since we ended on another cliffhanger! Silly me thought I could move right into Restless Things, book 3, but that doesn't release until March 25, 2021. Excuse me while I go cry in the corner. Oh and Ruined Things doesn't come out until June. So I'll be tortured until then. Excuse me while I go cry.

After the suspense I was put through with those last two books, I decided to go with something light. I knew that About A Boy by Stephanie Kay would be perfect.  Plus I had an arc of it on my kindle, so why not jump in? Now if you've read my hockey romance series, then you know that I am familiar with Stephanie Kay's writing. I'm a fan. So going into this novella, I pretty much knew what to expect when it came to her writing style, as well as how her characters come across. What I wasn't expecting was for familiar faces to appear. I may have cheered a bit when some of the Strikers appeared.  I also wish that About A Boy was a full length novel, because I want more of the M&Ms. 

If you are looking for a friends to lovers romance, or the shared bed trope, then please pick up this book!

The best of friends, but nothing more. Until now…

Graphic designer Maddie Lanzi is still figuring out her life. Her freelance business is up and sort of running, but something is missing---her best friend. The only constant in her life since birth. Inseparable. Until a year ago.

Pastry chef Marco Marchetti has spent the last year in Paris honing his skill with all things chocolate. Life is good. The only thing that could make it better is having his best friend Maddie by his side. Now he’s heading stateside to make truffles for her brother’s wedding. He’s excited to see his family, but all he really wants is to hang with Maddie. They're even rooming together, just like when they were kids.

When a hotel mix-up turns two queen beds into one massive king-size, he's seeing his best friend in a whole new light. Will a weekend of passion turn into a lifetime together or will Marco be heading back to Paris alone?

Oh and be prepared for the steam in this book. Also be ready to fall for Maddie and Marco. I can only hope that they appear as side characters in future books.  I gave this book 4 stars.

My last book for this week was another novella. One Night with the Rebel wasn't even on my radar until Kendall Ryan announce that she was working on a new hockey series. You should already know that grabbed my attention. So I immediately preordered The Rebel, and then also downloaded this little prequel.

One Night with the Rebel sets the stage for what's to come in The Rebel.  And based on what I read, I want The Rebel to come out NOW. Thankfully my wait won't be too long, as The Rebel comes out at the end of March.

Here's the description, for One Night, if you're curious:

She barged into my life and turned everything upside down. 

We spent one scorching-hot night together, and then she disappeared into the sunset with the golden jock everyone adored. Which makes sense, right? A girl as beautiful and brilliant as Eden Wynn doesn’t end up with a rebel like me.

I expected them to live happily ever after, except that's not what happened.

She's back—and tempting me like no one else has. And while I'm certain I'll only tarnish her shine, I want her. Only her. 

I'd heard the old notion that one night held the power to change everything. I just never believed it. 

Until now.

Is it time for The Rebel to be released? Please? I need to know what happens with Eden, Holt, and Braun! Sigh.  Now I did only give this book a 3 star rating, as I have mixed feelings on it. Yes, knowing what happened in college is important to the storyline, BUT at the same time, I would have preferred more of the current day storyline. Which I know I'll get that in The Rebel, but it is what it is. I still enjoyed the story.

Those are the six books I read last week. I loved them all, and my series obsession is going to hurt me. The wait times between books is TORTURE. Kidding. Maybe. Although it does give me time to pick up another series, and then be giddy on release day, so there's that.  

What did you read last week? Any favorites? Tell me!

Happy Reading,

(note: I realized I didn't say all of the books that were arcs. I was provided kindle copies of About a Boy, Fragile Things, Fractured Things, and The Edge of Happiness in exchange for review. My thoughts about the books are just that, mine. I truly enjoyed what I read, and would have purchased the books regardless.)