Cupid Book Tag

Happy Hallmark holiday! The Cupid book tag seemed like the perfect option for today.  I found this through Heather at Bookables, and I figured why not share my answers.

So here are my responses to the questions. I'd love to hear how you would answer them.

Happy Reading,
Laura

What's the perfect candy to eat while reading?
Starburst Jelly Beans immediately came to mind. They are my absolute favorite. In all honesty though I don't eat while reading.

What's a song that reminds you of your favorite romance (or just your favorite romantic song in general)?
We'll go with some of my favorite romantic songs.
Love of my Life by Harry Styles
I Guess I'm in Love by Citizen Kane
Black and White by Niall Horan
18 by One Direction
Feels Like Home by Chantal Kreviazuk

If you were to go on a perfect reading date, where would it be? it could be somewhere across the world.
Ooh the bookstore date in A Complete Game by Aven Ellis. Yes, that is what I would like.

What's the best friendship you've read in a book?
The characters that came to mind immediately were Stella and Sunday, along with their guys Poe and Payne. That's right, the quartet from Folkestone Sins would be my answer.

A VERY close second would be the guys from the Dallas Oilers hockey team that is featured in the Only One and Made For series by Natasha Madison. The bromance these men have going is one of my favorites. Yes some of the guys are family, but it doesn't change my opinion. 

Create the perfect bouquet for your favorite book or character.
Oofta that's a difficult one. I could see Matt making Holly a bouquet with planner supplies. After all planners are one of her passions. So washi tape, stickers, good pens, and so forth. Yep, that's what I'll go with.

What romance do you not necessarily need a whole sequel for, you just want to check in on them and make sure everything is going well?
Um, this is what I want with almost every series that I finish. Right now my mind goes to the guys from the Boston Hawks hockey team. I just want to see how they are all doing, find out if they're still with the team, have they been traded, did they retire, etc. So Gina Azzi, I need an update, please.

What date in a book (or movie!) do you wish you could go on yourself?
Well there was the date that took place in Out of Play by Aven Ellis. Dinner was in Paris, and then they were back to London for an event. Is it over the top? Abso-freaking-lutely. Is it a realistic date? HAHAHA NO. But a woman can dream.

What is your favorite nickname from a romance?
They've all been pretty basic. Although I did really like Dollface in Unexpected Love Story by Natasha Madison!

What are your most anticipated romances of 2023? 
I'm not sure we're ready for this conversation, so I'll just list a few that are releasing in the next few months.
Bad Boy's Downfall by Gina Azzi
Wounded Things by Samantha Lovelock
Pool of Tears by Samantha Lovelock
The Owner by Xavier Neal
Curveball by Lisa Suzanne (actually this entire series)
Made for Us by Natasha Madison
The Edge of Forgiveness by Kristin Turnage
The Problem with Second Chances by Piper Rayne

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What I Read Last Week

Another week is done, and Valentine's Day is just around the corner. It's so strange to think that February is half over. That's just wild.

This week I read 7 books, and I loved the majority of them. There was a couple arcs, sports romance, a geeky romance, a few novellas, and of course books by Natasha Madison and Gina Azzi. By reading those two arcs, I also managed to cross off two more books from my anticipated reads list! With many of the books that I read I found myself laughing, I teared up a few times, and I definitely fell for many of the characters. All in all it was a good reading week.

Tell me about what you read last week. Any favorites? Any misses? What's the reading plan for this week?

Happy Reading,
Laura

10 of My Favorite Brother's Best Friend Romances

It should come as no surprise that I ADORE the Brother's Best Friend (and/or sister's best friend) trope. I've spoken about that before. Maybe it goes back to the fact that I grew up with two older brothers, and had a crush on a few of their friends way back then. That could play a small part in it. Maybe. No matter what though I'm obsessed and I find myself gravitating toward those stories. I think another part of it is similar to the friends to lovers trope. It's this person that you know, that you see on the regular, and an attraction just builds, or has the potential to build.

As brother's best friend is one of my top three favorite tropes I figured I'd share a few recommendations. Those that I selected are 10 of my favorite books that feature this trope. Of course there are other tropes that these books fall into as well, but I selected them for the brother's best friend trope. (psst: one is actually a sister's best friend book.) Be proud of me, I only shared 3 hockey romances. In all reality I could have probably had an entire post dedicated to hockey.

Have you read any of these titles? Do you have any recommendations for the brother's best friend trope? Fill me in on your favorites!

Happy Reading,
Laura

As You Wish by Angela Quarles {a review}

As you may know, I am participating in the A to Z reading challenge, where I am doing both the title and the author challenges. One of the letters that I struggle with the most is Q. Plus knowing what my preferences (contemporary romance, maybe a little pnr) are that made it a bit difficult. So I headed to my library to see what I could find. That is when I stumbled upon As You Wish by Angela Quarles. According to the author's website, this book was originally published in 2012, and was named "Beer and Groping in Las Vegas". The blurb for As You Wish is what drew me to select this book over other authors who had the last name that began with Q. I love geeky references in contemporary romances!

Riley McGregor is a geek trapped in a Good Ole Boy body and as owner of a microbrewery, smart chicks never look at him twice.

Rejected by a geek who wanted to “trade up,” Mirjam Linna would rather immerse herself in work than be the girlfriend-of-the-moment. Stranded in a Vegas hotel, she makes a wish—a night of hot sex with the man of her dreams. It’s granted. She agrees to dinner, but afterward, she’ll say thanks, but no thanks, and see what’s on the SyFy channel. But when they meet, they’re surprised to find they had a shared connection in their past. Sparks fly as these two learn to be in the moment, be themselves and find love.

Fans of Star Trek, Star Wars, Monty Python, Firefly and Marvin the Martian will enjoy this romantic comedy.

The moment I read for fans of Star Trek, I knew I had to read this book! While Next Gen is my preferred era of Star Trek, I'll be the first to admit that Enterprise is another one that I loved. (Next Gen is all because of Capt Picard, and Wesley Crusher.)

Mirjam is our heroine, and she is currently in Las Vegas where she just attended a conference for AppExpo. Mirjam's primary focus at the moment is work. Especially since she's not keen on dating. But while speaking to Jenn, the bartender, she makes a wish, and that is when things begin to change. Next thing Mirjam knows, she's headed out on a blind date. Jenn is seriously acting like her fairy godmother!

What could be more drastic than a blind date with a stranger arranged by some unseen force using a slot machine as it's mouthpiece?

Okay my geeky Star Trek loving heart laughed at this line:

 

She stuck out like a Redshirt on an away mission.

Dang Jenn is pulling out all the punches to make this blind date a success for Mirjam!

Riley has now arrived on the scene, and he just felt compelled to try the slot machine where he too received a letter that had his name on it. He's up for the adventure. After all it's been over a year since his last date, and his microbrewery takes up all of his time. Plus who wants to date a geek? Jim leaves him with one final piece of advice:

"Be in the moment and you will find the answer."

Once these two meet, that was when the story picked up. We learn about a past connection, and see them start to get to know each other.  Then of course comes the steamy moments.

On to my thoughts about the book...

I absolutely loved the geeky references that appeared in this quick read. Even more so when it was Star Trek related. I also enjoyed the way these two found their way to each other. That magical element was intriguing. Who knew that a wish made in Vegas would end up this way.

That being said, I do wish there had been a better balance between the story and the steam. However the entire book is 55 pages, so there isn't really a lot of options available. Also the scenes after Mirjam received the envelope, until the time Riley received his could have been done away with. That time would have been better spent building a connection between the characters, or seeing more of their date, or even what happened after Vegas. That's just my opinion though.

At the end of the day, the geeky references were what drew me in, and really the story itself was just okay. Nothing really memorable, except maybe those Marvin the Martian boxers.

What did I rate As You Wish?

I went back and forth on this. My initial thought was 2.5 stars. As I sat with it more, I realized that 3 stars is more fitting. So for now, it's 3 stars.

Now the question comes, will I read more by Angela Quarles? The answer is potentially. I know my library has plenty of the authors books available for kindle download, so maybe. I mean, I'd be willing to read another book, but I think I would have to find a full length novel versus a novella. I need more character development, as well as more plot. 

Have you read anything by this author? Have you even heard of Angela Quarles? Obviously I was new to Angela's writing, and I hadn't heard of her before perusing my library's ebook selection.

Happy Reading,
Laura

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I participate in the Amazon Affiliates program.

Purchases made through links above allow me to earn a small commission.

Thank you!

Thoughts I Had While Reading Final Offer

If you haven't heard the final book in Lauren Asher's Dreamland Billionaires series is now available! Final Offer tells the story of Callahan (Cal) Kane, and takes us on the journey of Cal making his Grandpa's final wishes happen. Of course it takes Cal back to the small town he ran from years ago, and has him returning to Lana's life. This small town, hate to love, second chance romance is going to be interesting. I don't think this happily ever after is going to be easy to accomplish.

As I did with Princess of Hawthorne Prep, I figured I would jot down my thoughts as I read the book. So if you're curious, please keep on reading. I don't think I'm giving any spoilers, but if I did, I apologize. Also if you want to read my full review, it is posted over on Goodreads.

Thanks for reading,
Laura

• Well that was an interesting start to the story!

• Loved how Lana put him in his place right away, and kicked him out.

• Wonder what Grandpa Kane is up to with having Cal return to the lake house? I also wonder what his letter to Cal said.

• Ugh I was hoping that Cal was in recovery, but based on what went down at the hotel that isn't the case. It's only a matter of time before he gets into trouble, and/or someone gets hurt.

• That meeting with the lawyer was kind of eye opening. I wonder why that clause was put in?

• I wonder WHY Cal has to sell the lake house. That part isn't 100% clear, or at least not to me.

• Oofta this small town has it out for Cal. I'm not liking that one bit. Why doesn't Lana tell them to knock it off?

• Those words that Declan spoke clearly struck a cord. Which they definitely should have.

• Cal showing interest during that board meeting caught my attention. He clearly is interested in the company! He just downplays it because that is what is expected. It's almost as though he wants to be underestimated by others.

• Oooh Cal's dad is the worst. He is out to hurt his son with his words, and it shows. Yet at the same time it seems like Cal is taking after him a bit.

• Loving the fact that Lana has a plan in place to push off the sale of the house.

• Cal isn't making it easy on her one bit, and is determined to get the job done at all costs.

• Ahhh! Cami's birthday party! So cute, and dang that's a large party!

• That's quite the trip he's just offered! I wonder what other things he has up his sleeve.

• OH THAT'S WHAT IT IS! Dang he spent a lot to make this happen.

• Loving the family reunion! I am glad the brothers are able to all get together with their busy schedules. Plus the women are meshing perfectly together. 

• Also I am proud of Cal for setting up rehab for himself, and hoping this time is when it clicks for him.

• I feel like drama/conflict is about to happen.

• OH NO! She shouldn't have found out like that! Poor Lana!

• Oooh that fight was a doozy. I don't blame Lana for saying what she did. At the same time she should have listened before reacting. (in my opinion of course)

• Rehab is going to be good for Cal, I just know it.

 

• Well I did not see THAT person walking into the AA meeting! Still an ass, and is clearly only thinking of himself.

• Glad to see Rowan made the call with the offer that he did.

• So how is Cal going to fix all this? It seems like the odds are stacked against him.

• Okay I'm liking this solution. I see what's happening and I approve. Swoon!

• That board meeting was interesting. I also enjoyed what Cal had been up to behind the scenes. Underestimated as always, until he shows people that he knows what he's doing.

• That meeting with the lawyer!!! OH MY WORD! So that just happened. It feels good to see that outcome. 

• Now that the book is over, I'm not certain what to think. I'm conflicted. On one hand I enjoyed a good portion of it. On the other I'm not sold on this couple. There are so many issues that need to be worked out. I still don't like how the addiction storyline was handled. Plus Lana didn't always it right with me. She was combative and always throwing the past, as well as his addiction, in Cal's face. Then there's the fact that Cal threw money around like it was nothing. Which I get it he has $25 billion, but dang! My mind just cannot wrap around the fact that he just spent like he did.

Please note:

I participate in the Amazon Affiliates program.

Purchases made through links above allow me to earn a small commission.

Thank you!