Contemporary Romance

#BookReview Once Smitten, Twice Shy by Chloe Liese @BerkleyRomance @PenguinRandomCA #OnceSmittenTwiceShy #TheWilmotSisters #ChloeLiese #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads

categories: 8.5/10, Book Review, Contemporary Romance
#BookReview Once Smitten, Twice Shy by Chloe Liese @BerkleyRomance @PenguinRandomCA #OnceSmittenTwiceShy #TheWilmotSisters #ChloeLiese #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads Title: Once Smitten, Twice Shy

Author: Chloe Liese

Series: The Wilmot Sisters #3

Published by: Berkley on Jan. 14, 2025

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 384

Format: Paperback

Source: Berkley Publishing

Book Rating: 8.5/10

Star-crossed lovers learn that practicing romance leads to the perfect happy ending in this steamy reimagining of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.

Since heartbreak entered the scene, Juliet Wilmot, once a hopeless romantic, has sworn off love. But when she’s presented with the chance to revisit romance—purely for practice—with the gorgeous, off-limits guy she keeps serendipitously running into, it feels like a sign from the universe.
 
Quiet, shy Will Orsino knows happily-ever-after isn’t on his horizon. Problem is, for the sake of the family business, marriage is.  Resigned to the inevitable, but with no confidence he can woo a wife, he can hardly say no when fate hands him the alluring, unattainable woman he keeps crossing paths with, offering to help him learn the ropes of romance.
 
Neither of them looking for love, Jules and Will agree they’re the perfect pair to practice romance. Except that practicing to perfection leads to an irresistible attraction. Their once smitten hearts, though still twice shy, might have happily-ever-after written in the stars for them, after all.

Review:

Lighthearted, sensitive, and cute!

Once Smitten, Twice Shy is a tender, feel-good tale that takes you into the life of the kind, heartbroken Juliet, who has finally decided that love is just not in the cards for her until she meets the ruggedly handsome, socially awkward Will and their agreement to practice romance together quickly turns into something more.

The prose is smooth and sweet. The characters are wary, lovable, and unique. And the plot is an engaging, push-pull tale of family, friendship, tricky situations, playful banter, heartfelt moments, humorous hijinks, self-discovery, happiness, neurodivergence, chronic pain, romance, and love.

Overall, Once Smitten, Twice Shy is a charming, touching, delightful tale by Liese that I thoroughly enjoyed and which, in my opinion, is the perfect choice for anyone who loves their romcoms with a whole lot of heart, humour, and hope.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

         

 

 

Thank you to Berkley Romance for this free copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Chloe Liese

Chloe Liese writes romances reflecting her belief that everyone deserves a love story. Her stories pack a punch of heat, heart, and humor, and often feature characters who are neurodivergent like herself. When not dreaming up her next book, Chloe spends her time wandering in nature, playing soccer, and most happily at home with her family and mischievous cats.

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#BookReview One Last Rainy Day by Kate Stewart @authorklstewart @PGCBooks @panmacmillan #OneLastRainyDay #RavenhoodLegacySeries #KateStewart #PGCBooks

categories: 8/10, Book Review, Contemporary Romance, Erotica, New Adult
#BookReview One Last Rainy Day by Kate Stewart @authorklstewart @PGCBooks @panmacmillan #OneLastRainyDay #RavenhoodLegacySeries #KateStewart #PGCBooks Title: One Last Rainy Day

Author: Kate Stewart

Series: Ravenhood Legacy #1

Published by: Pan Macmillan on Dec. 3, 2024

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Erotica, New Adult

Pages: 477

Format: Paperback

Source: Publishers Group Canada

Book Rating: 8/10

The first installment of the deliciously steamy Ravenhood Legacy series, a spin-off of the internationally bestselling Robin Hood retelling that set TikTok on fire. One Last Rainy Day sheds new light on the secret, morally gray brotherhood—this time from the brooding and magnetic perspective of Dominic.

“We love rainy days, don’t we, baby?”

Dominic King doesn’t want or need anything…except his freedom.

The key to his cage is tucked in the suit pocket of his overbearing, overprotective, older brother, Tobias—the leader of a secret vigilante group Dominic helps govern.

Their mission? Destroy Roman Horner. And what better way to start than with their target’s daughter?

The problem is, the moment Cecelia Horner arrives in Triple Falls, plans and motivations change. For Dominic, she’s a potent reminder that there’s still good in the world. With Tobias away for the summer, things start to heat up quickly, until she’s not just a want, she’s a need.

With the Ravenhood’s fate on his shoulders, Cecelia becomes Dom’s only solace, and a light for his tortured soul. Because he knows, better than anyone, that a choice is coming. And once the decision is made, there’ll be no coming back.

Review:

Sultry, menacing, and emotional!

One Last Rainy Day is a charged, tantalizing tale that takes us back to Triple Falls and into the lives of Dom, Cecelia and Sean as we now get to see how their introduction, lives, relationships, responsibilities, struggles, and feelings all unfolded from Dom’s point of view.

The writing is edgy and passionate. The characters are troubled, impulsive, and resilient. And the plot is an alluring mix of friendship, family, drama, danger, expectations, heartbreak, desire, self-discovery, sacrifice, and love.

Overall, One Last Rainy Day is the steamy, dramatic, entertaining first story in the new Ravenhood Legacy spinoff series by Stewart that takes us back into the same dark, gritty, sexy world we came to know and love in The Ravenhood series but this time from a male perspective.

 

This book is available now.

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Thank you to PGC Books for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Kate Stewart

Bestselling author and Texas native, Kate Stewart, lives in North Carolina with her husband, Nick. Kate is a lover of all things '80s and '90s, especially John Hughes films and rap. She dabbles a little in photography, can knit a simple stitch scarf for necessity, and on occasion, does very well at whiskey.
Her series, The Ravenhood Trilogy, consisting of Flock, Exodus, and The Finish Line, has become an international bestseller, TikTok phenomenon, and reader favourite.

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#BookReview The Christmas Countdown by Holly Cassidy @PenguinRandomCA #TheChristmasCountdown #HollyCassidy #PenguinReads

categories: 8/10, Book Review, Contemporary Romance
#BookReview The Christmas Countdown by Holly Cassidy @PenguinRandomCA #TheChristmasCountdown #HollyCassidy #PenguinReads Title: The Christmas Countdown

Author: Holly Cassidy

Published by: Penguin Canada on Oct. 8, 2024

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 320

Format: Paperback

Source: Penguin Random House

Book Rating: 8/10

From the author of The Christmas Wager comes a charming holiday rom-com about a young, recently heartbroken woman who is tasked by her sister to complete Advent calendar challenges in the lead up to Christmas to reignite her belief in herself, the holidays, and love again.

She’s given up on love and Christmas…but fate has other plans.

All Callie wants for Christmas is to hibernate. She’s still reeling from being dumped by her childhood sweetheart, and under no circumstances will she go home for the holidays considering her ex will be right next door with his new, perfect partner. Callie is officially in grinch mode, but her meddling sister, Anita, won’t let her give up on life, love, and Christmas quite so easily.

Anita stages a Christmas intervention for Callie with a homemade Advent calendar challenge—cheerful tasks to push Callie out of her comfort zone and into the holiday spirit, inspired by a childhood tradition. Callie reluctantly plays along, but when she comes face-to-face with a charming baker who just might be the spoonful of sugar she needs, her strict rules on love and the holidays are tested.

As they strike a deal to do the activities together, could the twenty four little doors on Callie’s Advent calendar not only open up one, but two closed-off hearts?

Review:

Amusing, sweet, and delightfully festive!

The Christmas Countdown is a cosy, heartwarming holiday read that takes you into the life of Callie, an intelligent young woman whose sister is determined to help her get out of her funk of being dumped by creating an advent calendar extraordinaire that’s bursting with nostalgia, special tasks and lots of interesting challenges for her to complete.

The prose is warm and light. The characters are lonely, friendly, and thoughtful. And the plot is a cute, engaging tale full of friendship, family, romance, workplace drama, tender moments, self-discovery, merry preparations, and love.

Overall, The Christmas Countdown is a fun, uplifting, adorable wintery treat by Cassidy that  left me yearning for snowflakes, decorated trees, twinkling lights, and scrumptious treats.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

         

 

 

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Holly Cassidy

Holly Cassidy is the pen name for internationally bestselling author Hannah Mary McKinnon. Her suspense novels include The Neighbors, Her Secret Son, Sister Dear, You Will Remember Me, Never Coming Home, The Revenge List, and Only One Survives (coming July 2024). McKinnon was born in England, grew up in Switzerland, and now lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband and three sons. The Christmas Wager was her first novel writing as Holly Cassidy.

Photo by Robert McKinnon

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#BookReview The Forgotten One by Catherine Bybee @CatherineBybee @AmazonPub #TheForgottenOne #TheHeirsSeries #CatherineBybee #Montlake

categories: 9/10, Book Review, Contemporary Romance
#BookReview The Forgotten One by Catherine Bybee @CatherineBybee @AmazonPub #TheForgottenOne #TheHeirsSeries #CatherineBybee #Montlake Title: The Forgotten One

Author: Catherine Bybee

Series: The Heirs #2

Published by: Montlake Romance on Nov. 12, 2024

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 384

Format: Paperback

Source: Amazon Publishing, OTRPR

Book Rating: 9/10

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bybee spins a dazzling tale of long-lost relatives, overnight riches, and unexpected romance in the dramatic second book of The Heirs series.

Sarah McNeilly is a rare find in the tabloid industry. She won’t ignite gossip. She finds the truth. And for once, that’s what her boss wants. With her job on the line, Sarah’s latest assignment is to identify the elusive “Maximillian Smith,” unearth his connection to the billionaire Stone family, and dig up some dirt.

Yesterday Max was an ordinary workingman, concerned with little more than the price of gas. Now he suddenly has a family, jaw-dropping wealth, and an avid (if clumsy) reporter on his trail. With the press threatening to destroy his new life, he needs to release his real story strategically, and Sarah is the key—not to mention an adorable yet invaluable resource for finding his mother.

As Max and Sarah team up to peel back the ugly layers of Max’s past, they stumble heart-first into their fiery attraction. But when their research threatens their newly built trust, it’s their future that is on the line.

Review:

Absorbing, spicy, and heartfelt!

The Forgotten One is a sweet, uplifting tale that takes us into the lives of Maximillian Smith, a down-to-earth guy with a rough past who is still coming to grips with his newly inherited wealth, and Sarah McNeilly, a tabloid reporter who is determined to uncover the truth and write pieces that are meaningful and honest regardless of what her boss would prefer.

The writing is smooth and sincere. The characters are hardworking, passionate, and stubborn. And the plot is an engaging, hopeful tale full of family, drama, disappointments, tender moments, palpable chemistry, expectations, revelations, friendship, and love.

Overall, The Forgotten One is a warm, charming, addictive read by Bybee that can definitely be picked up as a standalone novel, but as someone who absolutely adores this Heirs series, I highly recommend you read them all.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

     

 

 

Thank you to Amazon Publishing for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Catherine Bybee

Catherine Bybee is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of twenty-five books that have collectively sold more than three million copies and have been translated into twelve languages. Raised in Washington State, Bybee moved to Southern California in hopes of becoming a movie star. After growing bored with waiting tables, she returned to school and became a registered nurse, spending most of her career in urban emergency rooms. She now writes full-time and has penned the Not Quite series, the Weekday Brides series, and the Most Likely To series.

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#BookReview A Grim Reaper’s Guide to Catching a Killer by Maxie Dara @PenguinRandomCA #AGrimReapersGuideToCatchingAKiller #MaxieDara #PenguinReads

categories: 8/10, Book Review, Contemporary Romance
#BookReview A Grim Reaper’s Guide to Catching a Killer by Maxie Dara @PenguinRandomCA #AGrimReapersGuideToCatchingAKiller #MaxieDara #PenguinReads Title: A Grim Reaper's Guide to Catching a Killer

Author: Maxie Dara

Series: S.C.Y.T.H.E. Mystery #1

Published by: Berkley on Oct. 1, 2024

Genres: Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 352

Format: Paperback

Source: Penguin Random House

Book Rating: 8/10

Sometimes it takes working with the dead to start living.

Kathy Valence is forty-two, mid-divorce, and pregnant with her ex’s baby. She’s also a modern-day grim reaper employed by S.C.Y.T.H.E. (Secure Collection, Yielding, and Transportation of Human Essences), but frankly that’s the easiest part of her life right now. Or at least it was, until her latest client’s soul goes missing.

When she finally tracks down seventeen-year-old Conner Ortiz, he angrily denies he died of natural causes, despite what his file says. He insists that someone at S.C.Y.T.H.E. murdered him, and he demands Kathy find out who and why.

Kathy has only forty-five days to figure out what happened to Conner and help him move on before the boy’s soul is doomed to roam the Earth as a ghost forever. She’s forced to rely on the help of her retired mentor, her almost ex-husband—and some sneaky moves by Conner himself. This is the wildest case of her career. . .and one wrong move could cost Kathy her job, not to mention her life.

Review:

Unique, lighthearted, and entertaining!

A Grim Reaper’s Guide to Catching a Killer is a well-paced, amusing murder mystery that takes you into the life of Kathy Valence, a middle-aged woman and S.C.Y.T.H.E. employee who, in the middle of a divorce and suddenly pregnant, has her day job go a little off track when a soul she is sent to retrieve goes missing, and someone at the company may have had something to do with it.

The writing is light and witty. The characters are inquisitive, impulsive, and endearing. And the plot is a well-paced, zany whodunit full of amateur sleuthing, red herrings, misdirection, mishaps, suspects, deduction, supernatural phenomena, and a touch of the unexpected..

A Grim Reaper’s Guide to Catching a Killer is the first book in the S.C.Y.T.H.E. Mystery series, and if you’re a fan of cosy mysteries, this novel won’t disappoint. It’s a fun, quirky, entertaining read by Dara, and I look forward to reading whatever she spooks up next.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

         

 

 

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Maxie Dara

Maxie Dara is a writer and actor from Ontario, Canada. She has been a freelance journalist focusing on the local arts and culture scene for more than five years, with bylines in publications such as Hamilton Magazine and Beyond James, among others. She is also a two-time award-winning playwright, taking home the Best of Fringe award at the 2017 Hamilton Fringe Festival for the musical comedy This Is Not a Musical: The Musical! and the 2020 Torpedo Prize for her play Alone Together, a pandemic drama. Maxie knew she wanted to be a writer at the age of seven, when she first fell in love with the written word. She also wanted to be a mermaid but has mostly focused on the writing side of things.

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#BookReview Right Where We Left Us by Jen Devon @kisscrafter @smpromance @StMartinsPress #JenDevon #RightWhereWeLeftUs #SMPRomance #SMPInfluencers #StMartinsPress

categories: 8.5/10, Book Review, Contemporary Romance
#BookReview Right Where We Left Us by Jen Devon @kisscrafter @smpromance @StMartinsPress #JenDevon #RightWhereWeLeftUs #SMPRomance #SMPInfluencers #StMartinsPress Title: Right Where We Left Us

Author: Jen Devon

Published by: St. Martin's Griffin on Jun. 18, 2024

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 368

Format: Paperback

Source: St. Martin's Press

Book Rating: 8.5/10

Temperance Jean Madigan and Duncan Brady have never gotten it right. After one radiant, secret summer together when they were eighteen, they’ve been on-again off-again ever since. Now, despite red-hot chemistry and TJ’s closeness with Duncan’s family, they’re virtually strangers, only capable of adversarial banter, awkward small talk―and the occasional messy hookup.

When a wedding at the Brady’s vineyard lands TJ there for the summer, their mutual avoidance strategies prove impossible. The last thing TJ wants is to be under those angsty, heated glances Duncan thinks he hides. And for Duncan, having fiery TJ constantly close is the ultimate distraction that he absolutely can’t afford. When forced proximity begins to chip away at their armor, buried tensions resurface, old wounds urge confrontation, and once-in-a-lifetime love demands one last chance to finally get it right.

Review:

Big-hearted, sweet, and engaging!

Right Where We Left Us is an emotive, second-chance romance between the driven, successful Temperance and the dependable, hardworking Duncan as they discover that beneath all the miscommunication and past secrets is a deeply-rooted friendship, sizzling attraction and unconditional love that is still smouldering and certainly worth fighting for.

The writing is fluid and warm. The characters are caring, hesitant, and appealing. And the plot is a push-pull tale of relationship dynamics, familial expectations, introspection, acceptance, forgiveness, friendship, love, romance, and new beginnings.

Overall, Right Where We Left Us is a charming, rich, tender tale by Devon with characters I couldn’t help but root for, a storyline with a nice mix of drama and passion, and a happy-ever-after ending that left me with a smile.

 

This book is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

         

 

 

Thank you to SMP Romance – St. Martin’s Press for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Jen Devon

Jen Devon wrote her first romance when she was eight. Now she writes vivid, cinematic love stories about imperfect people finding their perfect match. A former biology academic and lecturer, she currently works in the tech industry and dreams of writing full-time. She’s an avid gardener, photographer, and boardgamer, a thrift store enthusiast and unapologetic nerd. She’s a mom of six (three kids, three rescue mutts) and lives in central Ohio with her engineer husband. Bend Toward the Sun is her first book.

Photo Credit: Maya D Photography

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#BookReview All I Want for Christmas by Karen Swan @KarenSwan1 @PGCBooks @panmacmillan #AllIWantForChristmas #KarenSwan #PGCBooks

categories: 9/10, Book Review, Contemporary Romance, Women's Fiction
#BookReview All I Want for Christmas by Karen Swan @KarenSwan1 @PGCBooks @panmacmillan #AllIWantForChristmas #KarenSwan #PGCBooks Title: All I Want for Christmas

Author: Karen Swan

Published by: Pan Macmillan on Oct. 1, 2024

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Women's Fiction

Pages: 400

Format: Paperback

Source: Publishers Group Canada

Book Rating: 9/10

Christmas in Copenhagen is an utterly magical time of year. There are charming Christmas markets, carol singing on the canals, ice skating in the parks, and cozy cafes to shelter from the early snow.

Darcy Cotterell is not feeling remotely festive. Newly single, she’s not even going home for Christmas but will instead spend the holiday finishing her PhD. Her best friend, Freja, has other ideas though and convinces Darcy to sign up to an upmarket dating site where she can meet Copenhagen’s most eligible bachelors. Freja is determined that Darcy won’t be lonely this Christmas and gets her to agree to match with three potential dates.

Then Darcy is given the job of solving a new, intriguing art mystery: an unknown portrait by Denmark’s greatest painter has been found beneath another masterpiece and she must discover the identity of the woman in the painting. During her research, she encounters sexy, arrogant lawyer Max Lorensen – who also happens to be bachelor number one. The attraction is instant but there are two problems: Max is clearly a player and, while the chemistry between them is hard to ignore, they also need to work together whatever happens.

Review:

Absorbing, festive, and touching!

All I Want for Christmas is an atmospheric, compelling tale that sweeps you away to Copenhagen and into the life of PhD student Darcy Cotterell as she spends the holiday season away from home trying to identify a woman whose image has been hidden for decades behind a renowned painting by one of Denmark’s most famous artists, while also navigating the ups and downs of trying to find love through an exclusive dating app.

The writing is rich and expressive. The characters are intelligent, confident, and multilayered. And the plot is a heartwarming, engaging tale of life, loss, love, family, friendship, mystique, nostalgia, secrets, duty, history and the winter rituals of Danes.

Overall, All I Want for Christmas is another captivating, romantic, emotional tale by Swan that is beautifully layered and the perfect choice to snuggle up in front of the fire with and kick off this upcoming holiday season.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

         

 

 

 

Thank you to Publishers Group Canada for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Karen Swan

Karen Swan began her career in fashion journalism before giving it all up to raise her three children and a puppy, and to pursue her ambition of becoming a writer. She lives in the forest outside Sussex, England, writing her books in a treehouse overlooking the Downs.

An internationally bestselling author, her numerous books include The Rome Affair, The Paris Secret, Christmas Under the Stars, and The Christmas Secret. 

Photograph by Alexander James

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#BookReview Sunlight by Devney Perry @devney_perry @FireflyDist @AmazonPub #Sunlight #DevneyPerry #HavenRiverRanch #Montlake #FireflyDist

categories: 9/10, Book Review, Contemporary Romance
#BookReview Sunlight by Devney Perry @devney_perry @FireflyDist @AmazonPub #Sunlight #DevneyPerry #HavenRiverRanch #Montlake #FireflyDist Title: Sunlight

Author: Devney Perry

Series: Haven River Ranch #2

Published by: Montlake Romance on Oct. 15, 2024

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 300

Format: ARC, Paperback

Source: Firefly Distributed Lines

Book Rating: 9/10

From USA Today bestselling author Devney Perry comes a sweeping Western romance about undeniable attraction, unforeseen circumstances, and seemingly unbeatable odds.

My first day in Montana, I got into a tug-of-war over a grocery store shopping cart. The most handsome man I’d ever seen broke up the scuffle before he asked me on a date. I was seconds away from accepting but then he told me his name.

As an owner of the Haven River Ranch, Jax Haven wasn’t my boss. But he wasn’t not my boss either.

Obviously, my only option was to turn him down, scurry away, then pretend like he was a stranger on my first day of work. And obviously, I could never, ever admit that he was my secret crush.

For as hard as I work at my job, I work twice as hard to pretend Jax doesn’t exist. I don’t let myself think about his dazzling eyes or charming smile. I refuse to acknowledge how good he looks in a pair of faded Wrangler jeans. And as tempting as he is in a cowboy hat, Jax is a distraction I cannot afford.

Everything was going according to plan until the annual holiday party. Until I drank one too many flutes of champagne and let him sweep me off my feet. After a night in his bed, there was no more ignoring Jax Haven. Not when I’m pregnant with his baby.

Review:

Hopeful, tender, and angsty!

Sunlight is an engaging, heartwarming tale that takes you into the life of the ruggedly handsome, hardworking Jax Haven as he juggles his familial responsibilities, his job on the ranch, unsettled emotional turmoil from the past, and an undeniable attraction to the new manager of the family lodge, the quiet, hesitant Sasha Vaughn who seems to be harbouring a few secrets of her very own.

The writing is sweet and light. The characters are wary, kind, and endearing. And the plot is a charming, feel-good tale full of friendship, community, drama, family, chemistry, secrets, acceptance, intrigue, introspection, new additions, romance, and love.

Overall, Sunlight is another fabulous addition to the Haven River Ranch series by Perry, complete with intriguing characters, an entertaining storyline, and a dreamy, happy-ever-after ending.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

     

 

 

Thank you to Firefly Distributed Lines for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Devney Perry

Devney Perry is a Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author of over forty romance novels. After working in the technology industry for a decade, she abandoned conference calls and project schedules to pursue her passion for writing. She was born and raised in Montana and now lives in Washington with her husband and two sons.

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#BookReview Given Our History by Kristyn J. Miller @KristynJMiller @smpromance @StMartinsPress #KristynJMiller #GivenOurHistory #smpromance #smpinfluencers

categories: 8/10, Book Review, Contemporary Romance
#BookReview Given Our History by Kristyn J. Miller @KristynJMiller @smpromance @StMartinsPress #KristynJMiller #GivenOurHistory #smpromance #smpinfluencers Title: Given Our History

Author: Kristyn J. Miller

Published by: St. Martin's Griffin on Aug. 27, 2024

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 320

Format: Paperback

Source: St. Martin's Press

Book Rating: 8/10

Assistant professor Clara Fernsby is nothing if not driven. She’s wanted to teach history since she was fourteen, and she hasn’t let anything stand in her way—not even the love of her life. And it all paid off in the end, because she landed a well-paid position at a private liberal arts college fresh out of grad school, and this year, she’s finally up for tenure.

When Theodore Harrison is brought on for the fall semester as a visiting scholar, it’s an unwelcome blast from Clara’s past. She hasn’t spoken to Teddy since a falling out ten years ago. Now that he’s here, she’s reminded of their shared history at every autumns spent at a sleepaway camp in the Blue Ridge Mountains, where she traded battered books and burned CDs with a quiet, dark-haired boy—and fell in love with him.

That boy might’ve been her best friend, but the man teaching HIST-322 is a total stranger. But as they spend evenings working on a shared project and brainstorming over drinks at a college bar, Clara realizes she’s at risk of falling all over again. Given their history, she knows there’s every chance he’s not interested. But history’s all down to interpretation, and this time around, she’s got no intentions of repeating it.

Review:

Cute, hopeful, and romantic!

Given Our History is a playful, lighthearted, second-chance romance featuring the intelligent, handsome Theodore Harrison, who broke his best friend’s heart when he never seemed to be interested in being anything more, and the spirited, driven Clara Fernsby, who is too busy trying to obtain her professorship and keep her life moving forward to ever open herself up for more heartache from the visiting scholar who once upon a time owned her heart.

The prose is fluid and warm. The characters are lovable, kind, and empathetic. And the plot is an uplifting, engaging tale about life, love, family, friendship, awkward situations, tender moments, self-discovery, happiness, community, and new beginnings. 

Overall, Given Our History is a heartwarming, entertaining, enjoyable treat by Miller with oodles of endearing characters and small-town charm.

 

This book is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

         

 

 

Thank you to SMP Romance – St. Martin’s Press for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Kristyn J. Miller

KRISTYN J. MILLER is the author of Seven Rules for Breaking Hearts and other novels. A lifelong history nerd with a background in museum work, she finally earned her M.A. in history and museum studies at University of New Hampshire in 2023. In between novels, she spends her free time wandering peat bogs, sampling craft beers, and restoring her old colonial house in rural Maine with her husband.

Photo Credit: George H. Miller IV

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#BlogTour #BookReview Bad Reputation by Emma Barry @AuthorEmmaBarry @OverTheRiverPR @AmazonPub #BadReputation #EmmaBarry #Montlake #MontlakeAuthors #OTRPR

categories: 8/10, Book Review, Contemporary Romance
#BlogTour #BookReview Bad Reputation by Emma Barry @AuthorEmmaBarry @OverTheRiverPR @AmazonPub #BadReputation #EmmaBarry #Montlake #MontlakeAuthors #OTRPR Title: Bad Reputation

Author: Emma Barry

Published by: Montlake Romance on Oct. 1, 2024

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 319

Format: Paperback

Source: Amazon Publishing, OTRPR

Book Rating: 8/10

In this whip-smart workplace romance from the author of Chick Magnet, a former teen star and an accidental intimacy coordinator have a plan to fix their images—and falling in love would ruin everything.

Cole James’s reputation as Hollywood’s favorite himbo no longer suits him. His fans can’t separate the real man from the character he played on a soapy teen drama decades ago. But that’s going to change with Waverley, the hit streaming historical romance series.

Maggie Niven hates her own notoriety. Fired for directing a divisive play, Maggie takes her fight against censorship public. When Hollywood comes calling, she becomes the new intimacy coordinator for Waverley. But it’s harder than she imagined to focus on the job.

Cole isn’t what she expected—and Maggie is more than he dreamed of. As filming gets underway, the cast’s old traumas lead to real intimacy, and Cole and Maggie struggle with feelings they shouldn’t have. Having an affair on set could destroy his comeback and her new career.

The show must go on. But if Cole and Maggie want a happy ending, they’ll have to start doing things their own way.

Review:

Appealing, tender, and sweet!

Bad Reputation is a bighearted, uplifting tale that takes you into the lives of two main characters. Cole James, an actor struggling to be known for more than just his long-running image as a teen heartthrob and himbo, and Maggie Niven, a former drama teacher turned intimacy coordinator, who is determined to fight censorship and prove just how wrong her dismissal from the school board for diverseness truly was.

The writing is touching and light. The characters are charismatic, genuine, and endearing. And the plot is an engaging mix of heart, humour, friendship, attraction, chemistry, relationship drama, romance, and the intricacies of movie making.

Overall, Bad Reputation is another charming, witty, delightful tale by Barry that has all the elements I’ve come to know and enjoy in her novels, including a fierce heroine, an attentive alpha male, and a slightly unique, swoony storyline.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

     

 

 

Thank you to OTRPR and Amazon Publishing for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Emma Barry

Emma Barry is a teacher, novelist, recovering academic, and former political staffer. She lives with her high school sweetheart and a menagerie of pets and children in Virginia, and she occasionally finds time to read and write.

Photo courtesy of Author's Website.

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