Book Reviews & More

Book Stats:

Rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐(5/5)

Spice Rating: Closed Door

Tropes: Trainer vs Trainee, Slow Burn, Legally Blonde Retelling

Publisher: HarperCollins

Review:

*Thank you to HarperCollins for sending me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! It means alot that you trust little old me!"

So I have followed this book for a very, very, long time. Watching it become an idea in Cait's brain to a full formed PUBLISHED book has been insane and I have really enjoyed getting to watch their journey from "the founder of booktok" to published author.

First off, can we talk about the representation? This cast is every impressive and I love to see it! Especially in a fantasy novel like this one! Fantasy is such an easy genre to make diverse, and I love that it was right there built into the story.

The pacing of this book felt a little off, like it was trying to get thru the story so the actual fighting can begin.... but once I settled into the novel a bit better I didn't notice it as much.

I love how the legally blonde storyline was there, but eventually the story became it's own which I really did like. I really want a second book! While this one had a great ending, I would love to see how far these characters could go!

Great Banter! Which is always nice to see!

The Slowburn was very well written!

Book Stats:

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐(4.75/5)

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️(3/5)

Tropes: College Romance, Mystery, Found Family, Sports-Romance

Publisher: Self-Published

Review:

*Thank you to the Author and Good Girls PR for giving me an ARC in exchange for a honest review, it means a lot that you trust little old me!*

So, I was not expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did. It really surprised me. I really enjoyed the romance and thought the smut was written pretty well.

This book has the perfect "back to school" fall vibes meets Gossip Girl.

Banter is TOP TIER. 10/10 no notes.

The Male MC is now one of my favorite book boyfriends. He is written really well and I love his compassion. I also loved that he went thru some character growth as well and not just the FMC.

I think the main character is very relatable, and just love her overall vibe. I also love how she is not afraid to go after what she wants and stand up to those who don't agree with her. As someone who also has extremely strict parents who watch her every move(even as a college student who lives 3 hours away) I completely understand. I also love to see that struggle highlighted in this book!

The sub plot was okay, I feel like it did serve as a great plot device, but it needed just a tiny bit more. Some parts felt fully thought out and some felt half-finished, but it still was a great part of the book and I love how it verred away from traditional college romances!

Book Stats:

Rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐(4.25/5)

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️(3.75/5)

Tropes: Forced Proximity, Sports Romance, College Romance, He Falls First

Publisher: Indie Published

Review:

*Thank you so much to the Author for sending me a early copy of this book in exchange for a honest review- It means a lot that you trust little old me!*

Okay, this book is the perfect blend of sweet and spicy! If your a fan of sports romances as well, you will enjoy this one. I also love the badass female lead who is not afraid to put Football players in their place. Also, Character Growth? 10/10. Banter is also just *chef's kiss*. I love that the chemistry was something you could really feel as a reader. Nash is one of my new favorite book boyfriends, the way he cares about Drew is just soo sweet! I also think the author does a great job of balancing the emotional moments, the fun moments, and the spicy moments.

So I only have one tiny thing. First was the pacing. If your into face paced books, then this is the book for you! Personally, I feel like it's just a little too fast for me. That being said, I still really enjoyed the book! I read it in one sitting!

Book Stats:

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐(5/5)

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️(3.5/5)

Tropes: Grump/sunshine, Forced Proximity, Brother's Close Friend, Chronic Illness Rep

Publisher: Penguin Random House

Review:

*thank you to Netgalley and the author for sending me a early copy in exchange for a honest review, it means a lot that you trust little old me! Especially with Dilan's first trad-published book!*

So before you think "this is just another cowboy romance..." I beg you to give this book a try.

First off, I can honestly say this is the first time I have ever read a cowboy romance set in a cowboy themepark. Honestly it's genius and leads to some great tension when the FMC has to become a themepark icon and not alot of time to do it. She needs help from the bad-boy cowboy Noah, or she could hurt the park. Problem is? she doesn't know how to ride a horse, or yah know, play a themepark character whose whole stick is doing horse tricks. What can go wrong?

ALSO. CHRONIC ILLNESS REPRESENTATION(yes that deserved to be said in ALL CAPS). I just love getting to see it as someone who has a chronic illness myself. Esra(the FMC) made me feel SO SEEN. Can we please have more of this in our mainstream romance novels? pretty please? with a cherry on top?

I love how Esra's character growth is written as well. I think her struggle of not knowing where to go or what to do next is something all lot of people can relate to. I also love how our FMC and our MMC come and meet in the middle of their different struggles.

So the spice. 10/10. No Notes.

I read this book in one sitting. The Banter was amazingly well written. I love the surrounding cast and the found family aspect of the book. The tension was also *chef's kiss*.

Book Stats:

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐(3.25/5)

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️(3/5)

Tropes: Forced Proximity, Destination RomCom, Opposites Attract

Publisher: Harper Collins UK/One More Chapter Review: *Thank you so much to Harper Collins UK/One More Chapter for a free copy of the book in exchange for a honest review, it really means a lot that you trust little old me!*

Let's start with the good things... shall we? The chemistry was really well written. I liked the growth the FMC went thru, and enjoyed the smut. I also think it was well written. The Indiana Jones Meet Cute vibes were Definity there. This book also has very fast pacing that as someone who is in a very bad reading slump, I can appreciate. Also, Cover art Definity makes me want to read this book, so there's that.

Book Stats:

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐(4.25/5)

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Tropes: Fake Dating, Forced Proximity, HEA, miscommunication

Publisher: One More Chapter(Harper Collins)

Review:

*thank you to the One More Chapter and Harper Collins UK and the author for sending me a early copy of this book in exchange for a honest review-it means a lot that you trust little old me!*

I didn't think that Donna Marchetti's writing could get better after Hate Mail, but it did! I read this book in a DAY. It kept me engaged. The Banter was TOP TIER, Oh my Gosh! The tropes in this book, like forced proximity and fake dating really are written well and fully flushed out. I feel like the setting and the way the FMC and MMC have to work together is giving very much 2000's romcom. ALSO, THE COVER? CUTE AS CAN BE! I also love how in this book the FMC's character development wasn't as heavily attached to the miscommunication trope as I feel it normally is, and it was more career oriented, which is also a nice refreshing change than your typical romance book.

I only have two tiny things. And they really are microscopic. First, the miscommunication trope. Personally, I enjoy this trope when its done well, but I think the way it was written in this book personally felt just a tad childish. That is personally my opinion, I would still recommend this book majorly though! My second tiny thing that I wish was a little better communicated was the ending. It felt like we jumped to it just a teeny bit. Other than that, I think the storyline, character development, and plot were really great. TBH I think I liked this even more than Hate Mail, I think Donna Marchetti has really grown as a author even more from her last book.

Book Stats:

Rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐(4.25/5)

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️(2/5)

Tropes: It's Always been You, Sports Romance(baseball), college, miscommunication, childhood friends to lovers, best friend's brother

Publisher: Indie

Review:

*Thank you so much to the author for sending me a copy of this book for free in order for a honest review! It means a lot that you trust little old me!*

I am so glad I stumbled upon that random thread last summer, because without it I wouldn't have this amazing author and the Newhouse series! If you are someone who enjoys your basic feel good romances with a touch of sports, you have to pick up the Newhouse University series! Especially if you like the feel of interconnected stand alones as seen in The Off-Campus series by Elle Kennedy!

Koa and Sydney are the absolute cutest. Their chemistry is written really well and I love the character growth both of them seem to go thru to get back to each other in the end. I also love how Koa is the perfect example of "if he wanted to he would" because he constantly goes the extra mile for Sydney to make sure she is happy. The overprotectiveness had me swooning and was sooooo cutie! If you are someone who enjoys slow burns, this book will be right up your alley, because boy do they yearn for each other!

Sydney herself is just a great character. She constantly made me feel very seen as the only bookworm/crafty girl in my friend group, who doesn't really like going out and would rather stay home and do a facemask and cuddle up with my kindle. It's something that I'm very happy to see in this book as I feel while we do have this trope in a lot of FMC's in college romances, it's not fully fleshed out. I would rather not go to a house party on Friday night, but spend my free evening at at a bookstore. ALSO, STEM REP! I love how more and more romance books are including women who work in stem, as I said in my last stem-romcom review, not all of us can be bookstore owners and kindergarten teachers(though I do love to see those careers too!)

Book Stats:

Rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐(4.25/5)

Spice Rating:🌶️🌶️🌶️(3/5)

Tropes: STEM, Single parent, found family,

Publisher: Avon

Review:

*thank you to Avon for sending me a copy of this book for free in exchange for a honest review-it means a lot that you trust little old me!!!!*

Fans of Ali Hazelwood, I have a new book for you! Give Me Butterflies by Jillian Meadows is that perfect heartwarming, gooey, feel good, and lets not forget steamy romcom that will quite literally give you butterflies!

As a STEM girlie myself, I really love how there is more and more books written about the STEM lifestyle(not all of us can be cute cafe owners or second grade teachers) and it is really nice to see more and more of that representation in our romance books that aren't.....yah know, "I hooked up with this disease I grew in my lab that has somehow grown a body to have s*x with me" kind.

So the good parts, the humor is written really well and really helps add to the heartwarming feeling in the book. The kids in this book are soooo cute! They have true backstories and are truly active in the plot of the story, and are not just used as plot devices(which is normally my big complaint about the single dad trope- I want to see the FMC and the child interact in the plot and have plot points of their own before you judge her on what she can't handle or doesn't know anything about) There is a ton of representation in this book besides the stem that I really truly appreciate as well, including but not limited to LGBTQ+ and positive therapy. Oh! and there is no major HR violation(besides a minor one used as a plot device) with this book(I am looking at you The Love Hypothesis) I know most people don't really care about that kind of thing, but it always makes me uncomfortable and can really ruin a book, because to me, it doesn't seem very realistic that two people can commit a HR violation that serious and walk away scott free. Another big thing that I really loved that the author used in this book is the fact that THERE IS NO MISCOMMUINCATION. LIKE NONE. All of the MC's problems are real problems and because they are truly able to talk to each other, there is no unnecessary drama to keep the plot going. The last thing I absolutely loved about this book besides all of the butterflies it gave me in my stomach? The use of butterfly symbolism. Seriously, like, I shed a tear at it. It was so cutie!

So the bad things. For as long as this book is, I really wish their was more build-up to the chemistry and the "longing". It felt kinda like we were diving off a cliff directly into the plot and love story without running to jump off said cliff. The only other major thing is there was kind of a massive plot hole left off at the end. I get that finishing it was probably not necessary for our main couple to have their happily ever after, but still. It left me with questions at the end and that the story didn't really and truly end at the end of the book.

Rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐(3.75/5)

Spice Rating: YA ❤️

Tropes: Found Family, Chosen One

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Review:

So, Jennifer Lynn Barnes is a author I don't really understand the hype for. The naturals, like The Inheritance Games, is a great concept for a book, but it falls flat due to the writing itself. I really loved the plot, characters, and world-building, but the writing is kind of hard to overlook.

Who wouldn't want to read criminal minds with teenagers? The concept of this book is honestly genius. The plot also was able to keep my attention as someone who doesn't often read mystery. I would honestly pick up the second, third or even fourth book if the writing style didn't drive me up the wall. It truly is a fun concept for a YA series, one that I think a lot of young YA readers would enjoy. On the topic of that, I really love how yes, it is a book about criminals and serial killers and all that fun stuff, but the author keeps it Young Adult down to a tee. As someone who is very much involved with the bookish community, I can say the line between YA and NA and even adult novels is blurring every day, more and more. It's nice to see a true traditional YA book be just that.

The characters are okay. I feel like we could have had more in between scenes so we could get to see more of the different personalities and how our teenage sleuths interact outside of our main plot points. I really would have loved to see that, because the relationships in between each other is than thrown in our face to the main plot.

For once, I think there is enough world-building in this book. (CRAZY, IK, who have I become?) I wasn't really confused at all for the story, until the very end(which I believe was very much planned) The story overall and how we are introduced makes sense for the overall plot line. I also love how the story is still grounded in reality even though itself is high realistic fiction.

Book Stats:

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐(4/5)

Spice Rating:🌶️🌶️🌶️(2.75/5)

Tropes: Small Town, Second-Chance, Cowboy Romance, Single Dad

Publisher: Indie?(I can't tell, from research)

Review:

*Thank you so much to Valentines PR and the author for sending me a copy of this book for free in exchange for a honest review, it really means a lot that you trust little old me!*

It's a joke that is often said that people ruin their TBR's for holiday books and novella's and all I have to say to that is The Christmas List by Maren Moore is packed full of holiday vibes with plenty of cute, cozy moments to go around.

Josie and Wyatt are the couple that got away. Wyatt decided his future was more important and left Strawberry Hollow to play football at college, while Josie stayed. Now 10 years later, Wyatt is back to help run the ranch, just with a daughter in tow, who happens to be in Josie's kindergarten class this year. As the queen of Christmas herself, Josie can't deny Lucy, Wyatt's daughter when she askes her if she could be part of their team for the Christmas List competition, she can't say no.

The vibes this book has are perfect if your looking for a cute, quick Christmas book. It's got all the small town hallmark vibes you could want. The Christmas list is a cute idea just in general. I think it was a great plot device as well. Like, come on, how wouldn't want to dress up all Christmassy and complete Christmas themed tasks? Sign me up! The small town vibes are also hitting perfectly and are really well written.

I really love the characters in this book. Lucy is the cutest daughter ever. Josie also had a lot of character growth which I liked. Wyatt is a good MMC, and is a good dad overall.

The romance is okay. I needed more tension and angst personally, but it was still decent. It's a novella so I understand. The Smut is decent as well, so if your looking for that to help feed your holiday vibes, this might be the book for you.

I only have two minor-ish things that I would change. First, I feel like the book didn't have enough intro to it. It was immediately jump into the plot. Which, it's also a novella, so I understand, but it was a little hard to understand what was fully going on, until I got a couple of chapter in, which normally doesn't happen in romance novels. *Editing Fairy here, I realize that this isn't the first book in the series, it's book 3, so there is more to Strawberry Hollow if you want it! probably a reason why there is less world-building. That being said, I still think a recap of the first two books or more story build up would have been nice * Second, the pacing was kind of all over the place personally for my taste. But then again, it's also a novella so I understand. You have 200ish pages and a lot of plot, romance and storytelling to do, and not a lot of time to do it.

Book Stats:

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐(3.75/5)

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️(2.5/5)

Tropes: Single Dad, Cowboy Romance, Small Town

Publisher: B&N Press

Review:

First off, let me start by saying that this book had a lot of potential. All the right tropes, a good MMC, and really cute kids. That being said, the FMC was a little bit too much of a b, the tropes were half thought out and there wasn't really a love story. That also being said, I did still somewhat enjoy it!

The MMC is the perfect book boyfriend. He has two of the cutest daughters and he braids their hair. He is so sweet and caring. I will say, I think single dad is now one of my favorite tropes in the world. But I feel like the FMC didn't know really what to do or how to fit into this trope. She makes a point to get the girls to stand up for themselves but doesn't really show any other affection at all. She is not very likeable at all.

The love story and the tropes are.....okay. As I mentioned earlier, they felt very half baked. Not that there was too many tropes, just that they all felt not mentioned or worked in enough, except for the girl dad trope. Besides the normal smut, there wasn't really any romance scenes. There was the MMC telling the FMC that he appreciated her, but none of the falling in love scenes that make you want to kick your feet with excitement. When they said the I Love You words, I didn't believe it. It felt like a middle school relationship honestly. The relationship didn't even fill fully finished either. Like the author was trying to immediately set up the next book.

The pacing was also so all over the place. It was so hard to keep up with it, and keep me engaged.

Book Stats:

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐(3.75/5)

Spice Rating: YA ❤️

Tropes: Fake Dating, Enemies to Lovers, College Romance

Publisher: Indie

Review:

*Thank you so much to the author for sending me a copy of this book for free in exchange for a honest review! *

This book surprised me in the best way. I was not expecting to enjoy it as much as I did. I read in a day in a half!

The character development was really well written. I really really enjoyed getting to see the growth that our FMC grows through. I feel that our FMC is also very realistic, as someone who is her at her same stage of life. I also really love how the author set up the growth, and made it a truly realistic life lesson.

I love the romance. That being said, I really wish we had more little in between scenes. That also being said, if you are a ROM-COM girlie, I think you really enjoy this love story. The love story scenes that are there are so cute and will have you kicking and screaming.

Where to even start with our MMC? He is such a chill dude. I feel like if the flag guy on TikTok came thru, he would be green flags all the way.

I also really love how much the author infused culture into the book. I feel like with romance novels, culture is either is written into the plot, or is completely ignored. The author does a really great job of creating a perfect blend of showing the culture and the romance.

My only other note is don't really expect amazing, magical writing. It's not the best quality but it's also not really the worst thing I have read. Personally, I feel It didn't really take away from the actual plot line or my enjoyment of the book, but if that is something that may bother you, then maybe skip this one.

Book Stats:

Rating:⭐⭐⭐(3/5)

Spice Rating: 🌶️(1/5)

Tropes: Friends to Lovers, Occult Romance, Fake-dating

Publisher: Indie

Review:

This is going to be real short and sweet. If your looking for fall vibes, this book will hand you a pumpkin spice latte, wrap you in a cozy blanket and put ghost cookies in the oven for you. The vibes are on point! It's also a quick little read so if your a mood reader who doesn't want to commit to a longer fall romance, this could be it!

The romance is so cute and sweet. The friends to lovers trope is written really really well. Also, the KITCHEN SCENE? A. MAZE.ING.

Book Stats:

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐(4.25/5)

Spice Rating: YA ❤️

Tropes: Muti-POV, Chosen One, Love triangle

Publisher: From the Vines Publishing

Review:

*Thank you so much to the author and From The Vines publishing for sending me a free copy of this book in exchange for a honest review! it means a lot you trust little old me!*

Considering how much I liked the first one, I had high expectations for Si Foote's next novel and boy did it not disappoint! Indictment lefts off right after the first novel in the Elementalists series, Incomplete where the Council is fighting Tyr Slattory and HISS to protect their people.

The book is action-packed. Plenty of battles, fight scenes, and military drama. That being said, there were enough slow scenes to really help balance it out. The pacing was kind of perfect.

I also really loved the use of P.O.V. In this book, we actually get to see everybody from the council and get to know the characters way better and see a much different side from them all together. I also love that we really get to see more of the dynamic between the other characters as well. The council is giving me major found family vibes.

The romance subplots? had me kicking and screaming my little feet all over the place. That being said, I really love how the author worked them in. It didn't take away from the main storyline at all, they were just subplots. So, even if your someone who enjoys si-fi, but not romance, I wouldn't let sway you from picking this up.

I know I said it in my last review, but Si Foote is amazing at worldbuilding. Seriously made me want to fall into the book and explore the world of Elementōrum Patriam. I wish there was a little bit of a recap, as it's been a couple of months since I read the last novel, but neither here nor there. I was a little confused, as there are so many different characters to keep track of, but honestly are you even reading a dystopian book if you aren't confused have the time?

Book Stats:

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐(3/5)

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️(2.25/5)

Tropes: Best Friends Brother, Small Town, Age Gap, Military Romance

Publisher: Tequila Sunrise Publishing

Summary:

Brady and Emmy have known each other their entire lives. Probably have been in love with each other since they first met each other. They share a magical night right before Brady leaves for deployment, that wasn't really magical because Emmy's brother and Brady's best friend ruined it. Now it's been two years and Emmy and Brady have seen each other and they are stuck back in the same small town.

Review:

Good Things, shall we? I think the concept of the book is really good, I enjoyed the story. I think for the right reader, who is looking for a short, fluffy, small town romance, with a very sweet happily ever after. I also think its very relatable. I also like the military aspect. I typically don't read this trope, but I really enjoyed it. The small town vibes were also *chef's kiss*. The best friend's brother trope was written very well. I like that the brother was actually involved more too. Also, can we hear it for great female support systems? I love Emmy's friends, seriously I want great as friends as she has.

Now on to the bad things, First off, Brady, the male MMC creeps me out just a bit. The way he describes Emmy is almost like he is entitled to her, which is good, in some cases, but it's not written well. Brady character depth also can fact into this. He seems very one-dimensional, even though the author tries to make it not seem so. He doesn't actually change, he makes promises but doesn't keep them, he constantly mess up when he says he was going to be better, etc, but we don't actually see it on page....

Secondly, I wish the side characters weren't as interesting. I was more focused on the side characters and their stories then I was on the main couple, and it seems like the author was as well, especially towards the end.

Book stats:

Rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐(3.75/5)

Spice Rating:🌶️🌶️(2/5)

Tropes: Star Crossed Lovers, Chosen One

Publisher: Bloom Books

Summary:

What happens when the person you are convinced isn't real, who happens to be the prince of hell, goes missing? Marlow has always thought everything she sees that nobody else sees doesn't actually exists, until she gets attacked and finds out that everything she can see is real and more, and the one person protecting her from all of it, has gone missing. So what's a girl to do? go after him of course and dive first into a very magical world.

Review:

Okay, so If you liked the Shadow hunters series, but didn't enjoy the actual romance, you should pick this one up. There is really good diction, that helps draw you into the story. It also has some great LGBTQ+ representation, and some great religious trauma that we don't get to see. The author handles both very well, in a way I don't think we get to see often. I love the use of many different cultures in this book as well. I also really loved the magic system!

Now on to the bad things. If your someone who likes some kind of action in your books, this may not be the book for you. It seems lie 70% of the book is the characters running around, not doing anything, and just vaguely hinting at things. When there is plot points, there really is not action, just dialogue then jump to the next scene.

Book Stats:

Rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐(4/5)

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️(2.5/5)

Tropes: Small Town, Forbidden Romance

Publisher: HarperCollins

Summary:

When Imani discovers her mother is getting married out of nowhere, she drops everything at her OB/GYN job where she is doctor of the year, and runs back to her small town, Peachtree Cove. Considering all her drama with her father, she is surprised her mother wants to rush into a major life decision, and Imani will do anything to break it up. That is, before she meets her future step brother, who happens to be very attractive.

Review:

This was a really really cute read! I enjoyed the romance, the small town vibes were immaculate, and I loved the character growth. This book is very much giving hallmark vibes with a touch of realism.

I only have a couple things to really say about things that really bug me about this book. First, I really wish there was more reason for the plot. No spoilers, but it honestly didn't make sense to me, and it seemed the FMC didn't honestly have any real motivation to help push the plot. Second, the epilogue/ last 3rd of the book felt very, very, rushed. Like 3rd act breakup, then BAM end of the book. Finally, I don't think the characters act their age... they act like they are 16 instead of 35.