Ingrid

Review: Birthright by Kathryn Amurra (2022)

August 29, 2022 Ingrid

Soothsayer’s Path, Book #3

Review of Soothsayer’s Path, Book #1 & Book #2

Heat Factor: It’s a closed door, mild heat. Sweet, but not overtly sexy.

Character Chemistry: It’s friendship to devotion, with some light tension.

Plot: Narilla is desperate to establish her legitimacy with the upper echelons of society after a lifetime of watching her mother’s rejection for marrying a merchant. Jovian is a good-hearted and talented masonry artisan who is also, as it turns out, a thief who steals Narilla’s birthright.

Overall: This was a really well-written and sweet love story and a strong follow up to the other two in this series.

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Review: The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan (2016)

August 20, 2022 Ingrid

Scottish Bookshop #1

Heat Factor: It’s not a hot and heavy book, but there IS some slow burning tension.

Character Chemistry: UGH, call me a sucker but apparently my weakness is Very, Very, Grumpy Scottish Men and Beautiful Isolated Places

Plot: Nina is laid off from her job as a librarian and jumps headfirst into running a very small, very cute bookstore from a very large van in the northern Scottish countryside, where she ends up meeting a grumpy farmer going through a divorce.

Overall: It was adorable to the max and full of dry humor.

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Review: The Fixer Upper by Lauren Forsythe (2022)

August 10, 2022 Ingrid

Heat Factor: There’s no whoopie and there’s actually very little overt sexual tension but somehow I am still TOTALLY invested in this book.

Character Chemistry: They’re meant to be, and it’s adorable. Think “13 Going on 30” meets “Failure to Launch” with a hint of “Bridget Jones’ Diary”

Plot: Dylan and Alyssa were BEST friends growing up, until Alyssa confesses her love for Dylan and ghosts him overnight in embarrassment. When she and her two friends create a side business for nudging reluctant partners in the “right” direction for their clients, Dylan ends up being the job…only Alyssa doesn’t think he needs any fixing. At all.

Overall: This one might be a tiny bit smut adjacent, but it’s AMAZING and I’m completely obsessed with it.

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Review

Review: Enemies to Lovers by Aster Glenn Grey (2021)

July 27, 2022 Ingrid

Heat Factor: It’s short and steamy!

Character Chemistry: It’s a pretty sweet and average meet-cute at first, until everything clicks and you realize THEY’RE ONLINE ENEMIES!! Then it’s full steam ahead…

Plot: Megan is a fanfic writer who meets a fellow fan (who is also literally her other half, interests-wise) only to discover that Sarah is her harshest critic online. When she goes to confront her in their writer’s group, they end up stuck together and sparks fly.

Overall: This is short, sweet, witty, and funny—but yes, it does have a lot of niche-specific language that can be kind of confusing if you’re not into online fanfic.

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Review: Bet on It by Jodie Slaughter (2022)

July 15, 2022 Ingrid

Heat Factor: It starts out really emotionally heavy and gets lighter and steamier as it goes.

Character Chemistry: In the beginning it’s hard to see how much they have in common beyond their mental health issues, but they do end up building a fun, relaxing relationship together.

Plot: Aja has a panic attack in a grocery store right when it’s about to close, and is helped by a stranger—who happens to be her Bingo buddy’s grandson. Both of them have serious mental health issues, and an instantaneous connection that develops into something more (whether they’re ready for it or not).

Overall: It was so heavy in the beginning I had a hard time rooting for anything but more therapy for the two of them—but they did end up creating a really beautiful relationship.

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