Ingrid

Review: The Shoe Diaries by Darby Baham (2021)

January 26, 2022January 25, 2022 Ingrid

The Friendship Chronicles, #1

Heat Factor: It’s low heat, but only because the hero and heroine aren’t in the same room together all that much.

Character Chemistry: When they ARE in the same room, hooo…it’s fluttery.

Plot: Rae loves shoes and ends up making a “risk list” to push her to open her life up to happiness—and one of those items seems to keep circling back to her college love, Jake.

Overall: This was absolutely more of a Women’s Lit than Romance because Rae’s dealing with so many other plot critical things—but it’s fun, romantic, and makes your heart swell up.

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Rant, Review

Review: Safety in Numbers by Sophie Penhaligon (2022)

January 21, 2022 Ingrid

Heat Factor: It’s a medium roast

Character Chemistry: They click pretty much instantly but I’m not sure it’s much of a chemical reaction for the reader.

Plot: Seraphina has a TBI and a lot of baggage. Milo is a CEO/Scientist man who is not very nice and evidently very lonely. They fall in love.

Overall: if you saw the gossip columns featuring Elon Musk and Grimes, and you were like, “that’s so hot”, you will probably like this book. Or if you love a really paternalistic hero.

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Review: Breath to Bear by Paula Dombrowiak (2021)

January 5, 2022January 4, 2022 Ingrid

Blood and Bone, Book #2

Review of Blood and Bone, Book #1

Heat Factor: It’s hot but it’s also really deep and intense.

Character Chemistry: Having been a Team Mia fan in the first book, I am shocked to find myself fully team Erin in this one.

Plot: Having researched and ghostwritten singer Jack’s memoir, Erin is stuck in a situation of her own making–she’s fallen in love with her subject, he’s famous, and she’s pretty sure he’s still in love with his late lifelong love and bandmate Mia.

Overall: This was such a satisfying ending to the first book–Mia and Jack’s happily ever after is hard-earned, slow, and satisfying.

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Review

Review: Promising Love by Sara Ohlin (2021)

December 29, 2021December 28, 2021 Ingrid

Rescue Me, Book #3

Heat Factor: It’s pretty steamy. There’s a lot of whoopie going on.

Character Chemistry: They start out, without exaggeration, from the first page.

Plot: Lachlan has been in love with Ruby since he was 12—and when she finally makes a move, he jumps to conclusions while also dealing with shady happenings in the neighborhood.

Overall: I don’t think it’s a grumpy/sunshine, and I am gobsmacked to say that I think I don’t like flowery talk in my romance novels?

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Review: A Graduate Education by Phoebe Thorpe (2021)

December 14, 2021 Ingrid

Heat Factor: Oh, my.

Character Chemistry: Well, it’s a good thing these guys hang out with academics, because someone needs to study the chemical reaction that happens every time they’re in the same general breathing space.

Plot: Mia is a grad student recovering from a really crappy relationship when she strikes up a heated romance with Brett—who is, as it turns out, her professor.

Overall: This book is a big boundary pusher, but it’s HOT. So some people are going to hate it, but it’s also pretty darn good.

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