Contemporary – The Smut Report

Review: Next of Kin by Hannah Bonam-Young (2022)

June 24, 2022 Ingrid

Heat Factor: It’s CLOSE to a slow burn but it didn’t feel too slow.

Character Chemistry: Their first meeting had a lot of sparks but not in a good way. Luckily they turned that around pretty fast.

Plot: Chloe’s life takes a massive turn when she takes custody of her newborn sister, who is in pretty rough shape. In order to gain custody, she has to team up with another young foster parent, Warren, who has fought to gain custody of his teen brother. Living together means they have to figure out how to make things work with the added pressure of parenting. Oof.

Overall: Totally smitten with this book in so many ways.

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Review

Review: Intelligence Check by Katherine McIntyre (2022)

June 22, 2022June 23, 2022 Holly

Dungeons and Dating, #3

Reviews Dungeons and Dating, Book #1 & Book #2

Heat Factor: Three detailed encounters in the last chunk of the book—they have a lot of pining to get through first

Character Chemistry: “I think this person is so great, but there’s no way they like me”

Plot: Mason and Hunter start carpooling to work together, and that push is just what they need to open up to each other

Overall: There’s a lot to like

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Rant, Review

Review: By the Book by G.B. Gordon (2022)

June 20, 2022 Erin

Follow the Money, Book #1

Heat Factor: Somehow the second time is more explicit and elaborate than the first time? (What?) But not by much – it’s very much a “just the highlights” situation

Character Chemistry: Did not work for me

Plot: Ben discovers a quarter million accounting error at his company, tells his boss, and then his boss gets murdered

Overall: The characterizations were so muddy I eventually got a headache

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Review: As Seen on TV by Meredith Schorr

June 10, 2022 Ingrid

Heat Factor: It’s got its moments of heat but it’s not a rip-roaring fire of a book.

Character Chemistry: They’re very real characters–so their chemistry isn’t overpoweringly “meant to be” but it’s adorable the way they work through things together.

Plot: Adi is desperately chasing a story that could make or break her career–and on the way she stumbles into Finn, a dreamy project manager whose company helps lessen the blow when her whole project falls apart.

Overall: This is a very relaxing and sweet read, which makes sense considering Hallmark movies are an integral part of the plot.

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